The times., 1898-12-18
ONE woMAN's WORK.
Miss Dean LIS Landscape Assistant
to an Architect.

Marjory Dean is the romantic name OF
a very practical young business woman
and perhaps the only feminine landscape
assistant to an architect in this country.
Miss Dean, or NJ Dean as she signs her.
self in bold business hand. is a plump
little woman. still under thirty filed
with energy and devoted to her work.
How did you chance upon your pro-
fession?" she was asked.
There was no chance about It," she
replied. II knew 1 should have to earn
my living when 1 left school, so l en-
deavored to lay the foundation for pro-
fession by my studies even while attend
ing the grammar grades in the public
schools. Now. don't want you TO think
that all of this forethought originated
with me as girl, for it did not. was
lucky in having very practical mother
who treated all of her children alike,
boys and girls. She would ask us all,
even as little tots. what We expected to
do to earn our living when we grew up.
Then, as We grew up, while at school, she
would give us advice
Her advice to me-" Miss Dean con-
tinued, was to look for some other rIo-
fession besides typewritilg, bookkeeping
and teaching. 1 have no especial talent.
SO when 1 showed a fondness FOR archi-
lecture she encouraged me, and suggested
that even If 1 never succeeded in becom-
ing an architect, might be an architects s
assistant in some capacity.
so, you see, 1T was my mother who
I laf 81
within the month. 1 came to New York
and offered my services 10 a prominent
architect. He could make no IIse Of me but
he gave me some valuable advice. Go TO
Europe, he said, II possible, and spend at
least three months studying architecture.
Not the buildings so much-for every ar
chitect has studied that branch-but their
settings. Every year the number of
wealthy Americans who wish 10 build
handsome homes is increasing. In the
majority of cases they take a fancy 10 4
certain style of architecture. and wan.
it built on some particular spot without
the least regard for the suitability. Now,
what you want to learn Is how 20 build
the grounds up TO suit the house. Let
the architect build the house and you
build the grounds
Il acted on his suggestion and today 1
am his landscape assistant. l borrowed
the money and took a wheeling tour
through the British Isles and several
countries in Europe with a classmat=,
who did not have TO earn her living and
was willing to go any route that was TO
my advantage.
well, as l have said. on my return
became the assistant of my adviser and
am today earning q comfortable living
with little to spare and put aside for
rainy day. l am the only woman in
America filling such position, according
TO my knowledge. and Lam quite sure
the field is large enough for many more.
My work consists in planning. and
sometimes laying of, the grounds sur
rounding homes in such manner as WI
be in keeping with the style of the buill-
ings. / plan avenues, vistas, tangles,
waterfalls, groves. hedges. grass-p,ots
and any other feature called for by the
architecture Of the house. 1t IS my busi-
ness 10 see to it that the various win
dows and doors have pretty out!ooks and
bits OF landscape; that the several ap