The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-26
Wage Earning By Mothers And :,
 w e $

HAVE received many letters from wives and mothers asking me to sug- gest work which they could do which would not interfere with their house. holds.
 It is difficult question to answer without the size of the house and the family, and the qualifications or capa- Utilities of the questioner and her gene. ral mode of life. Of course, to run house and hold an outside job as well means that efficient organization of ones household is necessary. One must arrange ones time so as to make use of every hour in the day. It un. doubtedly means hard work.
 Let us take, for example, a mother who is qualified to do secretarial work and whose children are old enough to go to school. She can go . bureau for part-time employment and get an engagement as secretary 2 for mornings--from nine until one, for instance. There are many charitable organizations, etc, which need secre- tary only for mornings. Her husband probably must be at his ofihe by nine, and the children must be at school at the same hour. She can either pre- pare the lunch the night before, or get \ up a little earlier and do it in the Z morning This will leave nothing to do but heat it or do some quick cook ing on her return from work. Any necessary ordering for the afternoon meal can quite easily be done before < she leaves the office, or she can buy what she wants that afternoon.
 A mother situated in the same way and qualified as an accompanist can always find employment in studio. For those who have no talent, or are not qualified to be secretaries, there is did not wish to go out every day. quite a demand for seafnstresses and maids for half days. In fact. if one in this manner to or three times a she could very easily find employment week. It is possible to do dress making at home, if she is not able tt < leave for any reason.
 s For the woman who is forced to take more than just part-time work, there is . way for her to be care-free and happy about her child. Day nurseries are splendid institutions and if you have not enough of them in your city, should advise you to help found some more. A mother can leave her baby in the morning on her way to work,-- confident it will be we'll taken care of ~-and call for it on her way home in the evening. It does not seem to me that she need feel in any way that she is sighting or neglecting her child, as ] the child will be at least as we'll cared yet to appreciate the company of it's For as at home. It is too young as get to appreciate the company of its mother, and the moother is earning Necessary money for the child's future. l come into contact with many peo- ple who profess to wish to do something ] but who devise reasons why whatever ss suggested is impossible for them to do. As a matter of fact, provided we Nave the desire and the willingness to sacrifice our leisure, and take the trouble to organize our days intelli. gently we all of us can find something Co do.
 Undoubtedly the woman who has had She good fortune to receive some train. , ing in her youth will find the question much easier so solve, and in this day : of high prices there are many families which feel quite sure would be hap pier and more peaceful If the wife were earning a little money.
 There are husbands who still cling to khe old idea that it would be a disgrace I for their wives to go out and earn X money. It seems to me that this is 7 very short-sighted. both for their wives as well as their children's sakes, and is really merely a matter of false pride s on the mans part. Is 1t not better for bis wife and children to have more money to live on and to take care of their future even though 1t is partly :. earned by the wife than for her to scheme and worry in order that he shall have the satisfaction of saying T em supporting themY
 We have surely gone beyond that in this day of action on the part of women, and who is there that can honestly say there is anything to be 2 ashamed of in a young mans not being v able to earn sufficient money to keep his wife and two or three children com fortably, with rents, food and clothes what they are. The wife and husband ss are supposed to he helpmates. He does !. not feel ashamed of her cooking, wash ing and caring for the children, which fs in itself an earning power. Why 5 then should he feel ashamed at her using outside of the home other earn ins power she may possess?
 If she has a young baby to take care of. which prevents her leaving her home at all during lha day, she can
 sew q embr.iler, meEs garments or
 accessories which are salable. Un- doubtedly she will nee1 little initlP-
 tIve and patience t" get startei in
 such business. but these qlaliliss arc
 needed in anything she may 'Inder.
 take