The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1907-08-08

sos as machinists that eight were
hoilermakers; that thirty-one were
charcoal, coke and lime burners. and
! that eleven were we'll borers. OF
course, these figures have little eco
nomic or sociological significance be-
yond indicating that there are few
kinds of work from which the female
sex Is absolutely debarred, either by
nature or by law or custom. There
were 125 occupations employing over
1000 women each and sixty-thrce en-
ploying over 5000.
Notwithstanding the increasing d.
versity of employments for women,
| domestic service still remains the
| most important by far OF the occupa-
tions in which they are engaged. OF
the 4.S33,630 women in continental
| United States reported as engaged in
! gainful occupations at the time OF the
Twelfth Census. 1,124,3S3, or almost
| one fourth of the total numbe were
returned as servants. 1t may seem
surprising mat the next most impor-
tant occupation for women is that of
farm laborer, and that the number of
women reported as following this &C.
cupation was 456,405, or almost half
million. The significance of the
figures will be better understood If 1t
is pointed out that 442 ,006, or 96.S
per cent, of these female farm labor
ers were reported from the Southern
States, and that 361,S04, or 1913 per
cent, of the total number were of
negro race. Moreover, It, appears
that 277,727, or 60.9 per cent, of the
total number were members of the
farmers families, representing the
wives and grown-up daughters assist
ing in the work on the home farms.
Next to these two leading occupations
come four occupations not far apart
in numerical Importance, though
widely different in character. They
are the occupations of dressmaker,
laundress, teacher and farmer. The
largest of these upations-that OF
dressmaker-employed $685. LA WON.
en-, and the smaller-that of farmer
employed 307,7O6. OF teachers
there were 327,206; of laundresses,
32S,935.
VI lOldl VI
women reported as breadwinners
were found in the six occupations en-
ploying more than 100000 women
each, the aggregate number in these
occupations being 2,SS2,779. The to-
tai number of women reported as tex
tile mill operatives-231, 45S-makes
this the seventh occupation group in
n nria "a
ton next in rank is that of house,
keepers and stewardesses. This COM
prised 1922 women. The house,
keepers here referred to are those
working for wages, the housekeeping
or housework done by women in their
own homes not being treated by the
census as a gainful occupation, al
though it has, Of course, great eco
nomic Importance, not TO be over
looked in any attempt to estimate the
social value OF woman's work. If
there are added TO the occupation
groups already mentioned the group
of saleswomen, comprising 142 ,265,
and that of seamstresses, comprising |
13S,724, the list includes the ten lead
ing occupations for women and &C.
counts for S,542,155, or 1873 per
cent, of the total number of women
who are breadwinners.
Teaching also is an occupation in
which women predominant. The &C.
cupation is one in which both sexes
have long been competing on terms of
approximate equality, and it is sig |
nificant that it is also one in which |
the predominance of women is in /.
creasing. In 1850 the percentage of |
female teachers was 67.S; it advanced /
to 20. in 1890, and to 1874 in 1900.