Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1901-08-26
HUNDREDS OF OCCUPATIONS
ARE NOW OPEN TO WOMEN

MANY ltduelS can go back forty
years to the time when the lines OF
work for women included household
service, home nursing and nsighborly
nursing from house to house, sewing
and comparatively minor lines OF
teaching. Following down few dec
AIDES we find between FIVE and six
hundred wage earning occupations open
to women. and our problem becomes
not so much What woman can do" as
how shall women choose that work
which they are best fitted to perform ?
This choice must depend necessarily
upon such factors as her degree of
wealth, Of education, her social posi-
ton. her health, her breadth of mind.
her practical knowledge and her sense
of moral responsibility, says the Wash
Iington Star.
Therefore. it is idle to ask what can
women do. because the answer must
necessarily apply to only small class
'of women. There will be as much va
.riety in the possibilities as in capabil-
tiles. We can only outline some Of the
possibilities, and leave the question of
her capability to be settled by the
woman herself
Starting at the very highest power
in a wOman's nature-her moral in
fuence in her own home, in the church
and in society-the faintest hint will
suffice. Women know already that
they cannot, in public affairs, accom-
plish great reorms or develop great
schemes except as they are able to in
fuence those who have the rights Of
citizenship and the control Of wealth.
Happily the mind of the intelligent and
truly noble manhood. thatcares for gen
eral welfare. is always open to the
views and influence of truly noble and
intelligent wOmanhood. What woman
can do in this line, therefore is to put
herself in touch with civic and philan-
throDic and educational needs.
She cannot clean the streets. nor can
she vote that the street cleaning shall
be in the hands of the right man; but
she can understand all those things
that pertain to street sanitation and
house sanitation. Two-thirds of the
women of the world battle with dirt
with their hands upon a broom-handle.
The knowledge of what ought to be
done. which every intelligent woman
can acquire. can be welded much
more effectively than can the broom
stick.
We have abundant instances in diff
terent cities of women's stirring such
currents of public opinion as might be
called raising the wind" Raising the
wind means raising the dust. and when
the discomfort of the dirt and filth are
fairly in the air, men will hurry ND the
scavenger and work for its removal
For women. therefore, the one word is
Keep your eyes open for actual condi-
lions, study work, learn, find out for
yourselves. Then talk it or write 1t to
the men who are too busy to find out
otherwise.
And the same suggestion that ap-
plies to sanitary and civic conditions
applies also to philanthrOpic work. II
women know what actually goes on in
hospitals and infrmaIies, in institu-
tons for the aged for the paupers, for
the little children and even for the
criminals. they have the basis OF "a
genuine work. In civic or political
things they can only influence morally
in philanthropic things they will be al
lowed sometimes a share in the man
agement OF institutions, always a share
in the raising Of the money therefor
and occasionally a voice in saying how
that money can be wisely expended
If her heart is really set on the bet
torment of human conditions, and her
head is not so obstinate that she be-
lieves that the sinners can beconverted
by the scolding of the saints. and she
unites her wOmanly discrimination to
her genuine desire to have things
made the best possible for weak and
wretched world. her field Of influence
along all the philanthropic lines is
very broad. 1t would take a book to
write what she might do in these di-
reetions. Like zenobia, her kingdom
here is "as broad as the genius that
can devise or the power that can win, ="
but like Zenobia, her kingdom must be
based. not upon her power, but her
love- Especially in the whole region OF
work for childhood is this true. She
can find out what sick children, poor
children. suffering children need. She
can, to a very great extent, control the
supply, because mems hearts will be
with her from the outset in work for
the little ones.
Take, for example, one work just be-