New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-08
WOMEN AND THEIR WORK.
THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH WAGE
WORKERS LIVE AND PERFCRM
DOMESTIC DUTIES.
A CLUB COMPOSED or 400 GIRLS N DOMESTIC
sERv1cr-PLAvs COMPLETED FOR 4
HOME FOR THE SICK AND
HELPLESS.


The two subjects which seem 10 be arousing most
interest among wcmen's clubs tHis winter ere the
conditions under which wage-vorlIers. especially
women. live and wOrk-hOw they home keep ana
perform domestic duties The Working Women
Society has devoted itself particularly 20 the latter
branch OF interest and is enGeavoring 10 work out
a solution OF the vexing dOmestc-servioe problem
As step in this direction. club has been organ
lied which Is unique TheIe ~ members. and
every OF them Is employed In SOM branch OF
domestic service. There cooks and laundreSses
and Mattresses and scullery MAIDS. but the ma
jori;y general housevorkcrs In families IN
moderate circumst stances. They conduct their meet
iags on the second and fourth Wednesdays Of eacn
month. They have their own staff OF officers and
q constitution and bylaws. one OF their projects j.
on the way 10 realization !. j. proposed 10 fuTnish
home for domestic servants who are u or III need
OF rest. out o: employment. or unable TO woT" on
account Of old age. OF course at frst. only MEM
bers OF the club who have boon paying dues Ter
certain period Of time - admitted Il was *
pec,ed that It would take several Yeas 10 raise
funds sufficient to buy a house suitable for the
purpose unless rich woma1 could be inter
es;ed The unexpected happened the other day.
A woman who had worked all her life as house
worker and housrkeeper presented the club WIFI
tweve-rooir house al Ia IA Be lch completely fur
nished The house repres ntcd large part Of the
savings OF a lifetime.
Another Of the clubs pet projects is training
school where the household artS-coci.4N- WASH
Ing waiting on table ard such thnGs-may he
,augh, systematically. The Working Women's So
cjal club is the ou.growth OF the employment bu-
reau maintained by the Working Women's Society.
Places are found for about fifty girls each month
Miss Woodbridge who has been the secretary Of
the Working Wonens Society for the last elgh-
years regards the efforts - do something for the
much neglected class Of household wOrk,rs a. the
most satisfactory work the society has !,' At
tempted. 49,,
cudgels In defence of every other class OF women
workers" said Miss Woodbridge the working
W0men's Society j the mrs. 70 stand UP 10! tHr
rights and WRONGS OF the queens OF the k!tcneN
The household worker - the only one We.
woes touch no responsive chord at the WORKING
Women's Protective Union. said one o. the ON
GERS and there IS nothing more re-arousing tnaii
the way the servant girl l. cheated by man OF
the employment agencie. FrequeniiY sAe - oo''srI
70 live II the lodgings provided by ne agent. ana
is charged exorbitant prices, IN addition 70 the
regular fee the eXacts s. or 81" before ne Will
get her place OF any account.
Very often she il kept running ABOUT rom pia.es
70 place only % md each just filed, until
her money IS all gone. and she has no more 10 pay
for the miserable. crowded rooms where she IS
lodged"
Just now Miss Woodbridge says. the condition Of
the household workers is PARTICULARLY hard- INC
hard times have caused hOusckeepeT~ 70 nlsptfis~
with more Of their help. Households WneEc
three servants were the rule are now getting aioe
with two, and whore TWO were foimcrly yep, one
general houseporkcr now does the work As 4
Consequence. there one hundred appi-c NJ
the employment bureau for every situation.
The Womens Branch OF the Social reform
Club" said Miss Kelley. has dlscon, lnueu ~
Thursday evening discussions Of economic theories
and has begun a series OF meetings out or whch
Il is expected definite. practical work VIII de-
velop."