Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-06-09
Women Who Earn a,LliVi ng'

Looking cut OF the window in the morn
Ing, the woman lying in her cushioned
chair sIghs. word of pity for her sister
hurrying by to the scene Of her days
work &C. e. a.. ~ .i''.'
T"Poor thing she says, she has to get
Nup early in the morning and stay dressed
Sal day. 1t must be awful to have 20
work. f4, ..e
4 First the woman Of the easy chair should
find out whether or not sympathy is in
order. The chances are that the worker
is a subject for congratulation rather than
coincidence. She never has the nervous
headaches, the spells of depression, the
thousand and one petty Ills feminine flesh
is heir to. especially genuine flesh that
lois about an day with nothing to think of
but IT'S own welfare and adornment.
She has no time to find the faults of her,
nsighhors and hold, them to the public
whipping post of criticism. mo time TO feel
sorry for herself or to hold out a surrep-.
tittous foot for another to stumble over.
As a result she is healthier. haIspier,,
Brighter. broader and when she does marry
apd go to a. home. she Is more appreciative
!. than the woman who has never known the
Perhaps more women have enlisted under
the banner of stenography than any other
occupation. - The reason for this may be
found in the brevity of time necessary to
obtain a practical technical knowledge of
tho work and the success with which
women have invaded the field. The labor
too. is, a pleasant blending OF the mental
and the physical. is not too arduous and is
usually laid among pleasant surroundings.
A girl should not be under i6 years of age
before taking up the work, or more than s5
years of age. Two years of practical ex-
popienoe are necessary to make her really
valuable as an employe. - '.~r
Schools of stenography charge from $50 to
k6o for a course which requires from three
Vto nine months to complete, according TO
the ability OF the pupil and the thorough
ness Of tile teaching. The course includes
shorthand and typewfiting. the two neces-
sary branches.
There are a vast number of girls and
women working as copyists at Sc a week.
This requires no initiative, no individu-
aiity; merely careful observation. Such
girls should remember the tried and true
story about not being "able to keep a good
\ man down." and aim to be so clear at
4 their work that they can't be kept from
soaring.
. The average, weekly wage for office
stenogrRphers is. $40 to SIS; hours are gem
orally from o'clock to $50 o'clock. Public
stenoGraphers receive on average OF SIS
=. q week and tips, which vary from 81 to SIS
a week. the average being s.. II they
work by the word they, charge 10 cents to
Is cents per folio OF 100 words. with to 8
cents a folio for carbon copies. This aver
m q n A hot
have public stenographers for the accom-
mediation OF their business guests who are
often compelled TO send dozens of typed
letters and are willing to pay accordingly.
The work here is usually pleasant and the
place much sought after. Other public
stenographers maintain offices OF their
own. where they employ q number OF as
sistants-
The private secretaries are the autocrats
Of the profession. Inclosed' In private Of
fees or luxurious homes. they deal with
affairs OF moment. r., The average salary
for this service Is so to $50 a week Society
women and men OF affairs fix the salary
OF their secretaries independent of this
average. The secretary Of John d. Rookie
Teller, a woman. was paid $4,000 a year
Many secretaries accompany their en-
ployers all over the world. make numerous
Trips 10 EoIopo anu ldy w u luuu OF hhONl-
edge that may prove Of vast value later
one expert public stsnographer cites an
instance IN which he received $50 for -four
hours work. during which he took down
conversation speeches. The average wage
for this service, Is 20 10 30 cents per lOC
words. and q rapid SPEAKER uses $50 to aO
words . minute .:r'
Thormanager of . public stenography de-
y partIneht was asked what he considered
= the first qualification for the profession.
"a good natural gift for spelling" was
his reply, ,.'E~ should say ths.'man OF
woman Blid found it difficult TO kpen cor
rectly would have very little chance TO sue
coed as a stenographeT. Neatness is an
Esther essential. II Is a curious fact that
Z nine out OF every ten men win walk pass
man stenographer and give their work OF
\dictstion 20 q woman. but II very important
br technical business is TO be handled they
select . man. think II the women took