New-York tribune., 1908-09-29
Of Interest ~
" TO 6Uome17.
FOR THE SALESGlRL
Miss Hirschler's Ideas for Rais'ng
Standard of Shop Attendants.

Miss Diana Hrschler who Is teaching giras h""
to become saIeswomen. at Public School ~ Is one
of the first two women to follow the pro1es7ioh "
social secretary She was engaged by a store ~
Poston az an experiment, and she began her "olA
by doing duty in every departInentJoi Oh lhe So.
Her object vas TO know personally what oushs
rea sonably to be expected Of the employees anu
what the employees ought reasonably TO expect VI
the employers. Later her work deveiopeu ihlo ="
series OF lectures to hundreds Of Boston sales
o,,o~ under the auspices of the School Board,
leading merchants Of the city also delivering ect
i1res I'm the course. 1t was not however a resu'I
course such as that established here. which VIII
include study of fabrics. mental arithmetic and
other branches
"The first object of this course" said MISS
ffrscbler to a Tribune representative. is 70 make
the saleswomen more valuable 10 their employers
but this cannot be done without improving tne
condition of the employe. Whenever the STANDARDS
Of any occupation raised, whenever tne per
sons in IL become more efficient and intelligent IL
always results in improving their position not
only financially, but socially-in the way tney are
regarded and treated Whenever also' any occu-
patton recognition by the educational sys
TEN of the country IT increases the dignity OF that
employment. gives it backing, changes the puo-
lie way of looking at IL.
When the work has gone far enough Miss Hirscn-
Ter thinks that employers will see the wisdom OF
making much needed reforms
For instance" she says, there are other and
better
saleswomen than my compelling them TO stand
continuously When the law requires seats bennd
the counter Also the girls should be allowed TO sit
on them when not occupied
There should also be percentage on goods sold
OF on sales above certain amount That would
furnish the highest Incentive TO improvement
And OF course there should be a living wage
In the store where was in Boston We had no one
selling goods for less than s6 a week But my
effort was TO get an IS minimum. as considered
this the lowest living wage in Boston when girl
had TO pay board
Miss Hirschler who has been admitted 70 the
bar in both Boston and Philadelphia. will give a
course similar to the which she is now giving
in Public School 27 in the School Of Philanthropy
pupils There is also discussion Of Incorporating
the course into the Manhattan Trade School for
Girls
Selling goods. Miss Hirschler tells her pupils. is
a profession-not OF the learned professions,
OF course, still mental work. 1t is something
IN which tho personality Of the worker counts. as
it does not In the OF one who operates a ma
chine So the saleswoma1 has to give thought to
her clotnes her manner, her voice In these things
she is in the same class with the teacher and the
actress Upon the voice Miss Hirschler lays par
ticuar stress.
1T often strikes the customer before she looks
at you" she tells her pupils Many woman
comes along, intent something else, and sud
denly catches sight of something your counter
which makes her stop TO look II your voice,
pleasant sympathetic and intelligent. comes in at
inst the right instant with just the right remark.
Won will make many sale which would otherwise
escape you If yoy wait for her 70 look up. and
then saw in a cold unsyrnpathetiC way. Five dol
lars she is likely to pass on. and often, her al
+ention having been called it, will buy that same
thing from some else. with no benefit to you"