The Denver star., 1916-02-19
MISS SPENCER GETS PLACE
AT NEW YORK TRADE SCHOOL
National Leagues "eis Sister" Worker
Appointed as Placement Secretary.

The National League on Urban Con
ditions Among Colored People an
nounces that its effort to secure the
appointment of a colored placement
secretary at the Manhattan Trade
school has met with success. Miss
Naomi b. Spencer, former Big Sister
worker of the league, has been ap-
pointed to this position and began her
work the first week in February. Miss
Spencers office will be located at the
Manhattan Trade school, Twenty
third street. near Third avenue. New
York.
1t has often been said that employers
do not object to giving work to colored
girls, but that the white employees
frequently refuse to work by the side
Of the colored girls. Furthermore, it
has been claimed that the colored
girls, although trained to some extent,
work more slowly and turn ont a
smaller product for the usual time en-
gagged In work. But the most serious
aspect Of the situation, so far as the
colored girls are concerned. Is the fact
that many Of these girls who start out
to learn trades lose their ambition he
fore the courses of study are complet-
ed and therefore apply for positions
not sufficiently prepared for the job or
do not enter the vocatiOns for which
they began preparation.
The results of these unfavOrable con
ditions are seen in the fact that only
p per cent of the colored women in
New York city engaged in gainful oc-
cupations are working in skilled and
semiskilled trades, while I1 per cent
of the white women engaged in ganful
occupations are working in skilled and
semiskilled trades. Furthermore those
colored women who are trained lind
great difficulty in securing continuous
employment. and. If successful in Sc
curing reasonably permanent positions,
they do not get advancement commcn-
surate with the ability they display.
Miss Spencer will interview employ
ers OF girls and women in shops and
factories and advise with the colored
girls in the trade schools individually
and In groups for the purpose of en-
larging their view of the industrial
Uelu. by IHiS IbtTSpuitl tOuCu Will lut
girls it is hoped that she will develop
in them greater ambition and deter
nina ton to meet the conditions as they
are and to persevere until they be
come more proficient and are consid-
cred by their employers Indispensable
and by their associates in their work
desirable companions in labor
Miss Spencer will devote some time
to work in the Washington Irving High
school and in cooperation with the Wis
iting teachers of public schools that
have large numbers OF cOlored girls in
attendance. She will attempt to direct
those girls above he 6 Il class who plan
to leave school before graduation to-
ward some vocational training, with Il
view Of having them take up such
lines Of study as may suit their incli-
nations and adaptabiiities.
Another step In the direction Of real
achievement on the part of tile Ma
tional league is the fact that its associ-
ate director. Professor Eugene Kinckle
Jones, has been appointed to member
ship on the placement committee OF
the Manhattan Trade school. The or
ganiZatiOn deserves great credit for
the work It is doing among our people
in the various parts of the country.