Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-01-12
GREATEST PLAGUE OF LIFE.
Some Suggestions as to How to Get Along
With the Hired Girl.

Some Suggestions as to How to Get Along
With the Hired Girl.
The complaint so often made that
people are obliged to employ Chinese
or japanese cooks and hou>ckccpcr>,
or at best foreign girls. to do that
work, from natural and deep p->cattd
aversion of American girls to go ou;
to service" is based upon some other
characteristic than Incidence or dis
like for work. Its foundation is II
feeling we all commend, AS a national
neutrality-suspicious. and selfrespect.
1t is the high wall erected between
the employer and employed, person.
ally and socially, that leads TO the
trouble, and it is the ever-present con-
sciouSness that there is necessity for
this barrier on the part OF the wage
payer which makes the task of those
who serve SO irkSome. That dignity
which is asserted with an effort, is
never Il perfect fit and is often posi-
lively revolving, and the refinement
which cannot ignore the little annoy
aLces and perplexities OF life, does not
conduce to that placidity of inter
course which makes the model home.
There is a golden mean of conduct
which, while it does not sacrifice self.
respect, and forbids impertinence,
commands the good will of the subor-
dinate by the absence of everything
that suggests patronage. Avoid if
possible that self.consciousness which
makes dress-parade necessary before
Servants" But it was not to write
homily on social ethics, that this art-
Gle was begun, but simply to introduce
well-written contribution to the
Ladies' Home Journal for the current
month, which gives some very peril
nent and sensible suggestions on the
methods for "getting along" with
hired help" Here it is:
There is, perhaps, no more severe
nor decisive test of a country's ad-
vancement than the manner in which
its people live within their homes, and
the way in which its women manage
their domestic affairs. Our lore
mothers devoted all their time and all
their energies to the making of and
caring for their homes. Maids-of-all-
work were plentiful in those days, and
mistresses knew so we'll how to do the
work which they required from their
maids that the training Of the young
and inexperienced servant was not a
difficult task. Housekeeping then
was not so complicated as it is at pres
ent; consequently, the maid could
without any difficulty do both the
cooking and the waiting-or all the
general housework.
But all this is changed. Women
nowadays have so many duties outside
their homes that it is not easy TO find
time to train the inexperienced SER
want even when she is TO be found !;
therefore, with the mistress lack of
time TO supervise her household it is
difficult to find maid who will under.
take the duties required of general
housework girl.
will grant that home in the av.
erage family is likely to be more re-
fined and more Of y protection to a
girl than work in either shop or n
factory, but after all is said and done,
to be at work from five o'clock in the
morning until eleven o'clock at night,
which are frequently the hours of the
cook, is discouraging, to say the least.
Not so much time is required for the
actual work, but from lack of system
and lack of training it often takes
that amount of time to attend to the
regular duties of household. On ac-
count of these long hours the girl OF
to-day does not care to go into domes.
tic service. Yet if she had been
properly trained she would find that
she could get through with her days
work in much quicker time.
In selecting cook or a maid of-all.
work, look we'll to her character, her
previous training and her general
adaptability. When you have decided
to engage her, describe as nearly as
possible the conditions of your house
and your general rules, and when she
arrives make up your mind to stay
right with her for the week and in.
struct her in your ways. Always be-
|! gin at the beginning, serve simple
meals at first, and show her the best
way to do her work.
Demand cleanliness of dress and tidy
hair, and insist upon her wearing
good-titting, comfortable and we'll.
laced or well-buttoned shoes. Give
her comfortable room, a good bed,
and proper means of keeping her be-
longings in order. Provide her with a
pleasant place to eat her meals, and
do not give her broken dishes or fur
nitnre to use. See that she keeps the
closets in order and each utensil in its
place, and explain to her how much
time will be saved if she put each
utensil where it belongs as soon as she
has cleaned it properly after using it
Show her how to manage the range
also tell her about the cereal YOU will
have for breakfast if it is one which
requires long cooking.
The DeYf mornipo rico oorly onJ .o,