The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-12-04
INDUSTRIAL WELFARE WORK.
SUMTER ELECTRICAL COMPANY
DOING A BIG WORK FOR FE.
, MALE EMPLOYEES.
inheresong Account Of the Working
conditions and Company Boarding
House Provided for the Hundreds
: OF Young Women Employed I'm The
Magnetic Factory.
(By L. I. Reardon. Secretary Cham.
Der of Commerce.


and It's allied companies, said to be
the largest in the world exclusively en-
saeed In the manufacture Of ignition
masnetos for gasoline propelled ma
cfinery OF all kinds has established
and Is engaged in extending sys-
TEN OF looking after the comfort
health, and morals OF their female op-
eratives which deserves the highest
commendation from the public and
particularly those engaged or inter-
ested In welfare work among work.
ing women.
This Sumter manufacturing plant
employs now two hundred women.
ranging in age from eighteen to forty
years Of age. the young women pre-
dominating largely. Within a COM
paratively short time II will be nec-
essary 90 increase the force Of female
operatives to four hundred, Just as
soon as additional winding machinery
boards and appliances can be manu-
factured, and the additional space re-
auired can be fitted up properly, ac-
cording to Sumter Electrical Com
pany ideas OF how the working quar-
ters OF female operatives should be
arranged.
Realizing that II would be almost
impossible to secure sufficient local
young women to supply the demand
for female operatives In this plant,
this corporation cast about for a So
luton OF this problem.
The first consideration to be solved
was that the young women, coming
from abroad must be looked after
with due regard to their health, per-
sonal csmforts, proper housing. feed
ms soJhl, spiritual. and physical en-
uronment. Healthy, happy. and satis-
fief labor was deemed the very best
kind OF labor. Congeniality of sur
roVbdings and social environment was
considered essential in order to have
a crew Of girls working harmonious
ly together, and IN a satisfied frame
OF mind.
Yhe management Of thls big cor
poration capitalized at four and a.
hais million dollars requested the CO.
operation OF the Sumter Chamber of
Commerce In securing sufficient fe-
male help. and in securing suitable
boarding house accommodation for
the ladies'.
The managing secretary of this or
ganixation was urged to assist in ar
ranging the working qua, srs of the
female operatives with due regard TO
the comfort and physical welfare of
the operatives.
He was instructed to speak out
plainly any suggestions which he
might have OF to suggest anything ad-
ditional which would contribute to the
comfort OF the operatives.
AZ temporary expediency the first
floor of large and splendidly venti-
lated and lighted department Of this
immense plant was selected as the
"woman's working room" as it was
called.
This department fronts on one of
the main streets OF this city. and 1t
Is located remote from the other de-
partments OF the big factory. The fe-
male operatives never come In con-
tact with any other department Of
the factory, their department being
strictly private at all times. and they
enter and leave their department on
different street from the male opera
tiyes.
Lately the rush of business has nee
essarily created a demand for more
female operatives In the winding de-
partments. SO that this company has
been compelled TO renovate the sec
ond floor OF the same building to ac-
commodate the increasing number OF
young women now employed and TO
accommodate several hundred more
very soon.
This newly equipped department on
the second floor Is model working
room In many respects. No expense
was considered too great TO equip this
new department as IL should be for
tho comfort and health Of the opera
tives.
One OF the latest improved sys-
TENS OF lighting by electricity. In ad-
dition to numerous large windows.
has just been installed so that there
will be ample light for the opera
tivos during cloudy days and late In
the afternoon during the winter
months when darkness comes early.
The company determined that insofar