Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-05-24

York World.
If l were Il working girl said n
prosperous matron recently, Il
shouldn't be contented to toll and slave
IN II shop CT Il factory Oh an Office. l
should AXE II course i'm domestic train
ing. and get =; .osition to do housework
IN Sone nice family. Why. see the
wages that are paid-really as much.
ii You count the board and lodging. as
young school teachers i'm this city. and
the home surroundings are much moro
luxurious Than Il working girl can az
ford to pay for out OF her own age
l cannot understand why there is such
a lack of good maids; why. in fact. the
servant problcm exists ut all!"
This sentiment isn't confined to this
one matron. Employers throughout
the country echo the wonder expressed
by this lady. that ambitious working
girls apparently prefer any kind of
e~mployment other than household work.
Il should think any girl would like Il
nice home like ,his.'' is the puzzled
Sigh of the despairing American house
wife.
And yet the nice homes remain ser
vantless. or are invaded by
~ciative. incompetent girls very differ
ent from the r~osy-chceked. willing. CT
ficieut maid whom the h~ousekcepcr
pictures as her ideal.
"A recent publication-the story Of "a
New York working CIR! told by herself
C"The Long Day." nv Dorothy Richard
son)--lS significant in it's view of this
question. Driven from her mean lodg-
ing house by a devastating fire, penni-
less. ~friendless. with no prospect OF
work except the u%nderpaid toll of a
box factory. the author of THE Long
Day says frankly that she would not
even consider accepting h%ousework in
a sheltered home: and her attitude is
characteristic and general among
American girls-not exceptional.
The plain fact is that. as our. ex-
president said. lit is "a condition and
not a theory that confronts U.S." While
employers continue to theorize regard
ing advantages of housework over ev-
or: other form of ccupat,cn for wom-
en-, conditions show that the better
class Of girls are making their way
n shop and factory and office life,
becoming overWorked stitchers and
underpaid s~alesladieS and inefficient
stenographcrs. Instead of taking up the
"wOmaniy" employment of work
Now let us look into this theory OF
!, tho nice home" and sre if pc;cl,aace
/. We employers have been hugging a
Observation-Disclosures We have been max
/, ing the mistake of believing that be.
l u we have Il pleasant home. tina,
establishment is equally attractive ant
equally home,;ka from the employee.
point of vie".
; The perfection OF the home. -ppar.
\ Niipy VII OIe - sjIstE
in it Is That OF mistress or of maid
: Let US compare for a moment the hem,
of the housewOrker with the home ~
: the office or factory worker. BY home
l do no; mean the quarter of the cit,
! in which she lives. nol the cxterna
/ appearance OF the house. l mean Tn,
real hearthstone of the girl. the place
: lot !-rs. ".ctAsr she share
il Nii.: a ftilo;.' worker or rooms alcn'
9 the yiace where she lives her midi
f vidual and me lisc.
4 Then. there is the question OF en-
terta!nins COMPANY. girl friends AN,
men friends Now. here" says ON,
!; housewife. lis Where the houscworke
has the advantage. She has y mic
4 kitchen ia which to entertain her ,o,n
Il pany. Thc girl in i tenement has ofteI
: no place to take ner caller that Is nc
, ,.lready ov..run py the f~au,jlv: and i
4 h is boarding. she often has no plac
at ALL" Mistress housewife. yOur aigu
r. ment is logical. but perhaps the work
O ing girl is eyuid Of logic. In amy case
she continues To hold a prelude
= against entertaining her friends iii tn
kitchen. and the young; mel continu
To share that prejudice. Houseworker
tell me that their han of marriaE
ARE less than those OF sirls who .wor
outside the home. l have no statistic
to show on either side. but whether III
= statement is true Or not, SO long Il
IL :ouES women believe II tn be lrue Il,
occupation will be less popular wit
I them than other industries For ever
woman of normal feelings desires t
4 marry. or at east. desires :. chance
X marry. IL snc remains u Sp:nStcr sl
"a likes to feel that it is from choice. no
from necessity. Ono h~ouseworl-er con
flded To mo. II wau;d muci, rattle
10 stand ut the gate AID talk to IA" frien}
u than inv lite then Into .he l..tG,:sn.
ont know why II Is. bo. /; n,tc Gil