The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-12-04

OF mind of his girl operatives. He
visits the boarding house once a week
and finds out if there are any "un-
pleasantnesses" and if there be he
holds kind of investigation. The
girls appear to seek his intermediary
offices, and tell their sides of any lit
tie difference of opinion to their super
intendent and friend who is also q
church man and q Sunday school
worker. He invariably settles any
unfriendly "spats'' as his opinion goes
and the disputants get friendly instead
or getting more and more "grouchy''
towards each other. This will appear
to some doubtless as ofIicious on the
part of the superintendent. But re-
suits prove to the contrary They
seem to like one another and to get
along together admirably.
When young woman, or one of
mature age for that matter seeks en-
ployment with the Sumter Electrical
Company she is assured Of a good DO
sition, with living wages at least, and
humane treatment amid pleasant and
congenial surroundings.
| OF course there are numbers of girls
and women employed by this COM
pany who board at home or with pri-
vate families. But they are all given
to understand that the company is
interested in them and their happiness
comfort and health.
A great many Of the female op-
eratives are from the country dis
tricts of Sumter and other South Car
olina counties, but not a few are from
other Southern States. 1t will not be
so very long before between five and
six hundred women will have to be
employed by this company, if the bus
mess Keeps on growing and the de-
mand for the magnetos keeps up.
So anxious Is this company to solve
the problem Of satisfied female labor,
and break down the prejudice among
Southern women so largely in vogue
with Southern girls of intelligence and
culture against what is termed fac
tory work" that this company is
spending thousands of dollars to show
that young lady can be a lady, just
as we'll thought of, and associate with
any one she wishes even in an indus
trial plant down South.
Some of SuTtcr's best families are
represented in ,he working room of
this electrical company, and young
women of splendid families from 9TH
er places. None but ladies and those
who conduct themselves as ladies are
permitted in the Sumter Electrical
Company plant.
The Sumter Chamber Of Commerce
IS very much interested IN the work
ings Of the plan being carried out by
the Sumter Electrical Company. Sum
ter's industrial future depends largely
on our ability to secure ample labor
OF the right kind, male and female
for industrial plants Of many kinds.
The Sumter Electrical Company is
doing a great work for Sumter as we'll
as solving its own problems satisfac-
torily indeed.
Thousands OF dollars are being
earned by highly respectable and
worthy young women in this COM
pany's plant. Their home-like sur
roundings, in plant and boarding
house, are conducive to their pleas
ures, profit, spiritual, physical, and
social welfare.
The fact that this company volun-
tarily invites and seeks commercial
organization investigation and assist
ance, and other outside cooperation
shows how deeply in earnest the Sum-
ter Electrical Company is in finding
out how to make the life of a working
girl all that it should be in an indus
trial plant.
A rather unique feature of the Sum-
ter Electrical Company's plan Of con-
serving the mental and physical efIi-
cheney Of it's operatives in order to get
tho highest degree of efficiency in out
put is as follows:
The writer learned from an opera
tive, not from an official, that the
heads of department are instructed to
watch closely the temperamental con-
dition Of his operatives. That is if an
operative appears down in the
mouth or below nermal in interest or
efficiency i'm work to find out if pos
sible what his trouble is. This applies
in every department, male and fo-
male.
Condolences arc exchanged. 1t not