FOOTNOTES:
[A] This thesis was submitted in 1923 in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Faculty of Political Science of Columbia University.
[1] Bruce, Economic History of Virginia in the 17th Century, Vol. I, p. 573.
[2] Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia.
[3] The following works were found helpful in preparing this dissertation: W. A. Crossland, Industrial Conditions Among Negroes in St. Louis (Studies in Social Economics, Washington Univ., Vol. I, No. 1, St. Louis, 1914); Isabel Eaton, Special Report on Domestic Service in The Philadelphia Negro by W. E. B. DuBois (Philadelphia, 1899); George E. Haynes, The Negro at Work in New York City (New York, 1912); Frances A. Kellor, Out of Work; Knickerbocker Press (New York, 1904); W. I. King, Employment, Hours and Earnings in the United States, 1920-1922; Asa E. Martin, Our Negro Population (Kansas City, 1913); Monthly Labor Review (U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1919-1920); Ruth Reed, The Negro Women of Gainsville, Georgia (1921—A Master's Essay—Phelps Stokes Fund Scholarship); Report of U. S. Industrial Commission, Domestic Service, Vol. XIV; I. M. Rubinow, Depth and Breadth of the Servant Problem (McClures Magazine, Vol. 34, 1909-1910); Lucy M. Salmon, Domestic Service (New York, 1901).
[4] Report of the U. S. Industrial Commission, Vol. XIV. Domestic Service, p. 745.
[5] Salmon, Lucy M., Domestic Service, p. 109.
[6] Eaton, Isabel, Special Report on Domestic Service in The Philadelphia Negro, by W. E. B. DuBois, Philadelphia, 1889, p. 480.
[7] Haynes, George E., The Negro at Work in New York City, New York, 1918, p. 85.
[8] Crossland, W. A., Industrial Conditions among Negroes in St. Louis, St. Louis, 1914, p. 30.
[9] Reed, Ruth, The Negro Women of Gainesville, Georgia, 1921, p. 25.
[10] Massachusetts Bureau of Statistics, Springfield Report, 1915-1918.
[11] U. S. Department of Labor, Monthly Labor Review, Aug., 1919, p. 206.
[12] Reed, Ruth, op. cit., p. 44.
[13] Crossland, William A., op. cit., p. 93.
[14] Three Sample Letters of the 5th Grade Domestic Workers of Washington, D. C.
Miss X (The agent)
Dear Friend i am sorry to any that i am confind to bed this week but hope to see you again some day i taken sick last friday but i full fill that other place all right but could not go out saturday.
Daisy
Daer Mrs. X (The agent) daer Madam can you get my husban are job in are lunch room cafe boarding or apt. house he is are well exspierence sheref cook we both would like are job together if could get me are dash (dish) wash place please maggie.
Letter from Bell Jones
Dear Mrs. X (the agent) i am writing you a fue lines to let you here from me i am the lady you got me a home with Mrs. Jones at Smithburg, Md I have a little boy with me you know by the name of Bell Jones i dont want to stay up here much longer and i want you to get me a good home down in Washington for me and my little boy with some good white people with no children and a room in the house for me and my little boy my little boy is a mighty good little boy he is not noisy i want to leave sept. 4 i am tired of this place because there is no cullard people up here they are all white i have not been off the lot since i have been out here please get me a good home dont let it be out of town.
Yours Bell Jones
[15] Salmon, Lucy M., Domestic Service, p. 124.
[16] U. S. Industrial Commission Report, op. cit., p. 751.
[17] Three Sample References for Domestic Workers, New York City
July 14, 1921.
Winchester Ave., Bronx, N. Y.
To Whom it may Concern:
Doris X has been in my employ and performed her duties satisfactory. She is honest and capable.
Signed ——
The following person had two reference blanks containing the same questions filled out by her former employers. She had been a child's nurse in the first position and nurse-maid in the second.
| First Blank. January 27, 1923. | Second Blank. Jan. 30, 1923. | |
| Is she honest? | Exceptionally so | Yes |
| Is she temperate? | Yes | Yes |
| Is she neat? | Yes | Yes |
| What of her disposition? | Best I have ever seen | Wonderful |
| Does she thoroughly understand her work? | Yes | Yes |
| Why did she leave? | Presumably to be near her husband | Because she was tired of permanence and had a chance to go to the states with our friend |
| Remarks—Her services with our family for five years have always been most satisfactory. | ||
[18] Haynes, George E., op. cit., p. 87.
[19] Five Sample References for Domestic Workers and one Letter from an Employer, Washington, D. C.
Woodford Land, Va.
Lillie worked for me for a long time and she is a nice worker and a fine cook and she worked for Mrs. —— three years going on four, and she got married there with them and she worked for Mrs. —— and she nursed Mrs. ——'s three children.
From Mrs. ——
The following reference is for Fannie B.—who, evidently half crazy, changed her name after registering at the Washington office because she said she had so many "Enemons" (enemies).
To Whom in May Concern:
This is to certify that Fannie B has been a trustworthy maid. As to her honesty none come no better. She is very capable and in general very satisfactory.
