The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-14
PETT|FORD SPOKE
 ABOUT SERVANTS Prominent Negro Urges Race to Make Themselves Valuable SHOULD HELP EACH OTHER President of Penny Savings Bank Says That Negro Servants Can Mould
 Public Sentiment Regard
 ing the Race.
SHOULD HELP EACH OTHER


 one of the most influential negroes in Birmingham, last night delivered the fol- lowing address on Domestic Service" at meeting of the representative council In the bank building, on Eighteenth street:
 As d part of our work in this organ ization we are endeavoring to improve our labor conditions, both public and domestic. We rejoiced to see q deep interest manifested on the part of the whole body some weeks ago when the | report of domestic service was read from | the committee which was making inves- | tigatfons in regard to that phase of our work, and we have deemed 1t necessary | to make little talk tonight on ths 1 subject with a view of discussing some of the possibilities through this channel and how they may be utilized. As u people we are divided into various classes of laborers, and since our labor Is our stock in trade which furnishes all the necessities of life, it Is our bounded l duty to dignify all classes of labor There 1 is no people who will be so much profited 1 by dignifylng labor and making 1t honor | able as our people. The truck gardener, l by raising his soil to a high state of cultivation and producing those things which are necessary to the needs of the people at this stage of our civilization, not only brings himself in demand, but he does more--he adds to the business character of his community, increases | traffic, which helps employment as well as to enhance his own wealth. The com | munity has a right to look to him and to expect him to, contribute something 1 towards its happiness through his pecu-
 liar endeavor. When l view our stua ton and relation to this great industrial | district that is so full of rich opportu- mites, l think that there Is no station | that we can occupy that can be used to more advantage than that of domestic | servant.
 Domestic Service.
 | Tonight I wish to call your attention | to some of the things we shall hope to l gain through this service. Just as | community has a right to expect some | thing serviceable from its truck gardener or from the butcher. dressmaker or milli- ner, so have we a right to expect some | thing from our people who are in domes- | tic service. They should remember, how | ever. that they are in strict contrast with servants of other races. If we win | reputation of being good servants, trusty, | reliable and pleasant we must win | through these who hold these places in | the family and around the homes. There | fore every one who occupies this place | should feel that he is not only working l for a living or something to increase his | pleasure, but he should feel that he Is | representing the negro race in this par | ticular. If the work of the servant gives | full satisfaction to the landlord, when l they leave their job efforts, no doubt, | will be made to get some one of the ser 1 wants acquaintance to take their place. l But If you do not give satisfaction the l employer will feel that he does not want l you or any one like you any more. He will naturally feel like turning to some other race for help. and we lose every | .ax. H.. | against us. Therefore 1 would like to press this thought: That whatever your | station in service. have a claim on | you that you make such an impression with your service that when you give up | your place another like you would be sought We need this domestic service to help us in the way of life. We need | 1t to secure means to help us to get away l from our ignorance into a brighter light of intelligence, and we would like tonight to impress upon every one present that one of the duties of the negro race Is to | enter this field of employment with a | strong determination that by his faith l fitness, honesty and industry he will so ] completely win the approval of his em- ployers that they will be glad to give l us their work. Have you ever thought what a fine opportunity Is afforded those who do this work by coming In contact with the intelligent classes where they l can get information by observation, as | well as otherwise, and where they may | so adjust themselves to these families that they will soften their feelings to- ward us where they have been hardened by those who have made mistakes among us.
 Southerners Will Aid.
 We have long since learned that the better class of the white people of the | will nI eli tp our uplift if we will do the right. My experience of forty years teaches me that | every man among us who will live hon | estly, do his work well. be reliable, will not only have all the work he can do, | but will also get good pay for 1t with | good wishes added. The work of this or | ganiZation is to help make this class of laborers. If you wish to win the good will of your employer, be obedient In | every respect. When we are told to do thing we should do 1t as directed, and do 1t willingly and cheerfully. This will win the good will of any employer When | l was q domestic servant l could not | have been any more obedient If l had been my employers slave. felt that I owed my time and my best energies to | him, for which I received his money. and that 1t was Just and honest for me 10 be interested in his welfare and to | carry out his every wish. This Is the kind of idea want to prevail among us with those who are connected with | our great organization. Now, we not | only want to possess these Ideas our | selves but we want to teach them to | others that they may win places of la bor, and the affections of their employers, I still have the good wishes of those | for whom I worked, for which 1 still feel grateful. and they know that they | have mine.
 Have you ever thought how good feel ings and pleasant relations might be brought between the races by this class of laborers? Do you know how easy it | Is to make friend of those whom you serve faithfully? Can you realize that your relation to them makes you their
 friend and that they seek to be yours?
 By no means can we give of this great
 place of usefulness.
 Splendid Opportunities.
 Again, this class of laborers has a splendid opportunity to establish repu-
 tation of honesty for us. They have ac-
 cess to the keys and valuables of the
 people for whom they work. They can easily conceal small valuable articles and
 remove them, or, they can. by their
 faithfulness and honesty, strengthen our
 reputation as domestic servants and con-
 vince our employers and their associates
 of see highest type. l am sorry to say
 that our reputation in this particular
 is not so good as 1t should be. We do