New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-04

/ When 7 first started IN with my class
| last fall there was a troublesome group Of
giddy young things. who were wont 10
/ straggle into the schoolroom half an hour
/ late with curls and ribbons flying, 10 spend
| the evening In Giggling and passing sur
reptitious notes. until the bell Of dismissal
should release them from what was seem
inelv to them durance vile. 7 had supposed
/ in my innocence that no girl would volun-
tarily embark upon work which would re-
I quire her to give UP four evenings week
all winter unless she were serious minded
and really DESTROYS Of learning. But I
soon found that a large number of girls
/ come TO evening school as a sufficient e1-
/ cUse to give their parents for coming out
at night-an excuse which wiz give them
/ the opportunity 70 stroll I'D and down the
brilliantly lighted streets, looking IN the
windows and meeting the fellows. ON
ciaIy I had 20 froWn upon all such pro
clivities whenever evidenced, but secretly
/ I sympathized far more than 1 blamed.
! These young creatures were at the very
sprngtime Of life, and combined nature
and civilization ought to give them
chance to associate with the young Of their
species under more favorable surroundings
and less roundabout methods than by
prctence Of attending evening school.
with the first week Of December my
classes dropped off pcrceptbly, this state
Of things being explained by 'nightwork
in the stores and shops antecedent TO the
Christmas season. When a teacher re-
ceives her appointment. however. # is for a
period Of twenty-five weeks. or less which
clause may be construed into meaning that
o. 10
10 disband the class and dismiss the teach
or whose classes drop to an average Of
below twenty each night And certainly,
from the taxpayers point OF view, the
Board Of Education is justified. l was
therefore glad when the beginning Of the
new year brought i'm an influx Of new
puuils. most Of whom seemed really anxious
70 learn shorthand In the hope Of lettering
their position In life and increasing the sti-
pend IN their pay envelope.
Now. II there is any calling wherein
knowledge OF spelling and grammar is ab-
solutely necessary II Is that of stenogra-
nber. And ] must confess that there is
hare handful OF my girls who possess
yvbat one might call a working knowledge
Of good English. Two or three irish ser
,,a,+ girls nave entered with the idea that
after plouehing through Isaac Pitman's
aC-o,,,DIote Course in Stenography' tiHy
o,, tsla eauteai secretarial positions down
town and thenceforth be forever released
FROM, the drudgery Of other women's baby
carriages and washtuhs. While I honor
tneir ambition and their perseverance, II
had followed my impulses at the begin
,,r,, If The year [ should gently have ad-
800 ZACH of these Young women that she
,,as r,isdlrectiug her efforts by attending
-, classes. with q view 10 her own well
g. sba might better employ her time
,..-,,,,,rg a more efficient nurse girl, laun-
50. or cook. But the principal OF our
- 1,tseIv cautioned me that IL II not
- ,escber's lot TO reason why, and I'M
-, wished 20 see my S-a-n.ght position
-..,-b,o avvav from my grasp It was ad-
-. that make my subject fascinating
- ,i, corners and by hook or crook Keep
-. a+tendance. Therefore l discreetly
ls.,,bled nv efforts, with the result that
- cd bridget are among the most
,aoIo,,a and enthusiastic members OF my
class. I'm, z,,c,, a
-, Tho teachers part is justified.
80 ne tmpulse 10 study shorthand gives
xsde and Bridget place to speho p,eas
-,.,ipe as a break I'm their humdrum
,fyos where they can meet girls VINO are
ar,otoved in other lines Of work ana tiiere
-, generally broaden their own ou'iooA'
- sbau say our labor is IN vain
Lust one word further IN reiauon ~
o,r whole modern scheme or girls
- Barking back 10 my own "eneSieS
AIS am led 20 wonder H. ai'el az
e,oroeraphy IS likely TO be any more supe
ans 20 the chambermaid than uis'i''
-, "a the average college girl