The Washington herald., 1912-06-27
GIRLS SHOULD BE TRAINED
IN MERCANTILE BUSINESS
By ELIZABETH BE ARDSLEY BUTLER.
Exclusive serrics the Survey Pres Bursu)

That the problem Of how saleswomen
are TO become selfdependent is a social
problem OF grave import, appears from
the following instance which though ex-
| treme is but one Of many similar. Tes-
| sic Schlueter entered a store and became
a saleswoman. For this service she was
rald 50 a week, and after she had been
there FIVE years she became head sales
woman in the millinery department and
received 81. This sum was the most
she ever got during eleven years Of serv-
ice.
Inability to bargain, the possibility Of
marriage and assistance from families,
, as well as the social preference given to
mercantile work over labor in a factory,
in part explains such low wages as
to be found in inefficienCy Of the sales
women themselves.
The occupation Of selling is supposed
TO require neither training nor expert
cnce. II seems an easy way to fill in
the years which succeed public school.
The learning OF details Is left 10 chance.
SaleswOmrn who have been long with
the house show the newcomer where the
stock is kept, and II kindly disposed
give her suggestions as to the peculiari-
tues OF buyers. Some one tells her the
custom as regards sales checks and other
records and with this preliminary in
formation she is prepared to represent
her employer to his clientele. She stays
in the department to which she is as
signed, keeps her stock in order, tries
to remember when new stock comes in,
and when customers are around does not
converse more than is necessary with
her co-workerS II the customer asks
for something that is in stock she pro-
duces It and awaits decision. II a Gus
toner asks for something that is not in
stock she states the fact. She is in re-
ality 'counter-server."
Beginning Already Made.
But how is expert knowledge to be OBJ
tanned? How is the saleswoman TO learn
end recognize types OF personalities, TO
grasp what points make the strongest
appeal TO each type of buyer, to whom
she should emphasize utility, to whom
beauty, 10 whom durability?
A beginning has already been made
throughout the country by stores Of
more advanced management. Some ef-
forts are tentative and irregular. but
others are on a more permanent basis.
Instruction is given, among other sub
jects, in certain English branches, In
cash Systems and the knowledge Of tex
tiles and the art Of selling special mer-
Chandise as well as efficiency in con-
duct This instruction is in the form
OF regular class work conducted by lee
turers or teachers engaged for the pur-
pose or in that OF talks given by the
store superintendent, department man
ager or the social secretary. Much of
the instruction is designed primarily TO
inform the younger members OF the force
about the policies, systems or merchan-
disc Of the particular stores, but there
is a tendency to make it Of broader
range But well organized as the work
may be in some establishments as a
rule, It lacks educational basis and we'll
thought-out methods.
The problem OF better equipment for
salewomen is receiving the attention.
however, not only OF the merchants, but
OF students Of social betterment and Of
philanthropists who wish to see working
women in q position OF greater indus
trial security, and here and there os
school men.
TwofoId Eject.
Should we'll planned training become
general the effect upon saleswomen
would be two-fold-personal and eco
nomIc. The younger employees in mer-
camille houses, although OF working age,
have not reached physical or mental ma
turfty. As a rule their entrance un-
taught into an unskilled occupation does
not stimulate mental development. Usu-
ally their work tends to stultify rather
than TO develop them because the en-
ploye falls 10 understand its significance.
Good salesmanship is a compound of
some science and more art. The science
can be taught in the form Of certain
rules and principles. The art can be
developed through experience, wisely su-
pervised and interpreted.
That industrial instruction will have a
beneficial effect upon the economic status
Of women is undeniably true. The wages
OF the selling force Of a department is
calculated at a percentage OF the total
sales II. by the ability OF those in
charge OF the department the number
Of employees can be kept down the
change produces a net gain for all.
The unskIlled worker accepts what she
deems injustice, because she cannot