The Washington herald., 1912-08-24
Topics of Interest to Every Woman
EDITED BY JULIA CHANDLER MANI
WHEN WE GROW INDIFFERENT
TO, THE DIGNITY OF OUR WORK
.s THE WORK ITSELF SUFFERS
BY FRANCES sHAFFER.

1t was a woman journalist who mad,
me realize just how much Jealous pride
a person may have In her professior
or in her work. whatever it may be.
Early in her career, she said, flushed
with success as q society reporter anf
eager to maintain her dignity and the
fair repute OF her paper, she was con
fronted with quite another type. A so
ciety reporter, like herself. the new type
was woman all brusqueness and bust
ness. unconventional. and without the
slightest concession to social graces and
social ways She was abrupt, devoid oi
tact. and none too particular about hei
personal appearance.
And the woman journalist felt It al
most a personal affront when she brush
ed against her in the way of work. and
caught the reflection of her graceless
manner and unattractive personality.
She was jealous of the dignity of her
profession, and when she saw a woman
making no effort to uphold it and really
bringing disrepute upon the whole array
Of reporters she felt like administering
a personal rebuke.
Because it was the class that suffered;
that is, so far as the social public took
its measuSe. and her ambition was to
keep its standard up to the highest point.
while the other indifferently dragged 1t
down.
Many suffer for the Individual.
As We have read all the unsavory de-
tails that have unfairly brought a shad-
ow of contempt over the whole police
department of New York. some OF us
have thought of the Individual men who
have worked for years and years with
the single guiding force OF duty ever be-
fore them.
Theirs the ambition not only to acquit
themselves as men and as guardians of
the peace. but TO reflect credit upon the
force they represent and back to the
city they serve. And in that atmosphere
of charges and counter charges, of
crimes and criminals, those men, hon.
est and conscientious to the core. must
sadly enough deplore the black trail of
happenings that has thrown its miser-
able pail over the entire department.
They are, just the same as ever, loyal
and true. but there is a temporary stig-
ma attached to the service which no
manner of personal effort and of per-
sonal dignity can wipe out-and they
must feel it.
One Man Changed Impression.
Awhile ago / was In a big institu-
ton officered by uniformed men, and
they looked so trig and dignified that 1
was about to comment upon their natty
appearance. when, alas The most
careless one of all came along; every
thing about him was exactly as 1t should
not be, and il appearance counted for
anything, he was a disgrace 10 the place.
And ii did count, for not an officer
among them who did not resent his list
less bearing and apparent indifference TO
unfolding the dignity of the institution.
And the more particular they were them
selves, the more jealous of their repu-
tatien as officers, the more impatient
they became OF neglect, of poor work,
OF anything that placed a blot upon the
class in which their lot was cast.
The good reporter, the efficient officer.
the conscientious worker in any field
the dignity OF our work, the work itself
will suffer.
Dignity Housework.
That is just the reason We hear SO
much talk about the Importance OF dig
nifying housework. For some reason or
other there has been an unjust stigma
placed upon it, as a profession, and that
very stigma has held back many girls
and young women from entering field
which otherwise might invite.
1t is easy enough to understand how
the stigma has grown. Many of the
conditions surrounding housework, as
carried out in some homes. are so re-
stricting and undignified that no young
woman will subscribe to them il she is
prepared for work in any field where
there is a chance to maintain her own
dignity and that of the general service to
which she gives her energies. Remove
the stigma upon housework. the cause
for its growth, give 1t dignity and a
fair name, and there Will be an army
of workers. as eager to return as they
now are to run away.
For when the dignity of work is gone,
workers will drift another way.