The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-04-25
WOMEN DISCUSS THE
SERVANT Girl
QUESTION
Meeting of the Fourth Dis
trict Federation Of Clubs
Takes Action Which 1t Is
Hoped Will Bear Results
in the Solving Of Great
Household Problem.

The servant girl question was the
great absorbing topic at the meeting
of the Fourth District Minnesota Fed
Grafton OF Women's Clubs, held yester-
day afternoon, in the parlors of the
Commercial club. The subject was
taken up in a systematic manner,
promising results which will be brought
before the meeting in the fall and later
at the state meeting, where it is hoped
action will be taken which will be fol-
lowed in other states.
Dishwashing Science.
The subject was introduced in a pa
per read by Miss J. L. Shepard, in
structress of domestic science at the
state school of agriculture, in which
her theme seemed to be that dish
washing need be no drudgery if the
mental attitude be correct, and, in fact
the details of homework. all Of them so
dreaded and despised of woman, would
become pleasures, by proper attitude
of mind and proper knowledge of the
articles used and the processes en-
ployed.
when the fact that heat and soap
in the water perform some chemical
changes which aid the mechanical pro-
cesses of cleaning" said she, much
is brought to the mind of the student.
She ceases to think of the work as
drudgery and finds more pleasure in
the performance of these necessary
tasks"
A large portion of the meeting was
given to Miss Shepard's paper on DO
nestle Science" and to a discussion
of the servant girl question" The
paper contained an interesting, though
somewhat lengthy history of domestic
science as a branch of education, and
ended with a brief survey of the serv-
ant question. Miss Shepard spoke Of
the three suggested remedies of en-
ploying girls: First, on purely bust
ness basis, just as clerks and other
business women were employed, but
this would not prove satisfactory, she
said; second. the training of girls in
schools of domestic science which did
not seem practicable, as few girls
wanted to put so much time and
money into their Quotations; and
third, cooperative housekeeping and
family hotels, which never would do.
Women Have Opinions.
Interest grew in the discussion Which
followed the paper. The women were
asked to be very frank in expressing
their opinions, and the result was that
number of very novel ideas were
presented.
One woman who had given up the
effort to secure satisfactory servants
and had decided that she would rather
do her work herself, told of how her
husband cleared away the heavy
dishes-the platter and large vegetable
he in pnnfi6inP
This woman had things so arranged
that she could serve a five-cOurse din
ner without getting up from the table
by using a dummy and-her husband.
Another woman confided to her club
sisters that she had trained her hus-
band and sons to help her with a
great deal of her work OF course
they don't like it very WE'LL she said,
but they put on the dish-apron with
fairly good grace now.
Blamed the Men.
There was quite an effort on the
part of several of the women pres
ent to place the blame of the present
state of affairs upon the broad Shout
ders of man. But several, who were
more loyal to the heads OF their house,
holds, tried to defend them. 1t was
stated that it was the man who would
not be satisfied with simpler meals,
when it was suggested that simpler
meals in fewer courses be served, as a
great step towards solving the scarcity
of girls. But there was one who spoke
quite eloquently of how men enjoy good
| meals, we'll cooked and we'll served.
If we would ever reach a solution
of this question:" said Mrs. Liggett,
there must be some schedule of wages.
| The same price is paid for unskilled
labor as for the best there is, and this