The Irish standard., 1906-10-06

New Jersey, Hoboken, etc.
and in each instance the clerk-i in
waiting had to ask for this informa-
ton.
''That same boy or girl, when work
ing in this store. would fai' I" ask a
customer for the full address, and we
might lose both time and customer
through the transaction" was the COM
ment OF the superintendent.
Another question asked distinctly,
What salary do you expect?"
Answers to this we're wild.
"On an average of 81 or $10," wrote
one girl. evidently with firm belief in
the lucidity and simplicity Of her re-
ply.
"Its up to you," was'the unbusiness-
like reply of another. e
ma says I ought to take five to start,
but think that's two cheep," was the
frank response in cramped chtrography
of third. ~ 1.r;'-- -~-e-. -
The superintendent laid these aside
with Sigh. adrhose are the girls who
never know what they have in stock,
never tell the head of stock when
they are out of any article, and can
never direct a customer to any depart
ment in the store. Accuracy was no
part of their school training"
How many are dependent upon you
for part or all of their support?" is an
other question on the application blank.
Twenty" was the astonishing reply
of a seventeen-year-old high school
girl, who further up the blank had an
nounced her willingness to start at 81
per week.
A ruled and labelled space was dis
played for those who had worked for
other firms, showing the name of the
firm and dates between which the en-
ployee had served each employer. over
so per cent OF the applicants ignored
the manner in which this question was
set forth and the ruled spaces, giving
some vague reply like six months"
During the holidays" etc.
Most Remarkable Was the Erratic
Spelling Of Firm Names Familiar to
All New Workers..
But most remarkable of all was the
varied and erratic spelling of firm
names familiar to every New Yorker
and seen daily in advertisements. These
girls and boys, and also some grown
folk, could not spell correctly the name
of the firm for which they had worked
anywhere from six weeks to six years
Here are some variations of Wanamak-
er: ,"Wannamaker," "Wonemeker,"
'wannumeker" and ''Wonnemaker." {"
Simpson Crawford Co. appeared in the
guise of "Simson & Crauford" and
Simpson Crafot." r. H. Macy & Co.
was exploited as "Macey's" "Masy's"
and up to Macie's," but the firm name
of Siegel, Cooper played more games
of tag with the alphabet than did any
of the others-"Segal," "Siegel," Isle
gle," "Seegle," "Seagle,'' "Seegel" and
innumerable '"Coopers' starting with a
"Ko." And again the superintendent
sighed.
do you wonder they were no longer
needed by a firm whose name they had
never learned to sne1l21
"Can you be prompt and. regular in
your attendance?" asked the applica-
ton blank.
"Certunly." replied an enthusiastic
one in vertical writing.
"Now," said the superintendent, per
haps you do not think that in checker
or wrapper or beginner behind the
counter these inaccuracies of spelling
count; but imagine a girl at the bar
gain counter with women surgins
around her, misspelling the names of
streets, the namss of customers, even
the most common, forgetting to ask
for the city ir which that customer
lives. We let out girl only last week