University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1911-03-20
The Help Problem.

ten or fifteen years ago. Few Colum-
bia housewives object to this. They
realize the cost of living has gone up
and are willing to pay wages they once
would have considered absuredly high.
The service rendered today for the
increased wage is much worse than
the service that was given for the
wage of ten years ago. In proportion
to the rise in wages there has been
decrease in the efficiency of hired help.
More money is being given at the
present time for less work. The wage
continually grows higher. The sery-
ice seems worse every day. Dishon-
esty, while not prevalent, is common.
In more ways than one, many Colum-
bia servants fail to give satisfaction.
AS servants many are distinct failures.
AS actors and thieves, however, some
often attain a high grade of proficien
cy. Articles of large value are seldom
taken, but petty thievery abounds.
Why? They know they will be
caught sooner or later. But they also
know that as soon as they are dis
sharged from one situation, they will
get another. Indeed. it often happens
that servants do not have to wait un-
til they are discharged to hunt a posi-
ton. Too often they know there is a
place waiting for them. So they are
as impudent and threatening to their
employers as they wish to be-, Why
not? The employers have to take It
or lose servant.
References go for little in Columbia |
that is servant references. In fact
there seldom are any references. Less
than week ago well-known Colum-
bia woman had occasion to discharge |
a negro servant girl for laziness. She
also had caught her stealing on sew
eral occasions. The next day she call
ed over the telephone by friend ask.
ing what satisfaction the servant girl
had given. She answered that the girl
was no good and advised her friend to \
have nothing to do with her.
"She is a poor servant and a thief
BESIDES" she said.
The next day she found that in
spite of her warning, the girl had OBJ
aimed the position. That negro girl
was encouraged to continue >stealing.
When woman has been strict with
her servants, does not allow them to
steal from her, feed numerous fam
ly at her expense, be impudent to her,
" be late with meals, she gets her.
;elf on a kind of blacklist. 1t is cir
,ulated among the negro women who
10 housework or cook for Columbia Is
antilles that Mrs. Smith "aint no
,ood for to work for" Consequently
hrs. Smith has hard time getting Or
ieeping servants. The servants pre- ,
er the easy marks. The servants I,
blacklist is not formal. but it is effect /;
We. And it exists, as many have i,
ound out to their sorrow. =
Paying higher wages does not REM .
dy the situation. 1t raises the cost +,
I living. But it does not solve the h
ervant problem. If it did, the prob
I'm would have been solved long ago. y
olumbia women are willing to pay T,
ood prices for good work. But with U
he exception of few good servants n
-and these are true prizes--the negro
omen, composing most of the house "
old servants in the town, give the n,
lme knid of work in return for seven n,
pillars that they give for three. .;
id;
Some COlumbians have tried to .,
live the help problem by bringing =
rvant-girls from Europe. While the NJ
rls remained in Columbia, the prob
m for those particular persons, was =
lived. But in short time they we're W
lex again facing the same situation.
What is the fundamental trouble in
To many it seems the -
ok of cooperation among the en- ~
oyers. A dishonest servant can gel -
employed Immediately after being o.
smissed from one position. There =.
no premium put on good service =.
d honesty. The lazy and dishonest
rvant gets as much as the hard ~
'rker. Then there is difficulty in Ar
help quickly. Employers 8.
e more or less at the mercy Of the
rvants. especially IL they intend to .h
tertain. Servants seem to take a 80,
ndish delight in quitting just before =.
dinner Of some kind.
An agency for servants would help
ltters some. But it would not rem '"
Y the fundamental trouble, the i'm.
ssibility of getting good servants. ne
\ hofOro INV eoI,ffo, xs,t1l ~ ,o.~l |