The Washington herald., 1907-09-20
FROM WOMAN'S
POINT OF VIEW

Dress rehearsais for Office girls-what
brilliant idea. Il Is actually in operation
in London and is said 10 work admirably
Judging from the criticism Of business
men who have 10 depend upon t.rs 1erv-
ices Of stenographers and private secre-
taries there is a crying need for such a
plan right here.
Office work means something more than
taking and transcribing shorthand notes
There are books to keep, filing OF letters
10 be attended 10. information to be
looked Up. and a few other little duties
and unless a girl has had experience she
Is something of a trial 20 a busy man.
He has got TO spend the time to train
her ana generally he objects 10 doing It
without pecuniary benefit He reasons.
rightly enough. that experience has a
cash value and the lack Of II means
smaller wages Learning any branch Of
business is a distinct advantage 20 both
employer and employe, but somebody
must do the training, Of course.
In the complaint Of q woman who was
searching for employment for the first
time in her life she dwelt upon the firm
ness Of business men in their demand for
experienced labor. In departments where
she felt confident Of giving satisfaction
she found women who had grown up 10
the positions, reaching them by stages
more or less slow. They were educated
for the work in the public school manner
and there was no hope of her competing
with them. She could not see why that
was necessary 70 display hats and wear
Ing apparel but the men ana women who
had these articles 70 sell were sharper
sighted.
Training a worker is a slow and Ia
borious process. Often it is a thankless
task. as somebody else usually gets the
benefit Of H. Housewives with slender
purses have 10 take green girls OF 20
without the kitchen assistance they need,
but after the girls are trained the teach
ers cannot afford 10 pay the money they
want and deserve, so the work begins all
over again with another girl Unfortu-
nately. the supply Of Well-trained mate
rial Is too limited for the demand. and
poor substitutes are taken
Boys are particularly fortunate in hav-
ing so many opportunities to begin AZ the
bottom Of the business and work I'D. 4
few have the sense 70 remain with one
firm during the climbing process and
reach the top sooner. The majority waste
time in drifting about from one concern
10 another. and some never reach "a po-
Sltion that pays well Girls are in need
OF just such advantages as boys find in
reliable business firms. but they have not
yet seen the necessity for long training.
some observing man has compiled sta
tistics. showing the time consumed by
feminine workers IN attending TO toilet
details He has figured out such q re-
spectacle loss 20 employers thar some
firms have been frightened into dispeus-
ing with feminine help altogether. That.
Of course. is q blow 10 the sex, because
the number OF working women in this
country is very large
It has been suggested that it would De
well for every nan who has q fortune u
leave his daughters % give them q
years training in a business Office. Il
would enable them 20 look after their
own property and save them from the
hands Of robbers I am not saying taat
all men who make q business Of caring
for the property Of others are robbers.
but nobody can deny that dishonesty is
common in their ranks. and women are
their victims. There Is considerable pow
erty 10 prove that, and plenty OF Wit