The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1901-08-16


how get responsibility into class of
people who have no common bond of
sympathy or duty? No esprit de
corps? The responsibility must grow
out of a sense of dignity that belongs
to the service. AS long as the service
is regarded by those who perform it
as mental and degrading, the only
thing we can expect is shiftlessnese
and all lack of responsibility"
Responsibility generally goes with
a sense of ownership" suggested Bar
bara. "But / don't see how anything
like ownership can be grated upon a
servant girls work. Now | wouldn]
dare leave dishes dirty, because of my
mothers training, no matter whose
dishes they were. But can easily see
it is not very strange for girl to
slight any work in which she does not
feel any ownership"
There's another thing" Mrs. Vane
said. 'I've told Mrs. Ward so several
times. She has always had a good deal
of company and five in the family any
way a good deal of the time. She
just one girl. At the close of big
supper it is almost half-past seven.
The quickest girl can't wash up all
the dishes properly in less than half,
an hour. If she wants to go out some
where in. the evening, what is more
natural than for her to do the work
in hurry? She has been at work all
day since half-past six. She works
longer hours and for less pay than
young men in stores get for clerk
service that is not so important by
half as the homework for a family
Now I'll warrant that Mr.. Ward pays
some of his clerks downtown three
times what he pays the girl at home
for almost twice the hours of labor.
Wouldn't it be better and cheaper in
the long run, Mrs. Ward, to hire two
persons to do your work, at least for
part of the time? I'm inclined to
think good many of us expect too
much of one girl. We worlldthem too
many hours. And we ought to remem-
Der that for most of the time the work
really is what must be called drudg-
cry"
"One girl in the house almost kills
me. Two would complete the bust
ness, am sure" said Mrs. Ward, smiisr
ing at Barbara. ''Some of what you
say is very true. But | am sure Mn
Ward would never think of giving az
much for the work in the home as he
gives for clerk work in the store"
"And why not, if the service per-
formed is as severe and, more than
that, as important to your peace and
comfort, and his own as well when he
gets home? / know a good many
farmers who think nothing of paying
out several hundred dollars every year
on improved machinery to tighten
their own labor on the farm. But they
think their wives are cpazy if they ask
for an improved washing machine that
costs $25 or a few kitchen utensils of
the latest style to save labor. That's
one reason so many farmers wives
are crazy over in Crawford county,
asylum. Men expect to pay good 4
price for competent service in their
business. Why should they expect to
get competent servants in the house
for the price generally offered?" y
81 don't think it's the price that
keeps competent girls away from
homework, Mrs. Vane," remarked
Barbara. ~ have figured it out that
even on four dollars week at Mrs.
Wards l can save more than 1 could
possibly save if 1 worked for Bonds
man at five or even six, paying out Of +
that for board, lodging and washing
If the price paid for competent serv-
ants was raised in Crawford to ten
dollars a week, 1 doubt if the girls.
now in the stores and factories would
leave their positions to enter house
service"
fro RE CONTINIrFDl f4.