The Meeker herald., 1903-06-06
IN y #k&&# x Il y #}
! A DEFENSE !
! OFsGIRLS /,

From Farmers Review: In re-
cent issue of your paper is an article
entitled: The Mistakes of Girls,
l read 1t with much interest and while
It set forth a real and much to b re-
grs<ted situation, agree with your
editor that 1t is not fair to saddle up
on the girls the entire responsibility
siace they are but the product OF the
education they have received. itl3
That the comfort and success of
domestic life depends upon domestic
work has never been disputed yet no
branch of labor has been SO unaptre-
ciated. so neglected. The man who
aspires to be an engineer, a mason, or
n carpenter. knows that he must serve
an apprenticeship and learn his trade
before he can win standing among
his fellewt wofkmen or secure a pay
ing job. He Is willing to give the
time and service necessary to learn
because when competent he has
means Of livelihood which Is re-
spected and which viii command, un-
der ordinary conditions, good living
wages. "A ssF p Z
Such conditions do not obtain in DO
nestle service, which offers to the fe-
male wage-earner few inducements to
thoroughly At herself for 1t. As 80
ciety ia now organized, work of this
kind II rarely to b had In private
homes under conditions that are toler-
abe to self respecting women. Nine
mistresaes out of every ten will tell
you that they do not want ladies in
their kitchens: they want servants
who will be At the beck and call Of
every member Of tho family. young
America included; who will be con
tent to admit their friends by the i
back way and entertain them in the
kitchen; whose conversation, and de-
pertinent. appearance: and dress are
such ~ TO clearly mark the great
gulf between mistress and maid. They
want service from sig in the morning
to nine At night. in many cases: they
want all the Christian virtues and
none of the culture and refinement
that mark the lady: and they want to
pay from - to IS per week. It is no
wonder that girls prefer employment
which. while yielding no more, nossi-
bly, less remuneration, allows them
more Independence and q, social stand.
ing which the maid in the kitchen
rarely enjoys. & ~ 81
The farm home where the helper
Is made member Of the family and
treated as an equal. Is an honorable
exception: but even country society
is not entirely exempt from the snob
bishness which dfscriminates against
the domestic:' and again. when all the
other conditions are right, tht fam n
usually more or iesS cut on FROM the |
social life which all healthy young
people. crave Last, but not least,
farmers - rule Are mot Willing to
pay for such service enough TO com
pete with other more oongvnials &C.
equations open to women. Three dol
lars per week 10 generally the limit.
OF course In theory. Homework is
just a. honorable and. should DO a.
much respected rs other work, but,
unfortunately, the wage Garner has
to deal with . condition. not theory;
and she should not be blamed for
choosing the occupation that in her
judgment will promote her best in
tarests. Hosnewosk i in Itself is not
distasteful to the majority Of women,
and II they could be ~ much re-
spected and ~ well paid as In clerical /
work. hundreds would forsake the un-
congenial routine Of the once for
more feminine pursuits; but not until
society Is willing to give domestic
work Its rightful rank with other in
dustries will women wage earners re-
turn to their natural vocations. This
greatly to be desired revolution of
popular sentiment may be brought
about BY the Introduction Of domestic
science into our public schools and
colleges. but. Is Kipling is 30 fond of
saying. that is another story.-Martha
Adams.