The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-07
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.


i am working woman myself. and
L yield precedence to none in my rev.
erence for the earnest, conscientious
woman worker. And 1 stand here up
on the statement that the greatest
kindness can show to the, young
women entrusted tic, my care is to faith
fully, earnestly and with all sincerity
OF purpose point out faults to be avoid
ed if they would reach to a high de-
gree Of efficiency in the work for which
| am training then1;z and I cannot too
strongly deprecate the spirit which
resents this kindly criticism as 'scath-
ing or 'denunciatory'i of women. It in
nothing of the kind"
This is the statement of Mrs Juliet
r. Shumakar, in explaining her re-
marks about the modern typewriter
girl, the publication of which has re-
suited in much criticism by the work.
Ing women throughout the country.
While the papers quoted me cor
recty, so far as the quotation went"
said Mrs. Shumaker to The Glob =
yesterday, they did not carry it far
enough. In referring to the fiirtatious
stenographer I did not contend that all
women stenographers bring to their
work but half-hearted attention and
care. To so assert would be rank
injustice to thousands of conscientious,
intelligent and faithful workers. but
that there are many, far too many,
OF whom the contrary Is true, unfor-
tunately cannot be denied
Regarding the quotation to which
Mrs. Deane, the Chicago woman, takes
such exception, wish to say that my
paper was addressed to a convention
of teachers, employed in the training
of the stenographers of the future, and
am quite willing to submit to the
ind o-Y11nnf of ha ayo1O =,
men and women of st. Paul or any
other city the question whether clear
and dispassionate pointing out of faults
of manner is not more wholesome
training for the coming stenographer
than such declamatory self congratu-
lat1on as is INDUCED in by the Chi
cago Business Woman's club.
Il am quite sure Mrs. Deane would
not wish to be understood as saying
that all men stenograp1ers drink and
neglect their business; neither do I
wish to be understood as saying that
all women stenographers f1irt. Seven
teen years experience in the business
world in st. Paul, New York and Du-
luth have proved to me that the con-
trary is the rule, but to say that there
are many exceptions to the rule is to
simply state a plain truth, and L must
confess to some surprise at the hue
and cry which my remarks seem to
have provoked.
What l had to say regarding the
f1irtatious typewriter girl was based on
facts, and cannot be disputed Only a
short time ago the manager OF ole of
the largestN employing corporations in
st. Paul told me that his company had
discharged twelve stenographers with
in very short period of time, and
without regard to their ability, because
the frequency with which they were
called to the telephone on personal
matters, together with other similar
habits, practically destroyed their use
fulness. @s'
FIirtatious Girl IS incompetent.
''The f1irtatious typewriter girl very
often is the result Of incompetence
Young girls, with no education what
ever, spend a few months in a bust
ness college, and long before they are
competent to hold position, they are
working for some firm for barely
enough money to pay car fare and buy
their monday lunches. This is the
class Of StenographerS who take little
interest in their work, and neglect the
business of their employer to flirt with
some young man, and it is to this class
of girls that I referred in my address
before the Minnesota Educational as
ISOLATION, which has caused such wide
comment"
Mrs. Shumaker said she was willing
to stand by all she had said, regardless
OF the criticisms of Mrs. Deane. of Chi
cago, or anyone else.
When I talk of the stenographer
who f1irts I know what 1 am talking
about Many young girls enter the
business colleges for the purpose Of
preparing themselves for a position
downtown, and a large per cent Of
them are failures.
Advertise for a stenographer and
state in the advertisement that the
position pays SIS per week, and you
will receive but few replies and those
few will be from girls who are already
employed; on the other hand, place an
advertisement in the paper for stem
ographer and make the salary SIS per
week, and there will be fifty replies
and the office will be crowded with
young girls anxious for the position
Such statement may sound strange,
but such is the case right here in ST
Paul. The girls who apply for the
position with a small salary are those
who are not competent to hold good
position, and when they are given a
place they usually think more about
personal matters thansabout their work.
only this morning a business place
not block from this building had
more than fifty girls from which to Sc
lecl StenOgrdpher who was TO receive
but $40 per month. Their advertise
ment appeared in the morning papers,
and yesterday their place was crowd
ed, and dozens of applications came by
mail. Yet, in the faeesof this. there is
a steady demand for. girls who are
competent and who attend to the BUSH
ness of their employees. A girl of this
kind can always find a position. but
such stenographers, are in the minor
ity." s'l@a
Mrs. Shumaker was much exercised
yesterday over the criticism heaped
upon her for the remarks she made at
the teachers meetiHgh The story had
been widely published, and from all
sections of the country she received
letters in which clippings were inclos-
ed, and some of the epistles contained
severe criticisms for the st. Paul wom-
an.
Il never thought the matter would
attract SO much attention. said Mrs.
Shumaker. II have heard of nothing
else since the story was printed, but
even in the face of the criticism have
been subjected to I do not wish to re-
tract anything I said I spoke Moth
ing but the truth, and will stand by
what have said.