The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-03-24
DOMESTIC HELP.

this important subject-domestic help
How to obtain it, how to retain it,
how to make it as pleasant a service
as it is a necessary one? These are
questions vital to every household. In
this article let us consider the side of
the servant girl. In the first place,
pains should be taken by the employ
er in selecting a person fitted to her
peculiar work. A definite arrange
ment should be made as to her duties
and her compensation. If she is a
young woman, and somewhat ineXpe-
rienced, she should be taught first,
neatness, then order; she should be
encouraged to be painstaking in what
she does; praise should be awarded
her efforts when she is successful, and
the blame for mistakes should be tenn
pered with patience and kindness. Her
wages should be paid her promptly
at stated times; she should be given
definite times of freedom, say two af-
ternoons each week, and care should
be taken not to interfere with her
plans by asking her to change them or
give them up altogether. Her affairs
are as important to her as are those
of her mistress to her. She should
be encouraged to sit while doing
many kinds of work, such as mixing,
mincing, pairing vegetables, picking
over fruits and berries, sorting
various articles of food, cleaning sill
yer, etc. The mistress should remem-
Der that the day is long one from
breakfast until the dishes of the last
meal are put away, and that the feet
of the maid become swollen and pain
full in hot kitchen, stepping from
pantry to diningrOom many times dur
ing the day, and that this is not one
day but for every day. These little
rests are such comfort and the maid
MAJ be just as useful during these
brief moments of rest.
Another important thing is the neat
room for the girl who goes to it with
weary body and throbbing temples.
1t should be we'll lighted and venti-
lated. The bed should be a very COM
Portable one, and an easy chair or
rocker should be furnished The base
ment and cellar sleeping rooms in
crowded city houses are a menace to
the health of the working girls, and
some arrangement should be made by
which they could be abolished.
Time for from eight to ten hours
of undisturbed sleep should be al
lowed. If the size of the family is in
creased by guests, the girl whose la
bors are made greater thereby should
be taken into account Extra help
should be called in, or some of the
work done outside, or members of the
family should relieve the strain by do
ing some of this extra service Re-
member the better the health of the
maid, the better and more efficient
her services; therefore her labors
should not be added to until she
breaks down from overwork. Her
health is family asset and to be well
guarded The clothing for her work
should be of washable material, and
she should be encouraged to dress
according to her particular kind of
work, keeping herself tidy at all
times.
Much labor can be saved by placing
things in particular places assigned
for them, by smoothing and brushing
and strengthening linens, etc, instead
of crumpling them up and tossing
them into the laundry. 1t is a good
plan to teach the servant that a quiet
good things to cultivate; the mistress
can set her an example here. Then
it is we'll to be interested in her life;
she comes from sad conditions many
times, with father and mother for
away, or dead, and the family broken
up; hardships from childhood have
Olltn bttu llSl lOt, Suc ndo MOlhtu
to support herself honorably, often
when i'll and heartsick It is the alb
solute duty of every woman employ
ing help to look to this sister of hers,
with only the difference or environ
ment and opportunity, and know that
she will be held responsible as to how
she treats her The example of the
mistress is often followed by the
maid, therefore she should see that
it is of the sort to do her credit. The
maid must also be encouraged to
save from her wages a portion each
week, looking to that rainy day" when
she will need to pay ror medical at
tention, or to provide a home in her
declining years; or, If she should
marry she will need her savings then
If convenient, an opportunity to
hear some interest lecture or enter
| tainment or musical affair might be
| given her something to think about
| 70 brighten her life little. There is q
rule which works well: treat the hell
as you would wish to be treated were
you in her place. Help her in hel
cooking; teach her to make goot
bread and how to prepare the simple
! foods first, then go on to those which