The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-01-20
: COiORED SERVANTS At Al :
WASHINGTON.
p N t i-r

80. ........s ......... $3.50.
The servant girl problem is not
alone an embarrassing one to the
housewives In the west, but the writ
er found that the ladies of Washington
are also co-partners In the universal
firm of Domestic Annoyance" the bane
of which seems to be. SAe obtaining of
competent help for the household du-
ties.
The servants Of Washington are in
nearly every case colored. Some one
has rather unkindly said, "a mule is
mule and a niger niger, the
world over" but this statement hard
ly bears the imprints of truth for
there is undoubtedly considerable
difference in the personal character
.istic" of mules, and experiences has
taught, as vii as observation, that
"niggers". also differ in many ways.
The writer concluded, from infor-
nation gathered in chats with those
interested In the servant girl question
and from personal experience, that
the Washington bred colored servant
is far inferior to the one born, brought
up and educated to the work in the
south. The enlightening influences of
the life in capitol city, its advantages
and opportunities, have not exercised a
tendency to inculcate into the mind
Of the Washington "culldu pusson" a
desire to become proficient in the field
most natural for the colored girl, that
of the household servant; but, on the
other hand, generally speaking, they
grow up unreliable, Vastly Independent
and self-important, ever jealous to
guard what they term their rights"
and any infringement upon those
rights"
j There seems to be no difficulty in
securing servant in Washington. The
want lad" columns of the local papers
there are replete with names of those
desiring such employment, but to OBJ
tain reliable one seems to be ques-
ton of more difficulty. A western
family, who arrived in Washington,
were anxious to secure the services
of a good girl and advertised in the
local papers for one. They were i'm
mediately beset with applicants, Sc
lected one who seemed to be bright
and energetic, but trial of one week
proved her to be a dismal failure.
The experience was repeated several
times and the lady was about to give
up in despair when friend informed
ASA sAAoe q yOuA5 6AA lIOm 0SOESld
had applied to her for a place, that
she seemed bright and willing, and
suggested trial. The surprise was
happy one for the girl proved salts
factory in every respect. She was
kind to the little tots, willing to do
and learn, honest and best of all, knew
her place.
This experience came under my per-
SOnQ1 nhCorvotfNn ko1r to- ! &,k
of many who succeeded in obtaining
help from the states south of the dis
trict. / believe can assert with little
chance for a reasonable denial, that
nearly four-fifths of the reliable COL
ored servants employed in Washing
ton were born and brought I'D in the
south.
The servant girls of Washington
live at home nights, or with friends,
and the early morning hours witness
the streets crowded with them en-
route for the homes where they are
employed. Very few white girls are
employed as domestics in Washington
and those that are seem far inferior
to the western servant girl. They are
usually from the poor families living
In the country on small farms of
HSOA SOAA oAu WhOAAy u
furnish living for family. They
are looked down upon by their fellow
workers as poor write trash" and
their lot is not happy one in any
respect.
The wages paid for good help in
the capitol city range from $12 to SIS
and even $50 per month. Many of the
servants put their wages to good use
and there are several colored churches
supported almost entirely by their col
ored members. Many occupy little
homes of their own, purchased from
their savings, and they are generally
speaking happy, care-free people. In
justice to the colored servants who
claim the distinction of being wash
ington born and Bred" might add
that tot this general rule of which l
have written there are many excep-
ions and among them are many good
reliable servants.
l believe it has been considered
fashionable to employ colored help,
particularly in the north and west,
and such help usually comes high. It
comes high in more ways than one
and one has but to give the case a
trial to convince them that the good,
reliable servants of the north are to
be appreciated very highly, and that