The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, July 16, 1905, Page 8

THE EDUCATION OF A DEBUTANTE—She Meets Some Celebrities THE SAN FRANCISCO SUNDAY CALL. COLL'S WEEKLY CARTOON ON AMERICAN SOCIETY WOMEN'S WAYS OF MAKING MONEY --- THE HOME-MADE HANDIWORK pyright, 1905 A & Barnes & ( York spose of ks New your home- diwork is the great Ity. I don’t know of an hange where you do not have to pay what they call an entrance fee. Now, more tha e-tenths of the wom- en who want work the most can’t pay this entrance I can only suggest that you canvass well your immediate neighborhood for & sale of something that you have, not hesitating to say that with the money You are to pay the fee demanded, in order to place your remaining work in the exchange. It seems a pity that arrangements cannot be made to pay the fee after the sale of goods. Hundreds of good work- ers are barred from putting their handi- work on the market just because of this ruling. I inquived why such a law heid, and was told that if the exchanges took all that was offered them their ftores would very soom be stocked with unsalable goods not worth showing. To keep them would be of no use, and to return them often takes more in stamps than the article §s worth to the consignor. tee So, since there is no evading the en- trance fee, if you want your goods on sale at the exchange you must bend effort first to raising the amount required. The fee is generally $ “But how can I get in touch with an exchange?” you ask. “I am way up here in the country, miles from any city!” Names are not necessary. A Just direct a letter to the “President of the Wom- an's Exchange” of the city, inclosing a stamp for reply. You will generally get an answer, if there is an exchange in the place. Ask for their rules and regu- lations. The inclosed stamp will bring an answer of some kind, and the rules will tell you what to do next. AN INVALID’'S WORK We have a small free bazaar case in the Sunshine office of New York city, and the other day an invalid, who has lain on her back, she says, for nineteen years, sent in four rag dolls—she calls them double dolls. First, we saw what seemed to be a white doll, dressed up in pretty gingham. But by turning the dress over the doll's head we found we were holding a black ba dressed . The Question of Exchanges and Employment Bureaus .., BY CYNTHIA WESTOVER ALDEN ““Mammy" style. These dolls sold before any others. The four were in the show- case about ten minutes. Mothers like to give rag dolls to baby, and baby is de- lighted with the mysterious changes from white to black and black to white. ‘These particular dolls sold for 50 cents apiece. T natice they have them in many of the large department stores as high as $5 each. If you can make good rag dolls, there is no harm in sending a few on trial to the stores. If they sell them, you will get orders fast enough—any store wants the article that sells, no matter who makes it or where that per- son may live. The large majority of women who come to me for work or advice have scarcely any knowledge of the possi- bilities or conditions of employment. I appealed to the secretary of what is perhaps the largest employment bureau in the English-speaking world, a Lon- don enterprise, and asked why it was I could not suit any woman who ap- The First Call and Fashionable Hours Copyright, 1805, by A New Yo §. Barnes & Co., Tk, N MANY houses, between 4 and § o'clock in the afternoon, a cup of tea is always offered to visitors. The maid either brings in a tray containing & small teapot, a silver pitcher of hot water—in case the tea is too strong—a small pitcher of milk or cream, or a little dish of sliced lemon and plate of cake, or tiny three-corner- ed bread-and-butter sandwiches; or, if there is & tea table in the corner of the room, the lady herself makes the tea for her guests; but the former method is now deemed the smarter. Except oc- casionglly, on a reception or at home day, it is no jonger considered good form to have a tea table in the drawing room. ‘Who Makes the First Call. When peopie settle in a small city or town, or in the country, it is courteous for the residents of the place to make the first call upon the newcomers, which must, of course, be promptly re- turned. Even if some of these acquaint- ences are not desired, really well-bred people always return first calls within a few weeks, allowing, 1f they so choose, &l] subsequent calls to be unreturned by them. And so the acquaintance can generally lapse without .the cut direct and the bitter feeling that would un- doubtedly be caused by the faflure to return the first visit of a neighbor. In Jarge cities the population is so By Eleanor B. Clapp dense that for obvious reasons people do not call upon their neighbors unless they have obtained introductions and have been invited to do so. In New York or Chicago one's circle of friends is scattered all over town, and the resi- dents of the same block, though they may live side by side for years, gen- erally remain entire strangers to each other. In England, however, and even in diplomatic circles in Washington, the reverse is the custom, and the stranger calls first on the residents of the place without waiting for friends and ac- quaintances to make the first visit, as is the usual American custom. I once knew two charming women, one a Ca- nadian and the other an American, who ‘were at loggerheads for no other rea- ®on than that neither one would be the first to break this law of etiquette of her respective country. They had met perviously at a watering place, and ‘were mutually attracted to one another when