Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-20
IT'S CARE OF SERVANTS.
How German Housewives Conduct Co
Operative Socasty.

From the New York Tribune.
The German Housewives Society. estab-
lished nine years ago by fifteen or twenty
German women prominent in this city, has
filled a unique sphere of usefulness NOW
the membership is over one-han American
and the society has thought seriously OF
changing its name. But German House,
wives Society" was adopted with a view TO
giving the German girls who might apply
confidence in the organization, and, al
though domestics of all nationalties seek
positions through its agency, perhaps TINS
thought OF holding the confidence OF the
girls and women whom 1t seeks to help mas
furnished the chief reason for the retention
OF the old name.
The German Housewives Society started
out with three objects in life, and to these
it has faithfully adhered. In the first
place, 1t wanted to make 1t possible Ior
every capable girl and woman OF good
character in New York city to get work
without any outlay. So 1t charged us ap-
plicants no registration fee or commission.
In the second place, it wanted to save girls
from going to questionable places. there
fore it has sent its applicants to positions
only with its own members or their 1rlends.
Another aim which 1t set itself was TO war
against the bad intelligence offices. wncn
mulct poor girls Of their hard earnings ana
do nothing for them in return.
Last year OF girls applied for positions
and $40 were placed.
But the finding of positions for domestic
servants is only one phase of the German
Housewives Society's scope. There are,
said Mrs Barger, "a large class OF girls ana
women who apply to us, but who 90 not
come under this category. These are COM
panions, governesses, mancures. needle
women masseuses. fresSeuses, women VINO
take in darning and mending and so on.
These women many of whom are poor gen
tlewomen. constitute perhaps our most seri-
Gus problem. servant you can always
find a place for, but to loo ite these meher
classes of working women is often long
and difficult matter.
1.-The German Housewives Society tries 10
offer some of the advantages of home to
all women who apply to it," continued the
president 1--WE give help and advice wher-
ever we can. We maintain sort of super
vision over the girls we place, and II tney
fall ill we see that they have medlcal at
tendance. Not only do applicants for POSI-
lions not pay us for getting them places
but we actually pay them; that is to say, TO
every girl who completes two years satls-
factory service in one employ we give
premium. This premium consists OF $lO IN
gold, which is presented in a little box. with
flowers and a certificate, accompanied with
certain public exercises OF course, we first
take pains to find out from the mistress
whether the servants have been Satlsfac-
tory or not. Generally, however, where
girl has remained two years continuously
in one place her conduct and abilities have
been satisfactory. The year before last we
distributed $500 in prizes of $40 each; last
year $3.50, and this year we expect the
amount will rise to $780,
This unique organization-for it Is not
known that another exists on the same
basis-is founded on cooperative lines
Membership is open to all householders
whether male or female but new members
must first be proposed by one or more
members. Each member is virtually
stakeholder. The payment of IS entities the
housewife paying 1t to have all the house.
hold servants she wants for the space of
one year. II one does not suit, another
may. and she is at liberty to change indefi-
nitely until she Is suited. OF course, no
woman changes servants for the fun of it,
and this agency makes its boast that 1t
handles only trustworthy help. However,
the best of mistresseS and maids some
times fail to hit it off. and in that case it
is an advantage to both parties to be able
to try it over again without mourning ex-
pense.
1.-The German Housewives Society has all
sorts of servants on Its books said Mrs.
Barber, from the $50 month cook down
to the little wash cook at $1S. We believe
the old German adage which says that for
every ball there is a hole. There is hardly
a girl who doesn't fit in somewhere. In the
of greenhorns the directors take them
into their own families and experiment with
them. This is rather hard on the directors,
but it ena oles to give the girls a little
training in American ways and to find
out what they are good for before trying to
place them.
1t is a great source of pride to the Of
fcers and directors that many Of the
new members are American women rms,
they think, indicates that the society's Sig
nificance and usefulness are general and
not restricted to the housekeepers of any
one nationality.