Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-09
WHICH IS BEST INDUSTRY :?
ALL OPEN TO WOMEN, BUT
SOME ARE PREFERABLE.
Millinery and Dressmaking Require
the Highest Skill and Are
Better Paid.

What is the best occupation for the
woman in industry? is the topic discussed
In an exhaustive report prepared by a
special committee of the National Society
for the Promotion of Industrial Educa-
ton, which report was formally discussed
by the society at its convention on indus
trial education held in Chicago December
80 last. The report deals only with in
duStrial occupations in the narrow sense,
emitting the great groups of agriculture
and professional service which employ
15.9 per cent and SO per cent of the
1, So, $50 women sixteen years of age and
over in gainful occupa tionS. Among wom-
en- in trade and transportation businesses
all occupations but that of craftsmanship
are omitted being commercial rather
than Industrial. These are largely stenog-
rapherS, typewriters and clerks. Domes-
tic and personal service is also omitted.
The report defines a desirable industry
for women as one which pays a living
wage, which does not deaden the natural
powers. nor reduce the individual to the
position of a mere machine, which de-
velops that kind of efficiency which will
be of value TO the woman a home
maker, which must not be detrimental
physically or morally. With these defini-
tions as test. the report continues:
Doubtful Occupations.
The manufacturing industries in which
women are largely employed may be
classified in three divisions:
l. The industries which appear to be
least desirable are paper mills. cotton
mills, cordage and twine mills. confection-
cry and paper box plants and packing of
all kinds. These employee 10 per cent OF
wage-earning women in manufactures in
the United States
- The industries which are doubtful as
regards desirabilty are hosiery and
knitting mills, wooden and worsted mills
and silk mills, employing per cent of the
wage-earning women in manufactures Of
the United States.
g. Industries which promise opportuni
ties are the manufacture OF ali kinds o.
clothing from cotton. wooden and silk
goods. when carried on in factories or in
strictly high-grade work rooms; me man
ufacture of boots and shoes and gloves,
straw hats. jewelry and printing and pub
fishing. The proportion of women in
manufactures found in these is 81 per cent
i'm the United States.
A few industries not included in these
three groups employ women for certain
occupations but it is notable that Tn ese
ar. the most unskilled and the loweS'
paid parts of the work, and that no othei
occupation in these industries is open 70
them.
But what are the industries in which
is significant. 1t reads as follows: Arms
and ammunition, building. carriages, light
and heat. electricity, glass, leather. lGm-
Der. machinery, metals. patterns. musical
instruments. print and dye works. ship
building stone tools. wooden goods.
The mills of lower order mentioned in
the first group-cotton. cordage. Irvine
ella. m large numbers of women. and es-
peclally young girls. but they fail to meet
any of the requirements for a desirable
industry IS defined tabove. The wages in
colt On mills never reach $40, and three
qua rters of them are not above $50 per
week, while in cordage and Irvine the
wage opportunity is not SO great. Pack
ing has one virtue, that of being clean,
but from the wage consideration or from
the dew of opportunity for development
it is as perniciOus mill work. Candy
dipping offers between 81 and ST. seldom
permitting the most expert to rise to $40.
More Desirable Work.
rrt-