New-York tribune., 1902-01-04
THE EIGHT HOUR DAY.
SUGGESTIONS AS TO THE EMPLOYMENT OF
HELP AND DISTRIBUTION OF WORK

The possibility of arranging housework in an
"eight hour day" is discussed from the practi-
cal point of view by Ellen H Richards IN THE
American Kitchen Magazine" She first considers
the matter from the standpoint Of the household
with annual income of $4,000 In this family $500
will be allowed for service, distributed as fol-
lows: Cook. 81 week. second girl. 50 a week;
extra help and laundry. 5000 year.
THE waking hours Of such household says
Mrs. Richards, extend from o'clock in the morn
ing to 10 or II at night-sixteen to eighteen hours
in all. 1t is not wise, if it is possible, to
have more than two persons to control the habits
Of young children. Therefore the mother and the
mothers assistant must divide these hours between
them This assistant must be above the eight
hour grade-that is, should belong the salaried
class. She must be able TO take night at nursing
or whole days charge in the absence OF the
mother who, in her turn, will have a day ofr-a
whole day, There will thus always be some one
in the house to keep an eye on the workers who
in from outside
by far the easiest arrangement will be for one
Of these two TO make the coffee, warm the rolls
cook the eggs or bacon or chop the chatting
dish; give the children their fruit cereal. bread
and butter This enlightened family will be too
wise to risk its efficiency by eating hot bread and
steak for breakfast.
whether the family gather as whole. or come
sngly or in groups the serving Of this simple
fare OF the very best in quality will occupy the
time until o'clock when the maid will arrive who
is to wash the dishes, sweep and dust. put the
chambers to rights, etc. By y O'Clock this is all
done, and she attends TO serving the children's
dinner and to clearing away. She has hour
for her dinner, and if the family dinner is
later than she has another hour for shopping, a
walk or some sewing for herself. At o'clock. or
at II she has done this part earlier, she comes
in to help prepare the things needed for the next
days breakfast, 70 attend to the children's sup
per at 5 o'clock, and lay the table for the
family dinner. II dinner is at she should be
through her work 7:3O. If dinner is later there
is nothing for ii but to put the scraped dishes in
their respective tubs of water and let them rest
night. know this is rank heresy, but our
eight hour worker must be at liberty to leave her
work at $780, even. if the mother her assistant
has to wipe and put away the dishes
THE cook comes at $50 and leaves at 730 except
by special arrangement. Two hours are always TO
be allowed for meals, and If the workers depend
upon the house for breakfast they appear half
hour earlier or if they sleep in the house they do
the same.
These hours matter of arrangement. but
the eight hours are TO be the time limit OF the
trade. The chdren's maid is extra
IF the income does not warrant the payment OF
service must be lessened and the cook must do the
clearing up, the Others must attend to the chill,
little refinements of service.
the main part OF the cooking and can have
second girl at s. a week and pay $l5O year for
IF the members of the family are all indo-
lent or SO non-competent as not to take small
one two maids must be supplied"
Mrs. Richards asserts that If housekeepers once
try this method they would be unwilling to
turn to the present system the business man
would be TO dismiss typewriter and stenographer,
who were at first considered an unnecessary eX-
I'm the housewives case" she SAYS standards
will be as common as so many words minute as
sleeping rooms will have TO be cleared OF much
Of the drawing room furniture and snowy bric-a-
brac whlch now cucumber them This will, how
ever be blessing in disguise"