Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-11-20
An Advantageous Field for women.

An Advantageous Field for Women.
Millinery Trade Review.
"Appreciating your interest IN Lac
welfare of those engaged IN the various
branches of industry and trade, writes
a subscriber, 1.-The following may not
be amiss, as it relates to the engage
ment in certain lines of occupation by
girls and young women. 1t has been
my experience and pleasure to Visit the
retail stores of the prominent cities
for the past few years, and have given
special nosice to the many youthful as
plrants for station in the business world.
The thought has presented itself, that
among the thousands of persons en-
ployed in clerical capacities, there are
cerainly many hundreds who might adj
vantageously withdraw from the retail
counter and enter the department OF
manufacturing in wholesale and manu-
featuring concerns-that is. instead OF
being cash girls or even saleswomen a.
a permanently small salary, they would
join those of their sisters who are en-
gagged in the creation of the finished
product, in appropriate industries, and
derive an income that would eventual
ly render them self-supporting
Surely it must be admitted that
thousands of our young ladies are en-
gagged in mercantile pursuits at sal
airy of 81 or S. per week, who, in a
manufacturing business, could obtain
twice as much, or nearly so, after d
comparatively brief and agreeable ap-
premiership. There are not few young
women who now deplore the fact that
how n of l1o m, MI or ocsf1 Il
their business careers, learn a trade or
profession, which in few years would
afford them substantial incomes. In the
line to which the article of the editor of
The Review had reference (the making
of flowers, feathers, and millinery in
generaD, there is, and has been, great
lack of skilled and unskilled employ
ees in the various departments of the
business.
There are a number of lines of bus
mess in which the work of actual pro-
duction is as gentle and dignified as
the monotonous services rendered by
many who are engaged in large stores.
There is also the satisfaction of super
ior skill in being able to produce from
the raw materials beautiful and artis-
tic object. The word factory does not
fifty apply to the places where such
young ladies are SO engaged. What is
loosely and inaccurately termed fac
tory to-day, in many branches, is rath-
er gathering of bright girls and young
women, having keen intelligence ana
aptitude, all of whom are specialists of
skill in their respective fields of eff
fort.
Further, in many households, where
girls attain the age of fifteen, can be
found those sufficiently advanced in the
methods of needlework, who could cas-
lily acquire the little details that go to
make one mistress of an income, which
gradually and certainly advances from
the time of apprenticeship to finished
skill. To again refer to the business
of artificial flowers and feathers. In
this line there are many thousands en-
gagged, but, year after year, the demand
increases. In the finer departments of
manufacture there are always during
the season, opportunities for as many
girls and young women as wish TO ac-
cept them. The nature of the work Is
devoid OF difficulty ano disagreeabies
1t comprehends the designing of styl-
ism combinations of millinery, the
blending Of materials into those COM
binations, the arrangement of those ma
terials before ready for combination,
all of which the active mind of the fore
lady and the def fingers of the quick
witted assistants accomplish.
The influence for social, mental, and
physical advancement, in the modern
mandatory. is unquestioned. The law
governing such establishments is string
ent and in every section watchful for
the health and proper care OF employees
But in those concerns enga ged in the
industry above referred to, legal regu-
lations would be unnecessary, since of
their own accord, they far exceed the
law in providing for those associated
with them.
The spirit of such a mandatory is
that of the industrial family 1t can
be shown that great numbers OF girls
have entered business house, in the
manufacturing department, and have
remained until womanhood, only to
receive promotion to their proper des-
tiny, marriage.
THE occasions are not many when
those who do continue on in business
occupation change for what many in
correctly deem an easier work, namely.
that of the department store, behind
the counter.
1T has been the observation OF the
writer that there are too many striving
in the stores, and mothers should learn
the lesson that their daughters time
will be well and proftably expended in
acquiring that knowledge which can be