the next summer the American went to stay at a hotel in the home city of the Canadian. Now, each knew per- fectly well the whereabouts of the oth- er and longed to continue the acquaint- the Ami would ‘not call use, as she said, it was Lady M.’s place to call first upon was American etiquette, and knew it. And La - would make no mova, far Mrs. R. should, she declared, make the first visit; English etiquette demanded it, and Mrs. R. was not ignorant; she had visited in Canada, and had even been to England, and she knew all about it. And so matters remained for one en- tire summer; neither would give in, be- cause each was firmly convinced that the very letter and not ‘the spirit of the law of etiquette of her respective country was the only thing worthy of her consideration. It is not necessary to ‘say that such a state of things is supremely ridiculous. A littie less stubbornness and a .ittle more common sense would have convinced the Ameri- can that the really well-bred woman in- variably follcws, o far as she can con- sistently do so, the customs of the coun- try in which she chances to be. Fashionable Calling Hours. In all large cities the fashionable call- ing hours are between 4 and 6 o'clock in the afternoon. Morning calls are never made except by intimate friends, between whom, of course, the more conventional rules of etiquette would be out of place. There is one exception to this rule, and that is business calls. It is permissible to call in the morning on an acquaintance or even a stranger to solicit for some charity, to in te the reference of of that sort. But' a servant, or anytl the call must be of but a in this few minutes’ duration at »m and the conversatiol ust stricf 10" 1he object OF the vielk » - the requirements that there is a I ‘demand work, and. pealed to me for work, though I gen- erally had something to offer. She gave me the following data, as Interesting to American as to English women, gleaned from her own experience: The reason why applicants, when reg- istered, are not suited is a want of good education, generai capacity and power of adaptation. This is seen especially where there is a sudden change of cir- cumstances. Many, women refuse every sort of position but that of housekeeper, for superintendence only, in a very small household, because it is the only thing they have been accustomed to. For such one would naturally select the light positions, but frequently any change of occupation is considered im- possible. If situations have been found which seem in every way what they de- sire, they will throw them up at a mo-. ment's notice if anything occurs which requires a readjustment of ideas, and it seems impossible for them to extend their powers by further knowledge, since they refuse every fresh experience simply because it is fresh. Sometimes a dozen positions, each one selected on account of its seeming suit- ability, have been offered and refused, or two or three positions have been found and accepted, the worker staying only a few months in each. The well-educated and capable person who has an open mind and an “all- round” knowledge will not be long in want of employment, speaking general- ly. Indeed, she has a far better chance than the girl who has had little or no education and has gone in for al training,” thinking that this will\meet the demand of the present day. CHANGING REQUIREMENTS ‘Want of knowledge of supply and de- mand is particularly noticeable in wom- en wishing to change their profession. A woman who has had a fair education and has been a governess for twenty years expects, when she has difficulty in obtaining a similar position, to be able to get a secretaryship ‘o an author at once. Another who has been a housekeeper wishes to be a compahion or chaperon, and is surprised at the dif- ficulty she finds in getting a well-paid situation of ‘that kind. A third, who has not worked before, cannot under- stand that there will be the least diffi- culty in obtalning work as superintend- ing housekeeper in a very small estab- lishment, or as an amanuensis. This is perhaps the commonest sort of difficulty . and one of every-day occurrence. That o!»-pmm ‘some continual and very gentle suggestion is it possible to show the real facts. Nothing has been more surprising than the constant fear of injuring social po- sition by the nature of work undertaken that is met in applicants for positions. It has been generally supposed that that was a thing of the past, but it crops up in unexpected places, and prevents many women from undertaking work for “which otherwise they would be adapted. Many, indeed most, occupations’ now require speelal experience and training, but, as before noted, it is fatal to sup- pose that this can take the place of a sound general education. As a se- quence, it is most valuable,but not with- out the solid foundation. It is astonishing how many women omit #o-send change ‘of address when they move, or to answer letters or to call at a stated time. For such, busl- ness training is.needed. Of the unregistered class, a large upm- ber come to us laden with great disad- vantages, sometimes in themselves or their past lives, often, very often, en- tirely arising .from others, as by the bankruptcy of a father or husband, or worse causes. Incapacity, lack of edu- cation, general or speclal, weakness of health or will, instabllity, and many sther personal disadvantages do exist, and in perhaps the majority of cases. But it would be erroneous and unfair to attribute all the failures to personal defects. woman, bonds which she herself is least willing even to strain, often hinder in obtaining employment. To reduce these .disadvantages, whether in herself or her circumstances, or to compensate for their effect and so create a better balance in her life, is, I believe, one of the most imgortant and, to me, one of the most precious functions of the bu- reau. Often I cannot help smiling at the _saying that “nowadays every profession is crowded.” Such a misconception forcibly illustrates the need of some in- stitution like a bureau which will en- deavor patlently to investigate and to point ‘but the real facts. Here are some of the open flelds: Secretaries.