The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-12-04
DIPLOMAS FOR SERVANTS.
A Great Scheme to Improve the Quality
 of Household Service

of Household Service.
 There is day of glory coming for the servant girl. Likewise time of con tent for the mistress is in sight. To en- deavor to solve, at least in part, the vexed servant girl problem" is mis- sion that Mrs. Wilton H. Losee, of 5000 East Seventh street, has taken to her self as her own. For twenty years has she thought of the relationship of mis- tress and maid and of master and man; for six months past she has talked with nearly half the city, at least its more prominent part individual by individu- al, proposing a plan she wishes to see carried to realization. Words of en- couragement and beatifie praise have met her on every side. Men have trenn- ulously thanked her others have held out big fat punches of money as they bade her godspeed All want to see something done with the servant girl.
 The plan of Mrs. Losee contemplates the erection of college for misresses and maids; principally, of course for 1 the instruction of maids in their various duties as domestic servants The girls would be taught how to perform the manifold duties of household-to cook l to care for the house, to care for fuTni- | ture, bric-a-brac, to sew, to mend, and, above all, to learn to take care of them- selves. Each girl, too, would be given instructions in nursing. Those who went through the school would be taught by experience instructors every department of household duties. It would be expected at graduation that they would be far more intelligent and would be assuredly we'll trained. At present all seem to agree perfectly that servant girls are not well trained Mrs Losee Is apparently trying to advance on eminently practical lines. She has about fivescore of advisers among the clergy, bankers, lawyers, doctors and other representative men who are watching out that the plan will not get side-tracked in the rosy regions of visionary impracticability In very short time it is hoped to present the plan to the Commercial club. A prom inent minister will present the plan The Commercial club has not requested that the matter be laid before it, but it is assured the club will give the plan kindly hearing and serious consdera- tion.
 First of all, it is necessary to pur- chase site and erect building The cost to do this may aggregate consider ably over one hundred thousand dollars, perhaps two hundred thousand dollars. But that doesn't bother Mrs. I4osee. The next requisite is to obtain instruc tors. And how to get them does bother. Then pupils must come, and it is planned that the school will accommo- date about one hundred girls. From the information gained on all sides all the donestics seem eager to go to school. With some the course might re- quire only few months: with the av- craze girl it will probably be planned to have the course take about year. Then each girl at graduation will, at commencement exercises, of course, re- ceive diploma nicely tied up in la pretty blue ribbon. Following are some questions Mrs. Losee propouuds:
 Do people want servants who have re- ceived diplomas?
 Would girls take advantage?
 Is such a school needed?
 How much money would 1t take to float it?
 Is it too big for Kansas City to han dle?
 Who would be benefited?
 What does the mistress expect?
 Girls to come from the poor, unedu- cated classes and immediately under stand taking care of finely finished and furnished homes, the value of fine car pets, bric-a-brac and cut glass? Girls to sleep in cellars starways or | attics? Girls to receive their company in the I kitchen? Girls to be intelligent and keep In i! their places? Girls to know without being taught? i Girls to adopt their religion and moral | standard?
 Girls to be held up to ridicule before | the family and visitors without pro- testing?
 Has girl any rights?
 Has she the right to demand the l same careful sanitary inspection of her quarters as the shop-girl?
 Has she right to demand and re- ceive wages without having to deposit money with lawyer to bring suit for her?
 Has she right to her own religious belief without ridcule?
 Has she right to demand respectful treatment from the whole family? |