Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-08-05
PosToFFIcE WOMEN.
History of an Army of British Bread
winners.

|
History of an Army of British Bread
winners.
There are 33,918 women employed in
the postoffice. The early experiments
in their employment date back to 1870.
When the postofice took over the
| telegraph system from the companies
women were in the employ of these
companies In 1871, the year i'm
mediately following the transfer, there
were 972 women employed as tele-
graphists. Their history in the com
panies dates back to 1853 q It is stated
that their introduction was due to The
influence of Major-General Wylde, on1
of the directors of the Electric Tele-
graph company The late queen, upon
whom Major-G General Wylde was then
in attendance, is asserted to have
evinced a considerable interest in the
opening of this employment to women.
The first postof1ce in which tele-
grams were entrusted to women was
the West Strand office, and they event
ually became so expert that they were
employed in signaling the queens
speech, which was then viewed as an
important test, Soon after the post
office took them over they began to de-
crease in numbers, and in 1881 there
were only $40 Of them employed.
Their average salary in 1871 was It's.
I'D. per week in London and 18s, Cd.
in the provinces. In 1881 it had i'm
proved to 23s. 10d in London and los.
lid. in the provinces. Mr.. Scudamore
had previously to 1881, however,
caught the idea of extending their en-
ployment beyond telegraph work.
The main consideration in his mind
seems to have been economy. He also
saw a means of finding light and rela-
lively remunerative work for the fe-
male relations of postal officials. This
consideration undoubtedly secured for
his scheme considerable support
among his colleagues, who thus saw
an opening for their daughters. In
1871 the clearing house branch of the
Receiver and commandments Of
fee was established and stated with
women. In 1875 trial was made with
women clerks in the Savings Bank de-
partment, which now employs about
1900. This was followed in 1881 by
the establishment of the postal order
branch, which now employs about SO
girls. In 1881, with the advent of Mr..
Fawcett as Postmaster-General, a
rapid recruitment of girls took place.
The money-order branch opened new
sphere, and now the telephone bust
ness promises to bring in a further
number. So, from the small beginnings
in 1870 we have arrived at the total
Of nearly $4,000 today.
The postoffice is very reticent upon
the question of the relative efficiency
of male and female labor, but from
non-oficial sources it is to be gathered
that they possess certain advantages
which recommend them to administra-
tive officers. These attractions are not
confined to England. Thirty-fve of the
administrations of the Postal Union
employ women. Belgium has confess
ed the experiment failure, but all the
remainder speak in favor. Mr.. Have
lock Ellis says that in English post
offices women are generally found to
be more docile and amenable to dis
cipline; that they perform light work
at low pressure equally as well as the
men; but that they suffer more from
illnesses of short duration, and eX-
hibit less intelligence outside the or
binary routine, not showing the same
ability or willingness to acquire tech
nical knowledge When women are
substituted for men it is also found
that it requires our or five women to
replace three or four men. All the adj
ministrations employing them urge
that they are cheaper and more docile.
They appear to be used largely in or
der to Illustrate movements for re-
form among the men, and have a not
able effect in keeping down the wages
of their male colleagues. In France
this influence is extremely marked,
and in England it is becoming more
and more obvious. In England, too,
the advent of women, who are favored