The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-08-03
FACTORY WOMEN
 OF CONNECTICUT Characteristics of the Girls Who Work in Indus
 trial Shops.
THEIR CLASSIFICATION.
Exposed to Temptation They Lead Self Re-
 specting Lives.

IEimes:
 "The passage of the bill allowing he State factory inspector of Connec- lieut. to appoint a deputy woman in- pector who shall be recommended Fly a commission of three women ap- ointed by the governor has naturally zroused a good deal of comment. That it is a good thing most persons eem willing to admit, provided such woman inspector can find out the shings she should know and which should be remedied, and can bring zuff1cient proof of them to have the emedial measures enforced.
 ''As any one who has had experience l factory life-and probably the same &ppiies to mercantile as well as to manufacturing establishments-kno is one thing to be perfectly sure ones own mind that certain buses or improper practices exist, nd quite another thing to be able prove this to those who have the t ower of correcting the evil. Wit esses who could give the necessary sstimony are afraid to do so, for one Bason or another, or are too indif- Brent to the conditions to do any, hing toward their betterment. The oectionable thing is not visible from le outside, or to the casual observer, 2 Ind oftentimes the persons who are sponsible for it's existence are the Rry ones whose position enables them conceal it from the higher powers. he must be a part of the inside orking of the great establishment know what that working is, and len then it is often difficult to see early or to judge fairly and discrim- ate wisely.
 The factory girl-the typical spec nen of her class-differs widely ac- &brding to the locality. Where the bctory boarding house is the rule, nditions are far different from those here the girls come from their own bmes There are certain kinds of ork, too, which produce physical bnditions which react on the morals a way that is not always under
 
 # ctory girls and those who work in 2fices and stores are more sharply fined in some places than in others. will, therefore. be necessary that e woman who is to act as deputy ctory inspector shall study her ound and learn wherein the ference lies between one city and bother, perhaps but a few miles way.
 -A
 Three Classes of Girls.
 ft Roughly speaking, factory girls may divided into three classes. There e the girls who have had the ad- lntage of refined home life, a good ucation and pleasant social sur [ undings, but who have been com He'd, for one reason or another, to Ike up factory work. These girls e neat in their dress, correct in cir use of English and quiet in their meanor. They like to read, to study usic or some other accomplishment, do fancy work, and their tastes e of a kind to uplift and develop aracter. They keep aloof from the ugher elecent among their fellow | orkers, and are often stigmatized as uck-up, old maids because of it. a rule, unless their work is that time keeping or some similar po- ion of responsibility, they dislike ctory work and fit themselves for enographers, boolkeepers or office lpers, or seek position in the stores, en though such work is less re- unerative, This class is compara- Eely small.
 At the other extreme lies another all group-the girls who are known be bad They may attend to < cir work inside their place of em- pynent, and conduct themselves operly during work hours, but air character is usually well known their associates. Such girls come d go in factory life, changing tees as the whim takes them. They apt to be jolly, good-natured and ady to help fellow worker in puble, but they are not desirable soclates for a girl who wishes to TT eserye her own good name, and Rp by themselves for the most part tside the factory walls. Fortunately s class, to, is comparatively small.
 The FIighty Girls.
 Between these two extremes is 6 bat army of girls who are half-ed. ated, undisciplined and Mighty; Is who are easily influenced fol bd or bad, and who are often cru. misiudged. They have little ap. citation of the value of an educa- h in itself. While yet in schoo y see other girls at work earning ney for themselves and are fire( h an ambition to go and do like. e. They crowd into the factories soon as they are of legal age to dC and before that, if they can b! blk or crook secure a certificate that lbles them to hoodwink the em. yer. They are the girls who are eless in their dress, not usually Iy, but woefully indifferent to rents and missing buttons; exaggerated to coiffure; wearing out bedrag l finery on their journey to ant m work; chewing gum on all oc' ions: with plentiful vocabulary slang, which often verges on some lg stronger and more objection B; vet, withal, kind-hearted, merry
 though careless, very far iron lg in. any way vicious or immoral.
 woman who has had a good dea opportunity for observation of fac.
 girls at first hand, both in anC of shop hours. says of them: 'Ac' hing to my own observation tlIt