Mrs. ——
To Whom it May Concern:
This is to say that Sarah —— has been in my employ 8 months and that she is a good cook, tries hard to please, and has been nice always to the children.
She has been honest and reliable and likes to try new or fancy dishes.
Signed——Mrs. E. M.
(The foregoing Mrs. E. M.'s name and telephone number were given to another lady who had interviewed Sarah relative to offering her a position, Mrs. E. M. told the second lady that Sarah once stole things but she had had a good lesson so she thought she would not steal any more. She also said that Sarah was none too clean, and that she gave the girl the above reference because she thought she had improved greatly.)
Sarah Jackson held a domestic worker's certificate bearing the golden seal of a Washington, D. C., Federation of Women's Club.
The X Federation of Women's Clubs awards this certificate to Sarah Jackson for 13 years faithful service in the employ of ——
Signed,
Mrs. —— President,
Mrs. —— Chairman Home Economics Dept.
Robert and wife, each about 40 years of age, bring this written reference from a southern town:
This is to certify that I have known "Shine" and his wife for about a year, during which time he has been running a shoe shine establishment in this town. "Shine" is a steady, alert, energetic boy and I feel sure he will please his employer in the work in which he is given a trial.
Signed, H. C. L.
(Letter to the Employment Agent from an Employer.)
My dear Mrs. X.
I fear you think I am very hard to please but having had a butler for 38 years, since dead, a maid and a cook 32 years, since married, it cannot seem that I am, when I once get the right one.
The last girl you sent me Anna by name disliked very much being directed or being spoken to. I am giving her up for she has a most violent temper, the most impertinent person I have ever seen. In a way I am sorry for her. None of us think she is all there. Will you try again for me?
[20] Typical Examples of Inefficiency among Washington, D. C., Domestic Applicants
(1) A day worker—laundress—not knowing how to cut off the current and unscrew the wringer on an electric washing machine, when a garment wrapped around the cogs, ruined the cogs by trying to cut the garment from between them.
(2) A day worker—one of the best laundresses—hurrying to finish her work placed her hands on a revolving electric machine tub, both arms were carried beneath the tub and had not the current been speedily cut, her arms would have been crushed. As it was the tubs had to be cut in order to extricate her arms. After that she was afraid to use an electric washing machine.
(3) To ask at the office in a group of from 200 to 250 women for a first class laundress—one who knew how to fold the clothes just so after they were ironed as well as wash them out according to rule—and not find one who felt that she could do the work properly was a common occurrence.
(4) A young woman sent out to do general housework and cooking cut the bone out of a 3½ pound sirloin steak which she fried up into such bits that it was not recognized by her employer. When she was questioned about it, she said "that is every bit of that steak. You did not expect me to cook bone and all, did you?"
(5) A young girl sent out to do general housework and cooking when questioned by her employer about the kinds of dessert she could make, said she sure could make jello but was not so good at making other desserts.
(6) The rank and file of general houseworkers looked upon making salad dressing and salads as an art belonging to fine cooks. Many said they had never tried to make bread of any kind.
(7) An elderly cook who had been at the business for 50 years wished cooking and cooking only. Her price was $75 per month. That's what she "ingenally" got. When she was asked if she could read or write she said she could not. She had never been to school a day in her life, but she realized that cooking is tedious work. "Everything I does, I does by my head; its all brain work, you see I has a good 'eal to remember," said she. However, she felt confident that she could cook anything that was put before her to cook.
(8) A young woman sent out to do cleaning left the print of her hand greasy with furniture oil in a freshly papered wall.
[21] Salmon, Lucy M., op. cit., p. 123.
[22] Industrial Commission Report, op. cit., p. 1901.
[23] Eaton, Isabel, op. cit., p. 486.
[24] Haynes, G. E., op. cit., p. 87.
[25] Eaton, Isabel, op. cit., p. 449.
[26] Salmon, Lucy, Domestic Service, p. 90.
[27] **Transcriber's Note: No footnote text in original.**
[27] Eaton, Isabel, op. cit., pp. 447-449.
[28] Haynes, George E., op. cit., p. 81.
[29] Haynes, George E., unpublished data.
[30] Haynes, George E., unpublished data.
[31] King, W. I., Employment, Hours and Earnings in the United States, 1920-1922, Chap. V, pp. 5, 19; Chap. IV, p. 3.
[32] Salmon, Lucy M., op. cit.
[33] Monthly Labor Review, U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, August, 1920, p. 212.
[34] Eaton, Isabel, op. cit., p. 495.
[35] Reed, Ruth, op. cit., p. 35.
[36] Haynes, George E., unpublished data, 1921.
[37] Martin, Asa E., Our Negro Population, Kansas City, 1913, pp. 180, 143.
[38] Haynes, Geo. E., unpublished data, 1921.
[39] Reed, Ruth, op. cit., p. 51.
[40] Rubinow, I. M., Depth and Breadth of the Servant Problem, McClure's Magazine, Vol. 34, p. 576, 1909-1910
[41] Monthly Labor Review, U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Aug., 1919, p. 212, May, 1920, p. 116.
[42] Salmon, Lucy M., op. cit., p. 115.
[43] Kellor, Frances A., Out of Work, pp. 197, 222, 225, 229.