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


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 genter 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 capahility OF
their respective kinds, and that there is
room at the top In other words, the
latter assertion points to the fact that
skilled labor, not to say specialism, il
every department of work is one of the
most essential qualifications of success in
gainful occupations.
Unfortunately women nearing middle
age or older who find themselves sudden.
ly east adrift upon their own resources
have not the training which commands
a place and price in this scientific pc
riod. 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 needewomcn 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 a knowledge of
stenography and double entry book
keeping or the acquisition of Il degree of
B. $. or A. NJ, 10y which one may earn
her bread and butter
To account for the changes reasons are
a-plcnty, while cold facts exist In the
first place weaving spinning and other
domestic occupations have gone into fac
tories. In the second place, considera-
tion TO be viewed carefully in looking at
the Industrial conditions today is this:
Parents half a 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 as much or all of the drudgery 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
ment is made so often. Yet, nevcrthe-
less, it is true. Only each of us must
rediscover the truth for herself. Re
Gently, with an extremely open mind
and certain materials before me, l set
out to inquire why particular set of
women had had difficulty in obtaining
work. They We're 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
ment, found herself Obliged to decline
! the registration fees which these appl-
! 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 unrcgsterabe
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 eagerness 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
investigations as | have said, an open
mind, though if | permitted myself any
wish in the matter it was that | might
discover some less hackucyed reason
than want of training for the compara-
ffv., f,;1 I ,I.
Turning to the records of these 23S, |
found that in several cases there had
been more than one reason why an in
divduaI had been judged ineligible for
employment.
In morc than third Of the total
number of cases under consideration
want Of training was quite clearly the
real hndrancc to employment. That the
work sought by these unframed women
was in many instances extremely indeti-
mite did not help matters, there being at
the present time little demand for vague
service. Furty-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
crncsses and special teachers, dispensers
or to do nccdlework, charitable. artistic
or domestic work. In short, all these,
with the exception of the would he cham
pions. aspircd to do work for which spe-
cally cultivated qualifications are neccs-
sary, not having developed their abilities
at all in the required directions, for house
keepers, matrons, nursery govcrnesscs,
charitable workers. domestic workers
and the rest are wanted, only they must
be workers of specific and well defined
classes 1t may be pointed out that such
other difficulties as those arising from
family or financial circumstances or from
indefinite occupations are only really the
training difficulty in another guise, and
/ should be- bound to admit that such is
the case. And those who are inefficient
relatively to employment selected, though
they may not be 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
hndrance to large number OF women
ia their search for employment. since
such figures quoted from the records OF
single employment society could Ger.
tainly be matched or surpassed by many
other registres and labor bureaus
Brooklyn Eagle.
His First Prize.
Johnny II. was lad, often good. otter bad,