The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1907-04-06
THE SOCIAL SECRETARY.

be found than the adoption. by NUM-
lerous great industrial and bushes 5
concerns. Of the idea OF the social
Secretary. This is a new profession
tor both men and women. Social sec
retaties. says Mary r. Cranston. III
the Craftsman. are employed i'll large
Establishments TO look after the health
and general well-being Of worker ana
plant, 10 be the point OF contact be-
tween the firm ana its force III all
questions which arise concerning ne
in the factory. workshop or store.
The idea was conceived By an IN
dustrialist in Holland who felt the
need OF such a person in his factory,
and who had sufficient originality 10
make the experiment. The Ahlefi-
can Institute of Social Service I'M
mediately saw the good which would
accompany the adoption Of this profess
sion in the Unitel States ana there
fore spread abroad the principle. with
! the prompt result OF an American
| pioneer social secretary, q woman
who filled this position in 4 Rhode Isl
and department store. Her four years
wCrk greatly improved conditions LOT
the workers. Her employer CONSIDER
| ed her services worth every cent OF
the very good salary which he pala
her.
There are today twenty-seven So
cial secretaries in the United States
about an even number Of men ana
women
The social secretary usually begins
on salary Of $500 a year. which is
increased according to capahility for
the work Salaries range from this
sam to 81 500 a year. The Dosltlon
is, however, no sinecure. 1t means
responsibility and many annoEances'
and is difficult to fill acceptahly. The
cardinal principles of the social sec
retaTyS gospel are sanitation, recre-
alton and equalization. The chlef
requisites for the work are tact, com
mon sense coupled with knowledge
of life gained through experience.
keen sense of justice, fearlessness o.
adverse criticism and ability to steer
SO straight course between SYM
pathy and fear as to win absolute con-
fidence from those in command as
we'll as from the rank and file.
1t is essential to have discrlminat-
ing sense OF the justice which belongs
to each side; to know where the
rights and privileges of employer and
employee diverge, and to be quick to
see, and capable OF making the EN-
plOyer see. the advantage in dollars
and cents which results from i'm
proved conditions, and to be able to
make equally clear to the employee
the difficulties which beset the man
agement Of every large enterprise.
The secretary establishes luncheon
rooms, rest rooms, mutual aid asso-
Citations. thrift funds and penny provl-
dent banks; when asked to do so,
she (if WOman) is ready to give SuS-
gestions about the proper way to
dress, the most becoming colors for
a girl to wear, whether Or not to
listen to the wiles of Dan Cupid, and
all sorts Of other personal matters
which perplex the ordinary mortal
in short. the social secretary is to
be the employees guide, philosopher
and friend.
Besides the usual betterment fea.
lures, the secretary also arranges
many forms Of social amusement.
Gales. If this functionary did moth
ing more than teach working people |
how to enjoy themselves in a sane, f,
healthy way the work would be justl-
fed.
The social secretary of Pittsburg |
factory is a physician and his chief
concern is the health of the men and ,
women who work there
The three thousand employees Of |
an Ohio factory keep the social sec
rotary busy enough to need the help
Of two assistants. The personnel OF
this establishment is far above the
average; the employees have quite a
social position Of their own. Their
factory clubs have entertained dis
tinguished persons both of this coun-
try and from abroad: lectures have
)een given by well-known speakers,
and the social work has been done
Upon such large scale that the fac
DRY stands today as an object-les-
son for the world
7ADS OF THE WOMAN OF LEIS-
URE
Strange. is it not. how our fads
liffer?" remarked Mrs. de v, eXamin-
ng the contents of her jewel casket,
n which was nothing but pearls of