South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-08-20
Suggests Bureau
To Supply Maids
Writer Declares That Ser
want Problem May be
Solved Satisfactory.

THE time is here" says Mrs. Mary
Pattisoni. in her latest book. "Prin-
ciples Of Domestic Engineering"
when the servant girl should have
the thoughtful, careful, businesslike
attention of economists and educators
generally that the mistress and maid
problem may be solved, as it can be,
with advantage TO both employer and
employe. for it is a question not only
Of human concern but of fundamental
social and national Importance Even
though a very small percentage Of
people employ servants at all. the
standard of homework, and therefore,
the operation Of the home generally.
the family demand and the supply,
largely depend upon the status of the
few who do employ them.
Graduates Are Theorists.
while we have a wonderfully live
interest in home economic education
spreading rapidly over the country.
those who are graduated in this course
are not our house workers. The schools
and colleges contribute writer's and
lecturers on the subject from a va
riety of sides, teachers and institution
al managers, or those who make 1t
partial occupation or avOcatiOn. The
student of engineering goes into the
works and learns how to handle every
part of the machinery, proving his
knowledge by completing his education
in practice. He learns TO master the
situation step by step until finally he
is given responsibility in management
and naturally directs a plant Of his
own. Even so il should be with the
house-wOrker. After graduation she
should go into a home and not only
do the things she has learned TO do,
in actual relation with the family. but
she should have the practice Of meet
ing responsibility by being the only
one on whom the running of the house
depends. A month here or a month
there. as cook or hOusemaid; a year
somewhere else, learning to meet all
kinds of dom este emergencies and to
supply all sorts of domestic needs,
is surely a practical program for the
would-be home manager, which posi-
ton most women expect some day to
be called to fill
Demand Skilled Labor
While we now have a large num-
Der of educated home-ecOnomic stu
dents who must earn their living at
some business or other. and very
much larger demand for house work
ers than is even numerically met, eff
cheney playing no part, they are not
doing homework simply for the reason
that it is unstandardized and morgan
lied. A business class of men and
women for homework purposes means
the creating of a demand for skilled
labor. In order TO develop such a de-
mand 1t must first be proved that it
would be economic in practice. If
enough people could be persuaded that
TO keep the windows or floors of a
I house clean, the furniture or metal
polished, the clothes spotless and
mended, and the cooking economically
attended to, demands skilled labor
and that the use Of experts in these
various requirements positively pays
| in dollars and cents, public offices
would shortly be opened to supply such
! skilled labor for all home needs in
! every community where servants are
| now kept.
New Employment Idea.
! The skilled Servant, and there are
/ many of them. would find herself. or
! himself, infinitely better off if en-
/ plOyed by such a bureau or corpOa-
| ton of labor Contracts would be
made with the head Of the bureau. as
| with the manager of superintendent
Of a responsible institution, and not
| with the workman, as now. All COM
plants. orders and recommendation
would be referred 10 the head. A
| choice as to the personnel of the work
| men would be recognized wherever
| possible. and the particular require
| ments of each client or custome Ell
would be considered, although eccen-
! tricities in the manner of doing work
| would be discouraged, as there is but
J one best way of dOing everything
| Hours of service could readily be ad-
! justed as regards cleaning. renOvating
| laundry and mending
THE expense of establishing the bu-
/ reau would he readily borne by any
| capital awaiting investment Just SO