The daily sentinel., 1908-07-04

rado, so new, in fact. that people
seeking employment are apparently
afraid ref it. Under the old regime,
when appointments were made at the
pleasure of the heads of the various
institutions, one often heard the
charge by disappointed applicants
that "pull' did it all. But now that
the only way these positions can be
filled at all is by civil service ex-
animation, open to all alike, these
seems to be a scarcity of good mater
ial. This lack of applicants is caus-
ed partially by the lingering hcpe of
of the job seeker that there surely
must be some way of doging the ex-
animation, open to all alike, there
back door, in spite of the law. But
the commission is i"eai,ng the law as
a reality and not as a joke.
The position of nurse-attendant in
/ the state insane asylum at Pueblo
furnishes a striking example of this.
| There are four or five vacancies at
the present time and not sufficient
applicants to fill them If they should
all pass. To be sure. the salary Is
not large, but when 1t is considered
that board, room and many incidental
living expenses are furnished free
which would otherwise cost from $50
ton the appointee receives salary
of from $25 to S35 per month at the
very start, the compensation is fair
The examination given ought to be
the least of an applicants troubles,
as any school boy or girl of sixteen
would consider them a SNAP as far
as the scholastic part is concerned:
that is. spelling( arithmetic and writ
ing. Besides these. two subjects are
given, requiring that sometimes un-
common qualification common sense.
In one the candidate listens while the
examiner reads an order to do some-
thing which he, as a nurse-attendant
might have to do. Then he writes
down the substance of that order. In
the other subject the candidate ans
wers questions in regard to the tasks
and duties of the position he seeks.
The asylum desires the services of
those who have had at least six
months previous experience.
There are two more positions seek
ing applicants, experienced nurse.
and matron. The duties of the first
are caring for the sick. at a salary
of about $50 per month and main
tenance. The salary is not large,
but the commission does not expect
to secure trained or registered
nurses, although such would be prdc-
tically certain of appointment. Many
of the institutions need a practical
nurse to care for minor cases and
look after the sick when there are
any, under the direction of physi-
cian The work is pleasant and the
duties usually light.
Almost all the state institutions
employ matrons of one kind or an
nj a11 rf.a
knowledge of housekeeping. Be-
sides this. at the Boys Industrial
School, candidate must understand
boys and how to manage them, even
the real bad ones, while at the Girls
Industrial School one must know how
to manage girls of all classes and con-
ditions. At the Children's Home the
matron has both sexes to deal with
at ages ranging from those "just ar
rived to sixteen or seventeen years
Likewise such a position at the In
sane Asylum requires knowledge of
and contact with the insane, at the
penitentiary knowledge of and con-
tact with the criminal. Salaries
range from $40 to $50 per month
and maintenance. there being very
few beginning with less than $50.
Two vacancies now exist.
The commission reports that the
number of applicants is constantly
increasing. and this is to be expected.
AS in New York and Illinois they Of
ten have ten times as many appli-
cants as there are positions to be
filled, when applicants come to un-
derstand the advantage of positions
that are permanent and where pro-
motion is assured, the same thing
will undoubtedly happen here. At