GIRLS’ EMPLOYMENTS.
A Farmer’s Daughter (Choice of Employment).—Are there not rather many kinds of work which you dislike? You “would not think of entering into domestic service at all.” You “would not care for shop business either.” You think, however, that you might like to act as a clerk, or a lady’s companion. Now, we are obliged to tell you that companions are very little wanted, and that clerks, if they are to receive moderately good salaries, must be well educated. You tell us, however, that your parents would not be disposed to spend anything further on your education or training. This makes the position somewhat difficult. It compels you to regard home as your school. But there are many useful things that a girl can learn on a farm. You might learn dairy-work thoroughly and earn something by the sale of butter. Later, if you could master the newest methods, from studying the appliances used by your most successful farming friends, you could seek a position as superintendent of some gentleman’s private dairy. People who can make butter and cheese well never go a-begging. Then you should also study the best and most remunerative methods of rearing poultry and of marketing eggs. Something, even, might be earned from your garden, if you have one, and the soil is favourable for bulbs—as in many parts of Ireland it is. The secret of comfort in farmers’ households is for the family to remain together, and for each member—father and mother, sons and daughters, to contribute their share of work. But where families break up, the trouble comes, for each person then wants a separate house, and consequently larger earnings.
Twentieth Volume (Art Teachership).—Your friends have unfortunately been only too well acquainted with the facts, when they told you that it would be extremely difficult to obtain a situation as teacher of art in a school. Drawing is taught in a good many girls’ schools, but by no means in all. The head-mistresses of many High Schools are disposed to give most of the time allowed to general English subjects and languages, which count in examinations, and to leave girls of artistic tastes to study drawing later at a regular school of art. Evidently you draw well, or you could not have obtained so much success in the South Kensington examinations. But the question arises, can you not earn something by your own drawings? Could you not draw illustrations for stories, or make designs for some commercial or advertising purpose? In all directions of this kind there is much work to be done and money to be earned. Or have you thought of trying some handicraft such as lace-making, silk-weaving, or cane basket-making? Perhaps, as you live in the Midlands, you could some day visit the Birmingham Municipal School of Arts and Crafts and observe the many kinds of beautiful work done by girls there. Such a visit might give you useful ideas. In chromo-lithography, too, there is constantly a demand for good designs. There are some large chromo-lithographic firms in Birmingham. The other matter you speak of is not one in which we can help directly, but you might make the cottage known to the railway authorities so that they could include it in the lists of country lodgings which they publish.
F. W. G. (Hospital Nurse).—You would not be required to know much arithmetic in order to be admitted to a hospital; but at the same time you ought to know something of the subject, otherwise your notions of the portions of drugs to administer, and other such matters in which an accurate mind is essential, will be very hazy. During the period which must yet elapse before your admission you had better be trying to improve your arithmetic. Your writing, about which you ask our opinion, is sufficiently legible and clear, but it would be improved with practice. There is a slight disposition to make the letters slope too much.
Independence (Nurse-Companion, etc.).—A nurse-companion is usually expected to have been trained at a hospital. The training need not have been sufficient to qualify a woman for regular hospital employment, but it ought to have covered a period of six months at all events. You do not mention that you have been in any hospital, and we therefore think you had better give up the idea of becoming a nurse-companion. Perhaps, as music appears to be your best accomplishment, you would do most wisely to seek employment as nursery governess. Your general education we judge by your letter to be fairly good. But try to improve yourself by every means within your power, as you cannot long remain a nursery governess; and you must either advance so as to become a fully qualified governess, when you are older, or devote your attention to the practical duties of looking after young children. In the latter case you would, of course, term yourself a children’s nurse. It is possible that you might be well advised to advertise yourself as a children’s nurse from the first, seeking a subordinate position to begin with, in order to gain experience. Your handwriting is satisfactory.
A Clydesdale Lassie (Hospital Nursing).—Paying probationers are received commonly for a period of three months at a time, for which thirteen guineas is paid in advance. You could not enter a general hospital on these terms just at present. Twenty-two is customarily the lowest age for admission.
Wee Wifie (Fancy Work).—It is almost impossible to obtain a sale for fancy articles which are only made at home and in small quantities. Little novelties which can be produced cheaply and in large numbers may often be sold direct to wholesale and retail dealers in bazaar and fancy articles. We should recommend a lady who must live at home either to do work on these lines and treat her home as a small manufactory, or else devote her time to the making of fine underclothing, which she could sell to the drapers and outfitters. Shops where embroidery is sold usually keep their own workers on the premises, for the simple reason that orders have to be executed promptly and in exact obedience to the demand of the moment. It is not possible for work of this kind to be sent to workers who can only be reached by correspondence.