The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-20
Dolly Receives q Letter and
Chats With Mrs. ]. B. Reid OF
Womdn's Department. State Fair
Mammoth Original Plans for Women Who Are Talented In
augurated BY the Clever Manager-No Excuse for Any
Woman Not to Be Able to Earn Living if She is
Only Wide Awake and Up and Doing
by DOLLY DALRYMPLE

:, did her own work after the babies were
put to bed, and her children were always
clean and had plenty to eat, never missed
church on Sunday, but no one knows OF
her struggles or her self denials except
her most intimate friends, as she was a
proud woman, and had always been used
to plenty, and she would not accept
| charity. Do you know | wish someone
I would get up a bill or subscription or
something to provide for buying up a lot
of land and building houses, say of from
| three to six rooms, on lots from 50 rect
| to small farms of two to five acres. Let
| the city or state government own these
and let the really needy person who de-
sires to own their home move in and pay
when they can. If they can't pay, give
1t to them and build, say, warehouse and
store combined, so that everyone who is
compelled to make a living can do SO.
Every self-respecting person had rather
work for their own living than accept
charity. and 1 know of some who have
gone TO bed hungry rather than let 1t be
known that they needed help. Help them
not by giving them something, but by
helping them to get start. They don't
want everyone to know they are poverty
stricken. Maybe they have always been
used to plenty in their own home. Maybe
they never knew what want or work was,
then to be deprived of husband and every
thing-dont you see how hard 1t Is for
woman to make living2 She may be a
fine seamstress, but too timid to make
success in the shops, but If she could get
start make clothes, and if the city, coun-
ty or government owned a store like l
have suggested, she would have a place
to dispose of them at a fair price, and
she would be able to provide for her loved
ones. Another might be fine cake baker,
another might bake fine bread or delicious
ar "a annthar
fer raising chickens; each and everyone
to their own calling.
People would be far happier and more
independent and there would then be no
need for people to work in sweatshops-
poor frail women and dear little tired
children-but they could bask in Gods
glorious sunshine If they could have their
own homes with big yards and beautiful
flowers. 1 think 1t is a shame for peo-
pie to have TO live in tenements. / had
rather live In the woods with sheet for
roof than live In one of those stuffy
places. Now, If every one would give
just what they could spare, say from
cent up to as many dollars, and put 1t
in land and homes for the poor and pro-
vide place to dispose OF their goods so
they could be self sustaining, 1t would
be far nicver and more humane than Civ
ing a load of coal or a barrel of flour,
for when that is gone the beneficiaries are
just as bad off, but the other way, some
thing is always coming in to keep the
wolf from the door. Very respectfully.
MRS. r. s. MURRAY,
Ensley, Ala.
When / showed Mrs. Reid the above
letter and asked her opinion on the sub
ieet. she was greatly interested in the
subject.
1T is a splendid suggestion" said she.
with her always gentle humanity and
sweetness, but ! think I have even a
better plan than that. l am inaugural
ing this Fall a new venture In the Wom-
ems Department of the Alabama State
fair, which seems to me to cover just
that field. The gentle woman who has TO
work and wants to sell her wares, and
yet doesn't want to leave her home, but
still have the pleasures and comforts of
her home Surroundings, and have her
children with her, instead OF going out
to work by the day. | have letters of
are anxious to work. and have beautiful
specimens of their work and no place to
sell 1t. These inquiries come from all
over the state and so this year / am
starting an Alabama Woman's Industrial
bureau at the fair for this purpose"
And how de you propose to manage
IT." | asked.
swered, 1--WE expect to have on display
u sample of every article that a woman
sells-in fact, her pin money enterprises
will be introduced to the people If she
crochets table mats for sale, we will dis
play a set with the price and her ad-
dress; If she does hemstitching, embroid-
cring, crocheting for sale, 1t will be pre-
scented to the public in like manner. IL
she makes pickles. preserves, jams or
jclles for market, we are glad to let the
public know. If she bakes bread or bis
cult fancy candy, dolls, sells flowers. pa
per or home grown; II she make trous-
searx, or if she sells eggs, we are deter
mined that the woman's department shall
serve the best interests of the busy wom-
en- Of the state, whether she lives in the
city, in a town, village, or on the farm.
We will display these goods as a city
market for home made products.
NOW remember, il one is beginner
they should see the importance all the
moro for displaying their samples. Let
us see what you are doing and find you
some customers. We are proud of all
women's enterprises, and we want
nanny to talk about them, because
she remembers when the southern 'mistus
Nas unaccustomed to doing these smart
things with her own hands. In those
DAYS the faithful old colored servants
did the work of all kinds. and ole Miss
only had her tatting bobbin at hand.
Now ole Miss does the work, and the
colored ladies' stand around"
speaking of tatting,'' / suggested. ut
is almost a lost art these days, isn't it?
Associated with the Grand Dame of Ante
Bellum days?"
I'll isn't as obsolete an art as you
might think" Mrs Reid answered.
There are many women who earn real
good money with this art, even though
it is slow and tedious. I do hope the
women of Alabama who wish to sell
their products will write to me and let
me tell them fully OF the scheme have
in view at the Fair Market. This should
be a most interesting feature of the
Womans Department. l have plenty of
gossip in the subject! Just think of
Market for what you eat and what you
wear a space for what you do, and
cosy corner for what you think, and
what you know, brimfull of other folks
business
Mr.. Byrne's enterprise - society viii
be able to point to, Book" with