The times., 1898-09-25
JAMAICA SERVANTS.
They Have Not Their Equal in the
World.


To housekeeper who visits Jamaica
the life there is a revelation, so tranquil
and harmonious is the atmosphere of
every home. Life in Jamaica has the
swing of a well regulated pendulum and
the ease OF an old shoe And the secret
of it all is-weil-trained servants.
Alas, 1t must be confessed the Ameri-
can housewife makes poor showing be-
side her English sister. When comparing
the resources of this country with tropi-
cal Jamaica the humility deepens. We
have deposited at our doors servants of
all nationalities, but chiefly Irish. Sure
ly. Irish homes and Irish mothers must
supply better raw material than the At
rican slave. Yet, after a hundred years
experiment our system OF domestic train
ing has refrigerated. while the evolution
of the negro house-servant under Eng
lish influences has reached a high degree
of perfection. American housekeepers
confess weakness and incompetency by
fleeing to hotels and boarding houses,
driven from their homes by careless and
tyrannical hirelings.
ing to old-fashioned English methods, is
steadfast, honest and thoroughly disci-
plined. She is early taught self-respect of
mind and body, and that she is born to
work. Her mother sends her TO day school
and church. 1t is required that she be a
church member. or at least regular at
tendant. She is fogged well as a little
girl for dishnuezty all
the severity of the colonial law. She is
early given her part of the housework to
be done each day. Speed is not attempted
but quality and finish she must acquire
Many mothers apprentice their young
daughters to relatives in service For in
stance, a girl of eight years is sent TO an
aunt housemaid. The child is put through
her PAGES in actual service. after receiv-
ing no wages other than her home, clothes
and the occasional tips falling TO the
handy child about the pen.
A charm much lacked in servants of
this country is the personal cleanliness Of
these Jamaica girls They carry no BODY
odors. They are scrupulously neat in hab>
It's and dress, particularly about their un-
derciothes Their petticoats are as crisp
and snow-white as soap, elbow grease and
sunshine can make them, and always as
stif as boards. Their stockings are
darned. Their heads tidy One particular
slant, or falling. is theirs-the best of
house servants will wear a shoe that shuf-
hes at the heel, or, perhaps one should
say, has disposition TO shuttle This is
a trivial matter, however, compared to
their atmosphere OF radiant cleanliness.
Aside from the home training that
these girls receive. the government insti-
tutes include housework in their curri-
culums. Not far from Jamaica Is such
a college for colored girls. Sherwood
Is sustained by the government, and its
teachers are imported direct from Eng
land. Here the girls from the hills (the
country or the city, whose parents can
afford the entrance fee OF s5. are given
good education. 1t not only includes
music. but daily practice and teaching
in all branches of housework. When
these girls finish they either become
teachers, live at home, or marry-few go
ing directly into service. but all capable
should fate reverse their fortunes.
The kindergarten department. however.
provides the nucleus of domestic bliss.
This department is available only to or
phans or half-orphan girls, and house