—Crowds of partially edu- cated girls with a superficlal knowledge of shorthand and typewriting are flood- ing the market and offering their ser- vices at §3 or $4 a week. The result is they obtain loyment, it 18 only tem- porary, their references are short, and more more_difficult to secure. - A :md 3 r.8ho $10 to §15 g The bonds most binding on a never % _ syringe, a | them’ Matrons of homes or institutions— There is a large variety in this branch of work. The required standard is high- er than formerly, and now it is usual to demand some hespital training in matrons for schools or institutions. It is very difficult to obtain a good posi- tion without some previous experience or training. Technical Teachers.—For this branch of work there is a good demand, but again the standard is rising, and where- as a year or two ago it was easy to get a position with a first-class diploma in cooking or laundry work, now it is necessary to be certifiled in three sub- jects, and even then the competition is keen. Salarfes range from 3300 to $750. A NEW PROFESSION Gardening.—This comparatively new profession bas rapidly grown into prom- inence, and many girls are now in train- ing for various agricultural or horticul- tural positions. The curriculum includes gardening, poultry farming, dairy work, bee keeping, etc. For women garden- ers there is already a demand, but in other branches where the work is still of a ploneer order employers are not yet quite prepared to throw positions open to women. We have heard of a woman groom obtaining work, but, as you vtr&l imagine, this f- a pretty rare exce) n. Cogkl.—‘nu demand is vt large, and we cannot possibly fill the places which shower upon us. Wages range from $100 to $200, or, exceptionally higher, $300 to $400 a year. The solution of the problem is yet to be found. It will probably lie in the adoption of a more communal form of life. Distributive kitchens, or kitchens worked by expert cooks, where ready-cooked food is sent out in properly heated carts, have long been talked of. In some countries the system works well and cheaply. I know of two attempts in London, but the movement is spreading, and the rapid success of the kitchens already In ex- istence augurs well for the enlarge- ment of a system which in ecomomy, efficiency and general convenience leaves the poor domestic kitchen far behind. In view of these excellent openings for women, it may seem hardly credible to you that they are so little known. But day after day people come to the bureau insisting that work of an indefinite kind must be possible to obtain,and it is quite the hardest and saddest part of the work to be obliged to undeceive them. They ‘want companionships, housekeeperships in small families, daily work, dusting, arranging flowers, reading aloud, and even taking out ladies’ pet dogs for walks. Anything, so long as it is not “menial.” (How often F wish that word could abolished!) ‘‘Any position of trust” means, as a rule, no definite work, and it would not be honest of me to register these people on my books unlzs-.— they are willing to undertake real ‘worl o The Care of the Bab By Evelyn L. Coolidge, M. D. Copyright, 1505, by A. S. Barnes & Co. T NIGHT the baby should have a ‘warm bath and have a fresh band, shirt and skirt put on. In winter he should sleep in a flannel night- dress which is made with a drawing string or buttons on the bottom, so that he cannot expose his feet. In summer a . cotton nightdress may be used, and after the third month the skirt may be left off in very warm weather. How to Take Care of a Sore Navel. If the navel is not properly cared for, Dromptly treated. or ‘tlec. blood pelson promptly trea or else n- ing may set in. When it looks red or has a thin discharge coming from It, wash jt carefully at least twice daily with a saturated solution of boric acid, or, ltorm is present, use a 1-5000 solu- tion bichloride of mercury. a powder composed of salicylic acid one rt, starch nlneu;:.rru. on it. If it loes not promptly , call the doctor’s tentlon to it. What to Do for Sore Eyes. Should there be any secretion of Syss, Sven over eo hour, or even oftener if is seen; ; it to collect. A special blunt-pointed dropper, is made for this purpose. When this sim remedy does not effect a speedy ..—::: it will be necessary to use mere vigorous means, and a doctor should be consulted at once. After treating baby’'s eyes the hands should be thoroughly scrubbed with hot water ard soap. Colie. During the first few months so; babies are apt to have attacks of m:: often caused by indigestion. The child Screams sharply, draws up his and usually has a hard, tense a First warm his hands and feet, and turn him on his stomach, letting him lie on, a hot-water bottle or hot of flannel. Gently pat his back te Ip the wind, and give him a little hot ‘water by means of a ine dro : a few drops of essence of pepperraint may be a to the water. nut give him gin or herb teas. If the attacks are frequent, the food is probably too strong: use less cream it . and not a le.mw'_“