New-York tribune., 1912-02-18
Your Daughters Vocation
Thousands of Women Are Employed Mothers
Helpers and There Is Room for More.
BY Mary Marshall.

There is many slip in this work, as IN
any other, and every young woman who
gets position as mothers helper does not
make a success. The young woman who
boasts of her temperament, her moods.
Of the fact that she is either ''sll up
or all down" may, perhaps, succeed at
some things. but as mothers helper
never. The mothers helper must be above
all else sane and even tempered; she
must like TO be with people and be will
ing 10 enter into things with other people.
she must know how TO do the things that
make big sister an asset TO the family
and sometimes being a big sister is no easy
task. She may have to help with the
darnIng and mending-not as a seamstress'
but as a member Of the family would as
sst with IT, She may have TO help With
the children's sewing, though more often
she would only have 10 plan for and direct
the seamstress or dressmaker who has this
to do.
The mothers helper, needless TO say has
TO spend a good share OF her time Win
children. and the more she knows ABOUT
entertaining and controlling young peope
before she starts cut, the better for her.
A knowledge OF paper folding, worsted
work, etc, such as can be found In kinder
garten textbooks, is q distinct asset ara
is recommended by a most successfui
mothers helper TO all young women VINO
follow in the work she has taken up.
AS TO the salary that a mothers helper
NAV expect TO receive. Young women are
sometimes willing TO receive as small 70
muneration as $50 a month, although @
usually none too much even for beginner
OF course. the mothers helper has prae'
ktIcally no expenses while she is empoyeo'
Any expense she may incur while perform'
ing her duty-such as car fare. cab fare'
tickets to entertainments. etc. is ai"s',
met by the employer. mothers heips'
employed by persons of moderate mean.
should not expect to receive more thsh "
or $40 a month no matter how VaiusoU
her services became. but In families "heM
Il is not difficult to reward merit lloersn'
mothers helpers not insrequently recsi''
81, 900 or 5000 a year. growing up WIN t''
children To he their chaperon ana cpap
panlon. travelling with them and assumpls
ever increasing responsibilities as the yssl'
pass.
Usually mothers helper has one y
-
two. or even four, days off month 0s'
this depends on how far she Is from hon~
Sometimes. when she lives at a distah..
a week every quarter Is more acceptapsS
her than a day every week or so,
Occasionally, when the mothers helper
socially adaptable. she is expected 70
present and to assist as a member OF ~
family when ter employer entertains'
more often on such occasVrs- y
the children of the family are too y9us
10 be present the mothers helper Is lespsy
ally depended on to devote herself 70 ~
children of the house. 81
There is always a demand for part Wv,
or visiting mothers helpers. and worx =
this sort is exceedingly desirable for yoles
women who, while they have home ou''s5
would Ike to earn little money. sons
rmes a mothers helper OF this sort s''
her Saturdays or Sundays-days when ts'
children are out of school. Sometimes "y
comes for q certain number OF hours syss
aftsrnoon or morning, when the rnothss
most apt 70 be engaged. In other ee.
sbe holds herself In readiness TO be ea.
whenever the mother happens TO want " I,
services. Frequently ambitious sca
teachers add several dollars week 70 w,
earnlngs by doing mothers helper WV
! fter their school work IL done.
Copyright. 1912 by Mary Marshsitl =