The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-28
In MemaGl's Realm.
ARE NOT ENOUGH GIRLS.
Necessary to Import DOmestics Be-
fore Arranging to Train Them.

fore Arranging to Train Them.
There has been considerable comment upon
the suggestion made sometime ago In The
G o b in regard to the establishment Of
servants cooperative bureau. Descrip-
tons of such institutions in this country and
in England have from time to time been pub
lished in these columns that readers might
make profitable comparisons. One thing has
been particularly marked in all these de-
scriptions viz: That the women organized
not to secure a supply of servants, but to
devise means Of selecting good servants
quickly and with reasonable security. ST.,
Paul women have a more difficult problem
to solve. Run through the advertising col
umns of the daily papers and the difficult
element in the local problem becomes evil
dent. While the advertisements for domestics
will run from five to fifteen, the calls for
situations from girls will not average one
day, and then the notice will have limit
ing clause as. for example, mo washing, !"
small family "place for two girls" good
wages and forth, all betraying an indie
pendence born of too little competition. An
other proof that there is scarcity OF ser
wants is that the advertisements inserted by
the mistresses receive but a faint response
1t is enough to break ones heart to listen
to the conversation between a tired, anxious
housewife and a prospective domestic who
has called in answer to an advertisement.
which occurred in the city not many days
ago. The girl had called to "look over the
ground"
Can you wash?''
Eyes, but 1 don't like to; it makes me
faint"
"Can you bake bread?"
Yes, but it makes my arms too tired to
knead it."
"Do you know how to sweep heavy carpets
property"
II know. but can't do it, because it
And yet the girl felt no conjunction in
applying for the place; in fact she assumed
the air Of benefaetor in calling at all What
is the trouble? There are plenty of girls
in the Northwest; women have had the man
agement of the household, girls have done
the work. So whatever fault there is it must
be laid at woman's door, Men have given
girls small encouragement to come into fac
tories and stores, paying. them skeleton
wages, and yet they are bothered TO- death
with applications. Is it not absurd for in
telligent, thinking women to turn their at
tention to this and to that improvement In
town and country and to leave '.un-worked
progress and happiness? But to go back to
the first difficulty. City girls have crowded
into the shops, and now there are not domes-
ties enough: 1t is all well enough to talk
about organizing for the purpose of securing
good girls. but it is quite necessary to get
the girls before you can select. When bust
ness men are short Of help they send man
out into the country to bring In lot, or at
least to look them up, and ascertain their
qualifications, so that they may be called
upon when necessary. Why can't women do
the same? This could be done through a
club that has a domestic science department.
or an energetic business woman. one with
an instructive knowledge of human nature.
could go through the country Independently
looking up farmers daughters, making a
record of their standing in their own COM
munities, their ages, weight, height and so
forth. With this data she could form the
nucleus Of an organization by getting num-
Der of her friends to pay enough to cover
the expenses of her trip into the country
in return for the privilege of having free &C
cess to this list: This would not amount to
more for each lady than the money usually
paid to an intelligence Office, which at best
brings a poor return. If the movement thus
be to let other members into the association
at stated fee. AS the organization grew
the facilities would have to, and could easily
be increased This is but one suggestion.
Has any one another?