Evening star., 1935-02-24
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

An unemployment problem was
faced in this country fifty years ago,
Many Thousands smaller smaller 81 scale
Are Unemployed. than that of Of
Star of February II, 1885, says:
The vague but ominus statement is
made that $4,000 people are out Of
work in New York City. OF this num-
Der 10000 are put down as women.
OF course, in a population Of more
than a million there are hundreds Of
thousands who do not belong to the
wage working class. In most families
only one or two persons receive pay
for labor, the other members being
occupied in domestic cares, social &C
tivities, schooling, idling, etc. But if
it Is meant that there are 5000 per-
sons who in ordinary times earn wages
who are now out Of employment, the
situation is indeed gloomy. Probably
the estimate Is much exaggerated.
That unusual destitution prevails
IS, however, too evident for denial.
Many willing, capable and honest men
are out Of work and wages, when OBJ
tained, are often below the rate of fair
compensation. No one, for instance,
can blame the men who are facing
this keen winter on an empty stomach
for demonstrating against the engage
ment by the New York authorities of
Italian contract laborerS on the streets
at pay of go cents a day. This is
a rate of wages which is insufficient
to meet the most necessary and meager
needs of an American citizen. It is
too little for one man to live on, let
alone family. Nor is 1t an answer
to the complaint that labor can be
hired at that rate. This argument is
one of the sophistries of the dreary
science of political economy. AS well
might 1t be argued that because COM
petition forces down the passenger
rate from New York to Chicago to one
dollar, that is the proper charge for
the service"
The following in The Star Of Feb
ruary 20, 1885, is evidence that start
Sewing Taught in made then I ,n
Public Schools. public school
what has come to be known as domes-
tic science:
"The experiment Of giving instruc.
ton in sewing to the girls in the
Philadelphia public schools has proved
so successful that it is to become
henceforth a feature of the system.
Two hours week are devoted to the
work, and, so far from the time being
wasted, 1t has been found by trial that
the schools that are instructed in this
branch lead the other schools Of their
grade4n the more intellectual studies.
Many Of the Schoolgirls have been
found to be wholly ignorant Of the
first principles of plain sewing and
the instruction begins at the begin
ming. A girl is given square foot Of
cotton cloth and taught how to thread
a needle, hold her hands and run a
hem, and from this elementary lesson
she proceeds until she brings material
from home and makes dress. The
value Of such education in a system OF
public instruction Is too obvious for
comment. Without disparaging other
studies, it can be said with confidence
that the two hours Of sewing are the
most valuable of the week."
~.
'The fact that Lake Michigan. Q
body Of water nearly as large as New
York State, or as all Of
severe New England, outside Of
Winter Maine, Is frozen over"
says The Star Of Feb
ruary 20, 1885, shows the severity OF
the Winter. The sun will have big
job OF work to do in the Northwest
this Spring. or the seasons will tall
behindhand, and we shall run into
another glacial epoch" ~