The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-06-23
NEW YORK
uiHh GiIbert Swan

| New York.-The novelty of society women engaging in business, which started such fiutter and chatter g couple of years ago, has completely worn off. It's almost as common place in New York to-day as women smoking cigarettes or letting theil bobbed hair grow back.
 In the interim, however, those so- ciety girls who have cared to take jobs have established a business-like system as efficient as any employ ment bureau for those in immediate need of employment. But don't think for a moment that, in these times there are not plenty of debs and sub- debs who can use the money they make-if and when they get employ ment.
 To be sure, many of them laugh and gurgle and recite, in their best finishing school accent, something about this being great fun = but, scores of them are hard pressed and need the money. The Junior League has, for some time now, maintained an employment bureau and it's buster place than you might ina zine. Most of the places secured are specialized; certain types of modelling, certain branches of salesmanship and buying and comparative shopping.
 It is interesting, incidentally, that most of the society folk who tackled business were more than passingly successful.
 One of the outstanding instances has been that of Grand Duchess a,.ia 0f a Q- ure in the czars court who came to America with the definite necessity of making good. Her autobiography has not only been among the best sellers but is 8 fascinating human document likely to attract readers for years to come. Meanwhile, she has achieved success with one Of Fifth avenues smartest stores. And there was Mrs Charles l. Payson, the former Joan Whitney, who started an antique shop in Madison avenue: Miss Suzanne Ise- lin, who entered a travel bureau; Marjorie Oelrich, who established a gift shop; Miss Nathalie Slocum, the Princess Alexander Obolensky and her daughter, who became agents for Paris finery Mrs Cortland Moss and a number of others.
 By the way, I learn that chape- rones are still being done," even in New York. In this day and age, when the younger generation is sup posed to be emancipated-or what ever it is-this information came as a considerable surprise.
 There is, I am told, an agency where chaperones may be engaged and that it is operated by a Miss Emmalne Dignum, who does very well in the chaperone business.
 Many of the customers, my in- former goes on, are debutantes who wish to go to the snappier places during their first year out" This, it seems. just isn't done. That is, unless the tyro is chaperoned. By the 'snappier places," I refer to night resorts or the smarter speak easies where one may find enter tainment and dancing.
 The chaperones, after accompany ing their charges, retire to an ante room for the evening, there to sit and miss all the fun until called for later. Whereupon they escort the young lady to her home.
 But after the "deb" has "been out a year"-as they say-she then may go upon her own sweet way. In her second season, she may at- tend the night clubs with her fa- vorite young man; that is, if she has time and opportunity.
 And a young lady being rushed through the debutante stages in New York is a buster person than most folk realize. Not only does she ire