The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-04-05

Special Qualifications - WOmen's
Work Now Isn't What 1t Was In
Our Grandmothers' Days.
In social walks Of life one is almost
daily confronted with seekers after EN-.
ployment. Particularly is the fact notice
able by women among women in this
time. when SO many Of the gentler sex
are forced to earn their own living. On
the other hand, statements in print, as
well as verbal, call attention to the fact
that there are not enough capable people
Cor the positions requiring capahlity OF
their respective kinds, aud that there is
room ut the top In other words, the
latter assertion points to the fact that
skilled labor. not to say spccialism, il
every department Of work is one of the
most essential qualifications of success in
gaintul occupations.
Unfortunately women nearing middle
age or older who find themselves sudden.
ly cast adrft upon their own resources
have not the training which commands
a place and a price in this scientific pc
Rod. The conditions of their early life
in al! likelihood did not tend to afford
training along any particular line. Two
generations ago. perhaps, there were
skilled nccdlcwomcn and women who
could spin yarn and weave fabrics and
knit their own stockings, all of which
were feminine accomplishments quite as
laudable in their time as n knowledge of
stCnography and double entry book
keeping or the acquisition of a degree OF
Il. $. or A. NJ. by which one may earn
her bread and butter.
To account for the changes reasons are
a-plenty, while cold facts exist. In the
first place, weaving, spinning and other
domestic occupations have gone into fac
tories. In the second place. a considera-
ton to be viewed carefully in looking at
the industrial conditions today is this
Parents half century ago worked hard
for that share of this worlds goods
which they accumulated in America. and
they felt that their children should be
spared rs much or all Of the drudgcry of
life and should live in ease and luxury
if possible.
Apropos Of the above, the following
taken from the current number of The
Queen, is Of Interest,"
Everybody atlirms that training is the
password to the good places of life; no
body quite believes it. because the state
mcnt is made so often. Yet, nevcrthe-
less, it is true. Only each of us must
redScover the truth for herself. Re
Gently, with an extremely open mind
and certain materials before me, | set
out to inquire why a particular set of
women had had difficulty in obtaining
work They were women who during Il
certain three months had called at the
central bureau for the employment of
women intending to have their names
entered upon the register as candidates
for immediate employment The secre-
tary, who from abundant experience of
women workers knows almost at once
the kind of applicant for whom she is
likely to be able to secure an engage
mcnt. found herself obliged to decline
the registration fees which these appli-
cants would have paid. though to each
she gave some suggestion or piece of
advice which. if taken, might lead TO
ultimate registration and an engagement.
There were during the three months al
luded to 23S of these unrcgisterable
women in all.
The curiosity" says the author,
(which | always feel about the human
story mingled with the hope of finding
some new variant of it, led me to inquire
with some eageruess into the causes
which had prevented these particular
applicants for work from attaining the
object of their desire, or, at least of
their ostcnsible desire. | brought TO this
investigation, as | have said. an open
mind, though il | permitted myself any
wish in the matter it was that might
discover some less hackncyed reason
than want of training for the compare
tive failures | was about to analyze.
Turning to the records of these 23S, |
found that in several eases there had
been more than one reason why an in
diyidua had been judged ineligible for
employment
In more than a third of the total
number of cases under consideration
want of training was quite clearly the
real hindrance to employment. That the
work sought by these unframed women
was in many instances extremely indef-
mite did not help matters there being at
the present time little demand for vague
service Forty-two Of the unframed did
not know what they wanted to do or
to be- The others stated that they
wished TO act as secretaries. housckeep-
erS companions, matronS. nursery gov
crnesses and special teachers. dispensers
or to do necdlework, charitable artistic
or domestic work. In short all these,
with the exception of the would be cham
pons, aspircd to do work for which spe-
cialy cultivated qualifications are ncces-
sary, not having developed their abilities
at all in the required directions. for house
keepers matrons, nursery goyernesscS,
charitable workers. domestic workers
and the rest are wanted. only they must
be workers of specific and well defined
classes. 1t may bc pointed out that such
other difficulties rs those arising from
family or financial circumstances or from
indefinite occupations are only really the
training difficulty in another gusc, and
| should be bound to admit that such is
the case. And those who are inefficient
relatively to employment selected, though
they may not he unframed or uncdu-
Gated, have obviously not been prepared
in the right way for the occupations
which they have wished to follow"
There cannot then be much doubt that
want of adequate training is very grave
hindrance TO a large number Of women
Ia their search for employment. since
such figures quoted from the records OF
a single employment society could Ger
tainly he matched or surpassed by many
other registries and labor bureaus
Brooklyn Eagle.
His First Prize.
Johnny b. was a lad often good, Otter bad,
Just an ord nary pyprvgov 1,,t.