The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-21
THE OFFICE GIRL

member of. the firm. and was. learnine everything he could by close application. or he was lodging all the works3de could
 without being caught by the head book
 keeper In any case he was likely to inn agine that he was always being mt mon and his soul was eaten up with jealousy
 'hc rage when he was ordered about by
 'he Junior clerks just above him. A very
 successful business man happened casual " the other day to disclose a chapter in
 bis life that bears on this.
 Il had the opportunity yesterday to sian or not to sign good sized contract ,, fie said ."l didn't sign. There was incl
 eentaiiy another party I could make just
 as favorable terms with The man turned down was a red-haired man ,e
 my own age Twenty-Five years apo he
 and l were in the same office. He had
 pseh the onice boy. Upon my coming
 ife was pushed up peg and made the
 lowest and least of line of clerks. fhe first day he was uppity to me, and i i'c kept it up the second On the third day
 he called me over to his desk. Say.
 JaEey, take these letters to the post office in a hurry, he said, and leave this
 package of collars at the branch laundry for me. Don't you forget it. He grinneu
 a cheerful grin. I rank you, Jakey. you | know
 remember that the other day when
 the matter of the contract came up" The office girl has none of these feel
 ings and lives her downtown life merrily. She is faithful person if she has just A little supervision. If Gertie. May and Ruth are looked after they will do twice as much as John, James or Joseph, unless
 one of these is the exceptional boy who lias been caught young. The office rights
 of Gertie, May and Ruth are to get their hour for lunch. when they can promenade the streets. or perhaps dance, as is tile latest fashion for very youthful girls downtown, and not to be told things" too much by any older woman in the of fee. The choice job for the enjoyment loving, up-to-the- girl is the smal, cffice where she gets all her orders from the men bosses.
 Business men who have studied her say that up to the present there are not many signs of this new girl of downtown New
 York graduating into the business woman
 4 large proportion, of these girls do not
 seem to have ambitions that way Any number frankly say they haven't thought ahout it. They make no attempt to do any more than they are asked to do, and | it Is the exception when a girl who is just typewriter and clerk starts in after she is once launched in business to
 study stenography. Now and then in one
 Of the big corporations, where dozens and | scores of girls are employed, a girl will be 1 tempted to fit herself for better place. 1 s,ui the comersup are rare.
 | That he can now dodge this first and
 most disagreeable business step which he knows from tradition that both his father
 and his grandfather had to take a turn 1 al, is a relief to the young fellow just
 starting off He is apt to get a chance
 at a very insignificant cerkship to be- ain with, but this is far better than tbe
 old office boys job and brings more l money.
 l SSome young men take up stenoeraphv
 and typewriting and get an opening that
 way. There are a good many concerns
 still that would much rather have lads
 as typewriters than girls for the reason
 that such young men, if they are in any I Way bright and industrious. can be trained
 in as assistants to the principals at very
 small salaries. Such system is ,dea, for the youth, as 1t enables him to eet .
 fairly clear idea of the business very 1 speedily.