The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-04
WOMEN AND THEIR WAGES
THE INDEPENDENT DAUGHTER-A
NEW INDUSTRIAL FACTOR.
The Tendency Is to Place Women in
Certain CaIlings on Wage Equal
ity with Men.
New York Evening Post.

New 1ork Evening Post.
The ideals held before the girl of the
present day, in this country, at least, are
essentially different from those which her
kind have been fed on in other generations.
1t astoDishes and grieves many excellent
people that the girl. when she becomes a
woman, shapes her life according to those
ideals.
The ideal kept most prominently before
her is independence So far is this carried
that the daughters of well-to-do parents, in
many cases daughters of the wealthy, are
being taught that they should prepare
themselves for the responsibility of bread
winning. Wealth is such an uncertain guam
tity, the shifting of industrial conditions so
easy in this country, that the most pros
porous man Is liable to disaster. Few men
of the upper classes who able to main
tain their families are anxious for their
daughters to work. but practically all of
them are agreed in a desire that they learn
how to do it.
A girls education in the public schools is
practically the same as her brothers.; her
college course does not differ widely from
his. The tendency throughout is TO develop
individuality and Independent mental
habit. woman's mind is not now nodded
TO make her character a beautiful to-
tally, as portrayed in Sesame and
Lilies. 1t is formed to make her clear
thinker, If possible, and specialist along
some one practical line of endeavor
1t is a little bit unreasonable to expect
a girl SO educated, with the independent
ideal constantly before her, TO wait until
stern necessity compels her to work. 1t
is not extraordinary that so many daugh-
ters of well-to-do men choose to become
self-supporting, or partially self-support-
fncr Dr fIA
"what is this new force writes Mrs.
Van Worst, which impels girls from their
homes homer n.s TO work when they I'd, do not
their efforts and sacrifice? Is ii move to-
wards some far-distant civilization when
women shall have become mans physical
equal, a free, economic, social factor, max
individuals in collective industry?''
In the minds of great number Of in
telligent women 1t does mean precisely
that.
Examination Of conditions under which
women perform what might properly be
called brain work, which includes stenog-
raphy, Office work In general, work in the
several departments of the civil service, in
all the teaching professions, journalism,
etc., reveals a growing tendency to place
them on an equality with men, and to ad-
judge them worthy of their hire whether
they spend their salaries for necessities
luxuries. The tendency towards equal
wages is remarkable in some cases. Many
women stenographers receive higher wages
than men in the same work.
The average office girl or young person
recently graduated from a business col
lege" is paid little enough, it is true, and
the great majority of Stenographers re-
ceive less than a living wage. The fact
remains that they are usually paid all they
earn. The ignorance and general inability
of many Of them is appalling. Their entire
lack OF conscientiousness in their work or
loyalty to their employers interests is
scarcely less deplorable. But this class,
and it is a very large one, does not affect
the condition of the superior class, with
out which it Is difficult to say how the
machinery of great business enterprises
would work smoothly. Neither does it
tend to lower wages. There are plenty of
women stenographers in New York who
receive $25 a week: there are a few who
command $50 and more. They are highly
educated, refined, and have talent for
affairs. Such women are constantly in de-
mand.
One of them is the secretary of certain
trust magnate. When he is interviewed
by the newspapers it is through her. She
knows what he wishes to say, and it is al
most impossible for any one to get any ex-
preston from him. ASK Miss Blank" he
says. She knows all about it," And she
does know every detail of the great enter
prises of which he is the head. Another
woman is the principal stenographer of
large law firm. In the same office are
schools, entrusted with important legal
work; they receive exactly half her salary.
first-class stenographer is certain to
receive good wages, whether she lives at
home elsewhere.
SALARIES OF TEACHERS.
The discrepancy between the salaries of
men and women teachers is very discourag-
ing to believers in the coming industrial
emancipation of women. In the New York
public schools men teachers of elementary
schools receive a minimum salary of $500;
a maximum of $2,16o; AID the rate of an
nual increase is s1O5, so that a teacher
reaches his maximum in twelve years
The women teachers receive a minimum
salary of $500, a maximum of S1,320, and
the rate of annual increase is $4S, making
them work fifteen years to reach their
full earning capacity.
If the men become high school teachers
they are paid from $500 to 5000; women at
tanning similar positions are paid from 500
to $3.50. Men principals of schools, heads
OF departments and assistants to principals
receive as much as s. 500; women doing the
same work cannot expect more than s., 500
Other determinations are made in favor
of men teachers. For example, the by
laws of the Board of Education provide
that any woman teacher or principal for
feits her position the day she marries.
Neither may married woman be an
pointed to any position on the teaching
force. Any man may do as he chooses
about marrying.
To be sure the intent of the discrimna-
ton against the married woman teacher is