Evening star., 1940-10-03
Charm Is Not
DESTROYED
By Career
Dignity and Grace
Are Important
In Business
BY PATRICIA LINDSAY.

You probably will sigh and say
1t is an old story when warn
business and professional girls to
hold on to their femininity and
not let . career rob them Of their
rightful heritage. The battle Of
the sexes has been raging ever
since Eve and every man or woman
who writes has taken it for theme
at least once. But I am convinced
that those Of us who work outside
the home can we'll pause to consider
how good q trump is feminine love-
liness.
During these days and years of
keen competition We are likely to
grow hard-which is the biggest
mistake a woman can make. We
who work must vie with capable
men and women, and some who
are not so capable but who are
favored. We must stick up for our
rights; we cannot let any one step
on us. That competition tends to
make us bold and callous unless we
watch out.
So much can be gained by work.
ing the feminine angle. BY that
I do not mean that we should f1irt
with the boss or pull faint when
things get tough. No indeed. If
We are working at career we must
be intelligent and strong, but when
situations arise which irritate US
we should use our heritage to gain
our ends. Instead of losing our
temper We should discuss the cir
cumstances calmly and sensibly. And
instead OF acting tough we should be
so gracious that those who are criti-.
cizing or hurting US will stink away
In shame. 1t can be done. 1t Is
being done by successful women
throughout the country.
Just because we are doing work
which was once considered the work
Of men, We need not be masculine.
She who enters her place of busi-
ness nicely groomed, pleasingly and
appropriately dressed, and acts
within its walls with as much poise
and tact as she would use in q
selected social group, will gain her
ends and win admiration all along
the line. She will have to be firm
at times and discriminating, but
she need never be rude, loud, sar-
castle, hardboiled or mean. And
the type Of woman in business who
is disagreeable usually ends up on
the end Of . limb with no person
willing to come to her aid. 1t doesn't
take long for both sexes to get her
number, so to speak.
II We embrace q career let's en-
brace 1t with dignity. Let us, as a
group, show men that women can
be careerists and still not sacrifice
their womanly charm. Just as we
charm our fathers, our husbands,
our beaus, our sons or brothers with
characteristics they respect and
adore, so let US charm those with
whom we work.
A charming lady will always be
treated with dignity, but a tough
baby will be treated as q tough baby
and 1t is she who casts doubt N
mems minds whether q woman can
be successful out Of the home and
still be the most desirable wife or
mother. Many women today must
work because they have no one to de-
pend upon for a living, or because
others are depending upon them for
livings. Other women work at ca
reers for the Joy Of accomplishing
something. All Of us have a trust
to remain desirable as friends. The
Creator made two sexes and the
feminine sex was endowed with
softness and loveliness as weapons
against mans less admirable char
acteristics. II we sacrifice those
gifts the world Is bound to suffer.