The Washington herald., 1917-11-06
APPOINT WOMEN
MAIL CARRIERS
IN WASHINGTON
Those Named Believe They
Can Fulfill Mans Job.

! Another barrier has been taken by
women. No longer does man reign
supreme In a realm that was his own
| for many years.
For the first time in the history
! of the Postoffice Department two
women have been appointed as let
! ter carriers, and the name of a third
| probably will be announced this az
! ternoon.
Soon after the late winter sun rose
above Washington, Mrs Nellie NJ.
McGrath. AS U street southeast, and
! Mrs. Parmel!a Campbell, 6l4 c street
northeast. this morning started out
ON their first day as full-fedged mail
| carriers of Uncle Sam, the first two
women in the history of the Post
office Department TO be appointed to
that position.
Bright and early the women were
] at the main postoffice learning to
route their mail. Sharply at o'clock
1 they shOuldered their packs, and ac-
| companied by the regular carriers on
| the routes started out on a prece-
/ dent Making day. Regular carriers
probably will assist the two women
/ iOi a az" uds uLlil Nntg EldNt
miliarized themselves with the details
of their new jobs.
Three Deliveries a Day.
Three deliveries per day will be made
by the women, who will cover an
4 average of nine miles on their routes.
They have received temporary APP
pointments from Postmaster Chance,
| and IL they are able to do the work
their appointments will be made per-
manent.
No doubt exists in the mind of either
Mrs. McGrath or Mrs. Campbell as to
her ability to successfully carry on
their work.
Women are perfectly capable of
handling any mans work." Mrs. Nc
Grath told a Herald reporter last
night.
That includes Postmaster Chances
job. too, doesn't it?'' the reporter
asked
81 did not say that"
Don't you think woman could
successfully fill that POSITION
Certainly she could" Mrs. McGrath
declared. 1T might require the use of
Il little brains TO fill a position as
postmaster successfully. but women
have brains. Should the war continue
some time the country will be sur
prised when it finds what work wom-
en- can 90"
"Do Look Weak."
"Ther are three deliveries each day.
making a total of about nine miles to
be covered. Don't you think that is
pretty strenuops?" Mrs. McGrath was
asked
perhaps it is" she answered. But
10 / look weak? studied for more
than three years in a hospital in
Pennsylvania and am registered In
that State as a graduate nurse, and
il was able TO work as it was neces-
sary to work in the hospital. l
certainly can fill my new position
successfully"
Mrs. Campbell also was confident
of her ability to do th2n>srk. There
probably are SOM nsity
which it would .,
no reason u ~ why a wom-
IN cannot successfully work the
lghter routes
Both women are wives OF men em-
p!oyed for many years in the Post
Office Department. Maurice P. Nc
GEdlH. HuSDdiu VI MI dbH,
now is at Admission, Alabama. with
Battery B OF the District National
Guard. Mr.. McGrath is top sergeant
in his company and has been a MEM
Der OF the guard for many years.
Eleven Receive Appointments.
Mrs. Campbell is the widow OF Rob-
ert L. Campbell, who died July Is.
1916. Campbell was appointed TO the
postoffice in December. 1894, and serv-
ed there until his death last year.
Mrs. Campbell has been employed in
the department at the pickup" ia
BILE for the past week, together with
seven other women.
Eleven women have received ap-
pointments to positions in the local
ostoffice in the past few days which
heretofore have been filled by men.
One woman is in the money order
department. Two others are assist
ing the postal cashier and eight are
working at the pickup table where
letters are sorted for the cancelling
.'iachine.
Other women will be added to the
dc partment from time to time, OFF,
Gals declared yesterday.
The appointment of women to posi-
tions in the department, Postmaster
Chance said, is step in a policy to
lend all the aid possible to the fam
! flies of men employees who have been
called to the colors in the war.
The women at present employed in
the new positions, department OFF,
Gals said, were giving entire salts
! faction and had even exceeded ex-
/ pectations.
Confidence was expressed that The
appointments of Mrs. McGrath and
Mrs. Campbell woupld be made per-
manent within a few days. and no
doubt was felt that other women APP
| pointed as carriers would be success
I full.