The Washington times., 1916-11-06
TWENTY-E|GHT ARE
ENTERED IN LENGTH.
OF SERVICE CONTEST.
Total Of Entries Received, In
GLIDING Maids, Cooks, and
Male Employees, Is 1873.

Twenty eight entries in the morning
man for the long service competition
made UP the largest budget yet received
in any one day.
With the entries received today 1873 do
inestic employees, including maids and
cooks. buffers and other male employees
are entered in the race for prizes for
length of service.
Mrs. J. Edison Briggs $50 South Caro-
lima avenue southeast, chairman OF the
trtct Federation of womens Clubs.
shortly will take up the matter of adj
ditonal prizes.
The Times Award.
The Washington Times prize of $40,
the first to be offered. will be utilized, as
announced by Mrs. Briggs Friday. as an
award to the domestic longest in the
employ of a single family. A $40 gold
piece, offered later. will be given to the
domestic longest in the employ of a
family for two or more generations.
IS prize. and Miss Frances Graham
French 50 prize. the disposition of
which will be made later.
The question of Offering special prizes
an slaves and for male emp,oyes of fam
HES will be considered. II is felt that
in both cases the competitors should not
be classed with the women engaged as
cooks or maids who have performed
faithful service over long periods.
Suggestion From Maid.
A suggestion which has been con-
sidered by the home economics commit
tee was made in an interesting letter
from maid in Washington Heights re-
ceived by Mrs. Briggs this morning.
This maid states that the question OF a
single. award Is not 90 important rs
some measures to raise the wages and
shorten the hours OF domestics.
Mrs. Briggs explained that the COM
mittee fully realized the importance OF
these two points, but that much knowl
edge would have to be gained from a
closer study of the situation before their
solution could be brought about.
The present contest, the club women
believe, will shed much light on the
servant problem which will help
straighten out questions Of hours and
have staid with them so long few mis-
tresses have so far said 1t was ques-
tion of pay.
The Letter.
The letter from the Washington
Heights maid, in part, follows:
Nowhere have 1 read a word from
any lady who has boosted OF her serv-
ants ability or capabil!ty, that they are
entitled to any more wages or shorter
hours; not a word mentioned about their
future welfare, What Is a $40 gold
piece for prize? Only one can get that.
Diplomas are to be had by any maid,
regardless of the length OF years they
have served.
II believe you had in your mind in the
beginning nothing short of economizlng
this high cost OF living, knowing It
rests largely with the maids in regard
to the edibles: ] hope you will real ze
you have overlooked something very inn
portant in the matter. You have offered
no encouragement at all.
Each should be favored with some-
thing of account for the service rem
dered: or should have better show for
the future, allowing them their de-
cision.
ST am a Washington Heights maid
having served this worthy family for a
period OF eleven years, and can truth
tion. and am treated with high respect
and courtesy"
Glowing Tribute To Maid.
Mrs. Sarah Hall Johnston. prominent
in d. A. r. and club work. wrote q
glowing tribute to her maid. with her
twenty-one years.
"ehe has qualities that are unusual in
any walk of life." Mrs Johnston writes.
"A servant may be faithful and COM
Hstent In some lines. but 1t is remark
able to find so much combined in a
small, delicate woman as my. Sally I
have a ten-room house, which she man
ages entirely; she buys everything. pays
all the bills. Is wonderful cook and
laundress. and makes preserves and
pickles by the gallon to give to my
friends. and she also Is real florist.
as my den is. filled with her pots of
flowers"
Writing of Grace Washington, maid