20 MARCH 1897, Page 17

HOW POOR LADIES LIVE.

[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.] SIR, In my capacity of chairman of the Providence and Thrift Sub-Committee of the Teachers' Guild I have to acknowledge the kindly reference to the work of that Sub- Committee as an agency for obtaining old-age pensions for teachers in the article headed " How Poor Ladies are to Live" in the Spectator of March 6th, and to mention, for the information of such of your readers as are teachers, an effort which the Guild is making with the further object of assisting them to provide for themselves in cases of sickness and accident, by the establishment, under the actuarial advice of Mr. A. W. Watson, of a Teachers' Guild Friendly Society. The general secretary of the Guild, 74 Gower Street, will be glad to furnish any teacher who may apply to him with further information on this matter.—I am, Sir, &c.,

The Athenauns, March 16th. E. W. BRABROOK.

[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."]

SIR,—Referring to your interesting review of Mrs. Frances Low's "How Poor Ladies Live," in the Spectator of March 6th, I hope you will allow me to add that while agreeing with you that it would be injurious to the profession of teachers, especially from a social point of view, if women with means were debarred from entering it, I fear it is only too true that women with means, or the prospect of means, do often cheapen salaries by accepting an amount which barely secures a livelihood for the woman without such means. This sometimes happens in the case of young women whoseparents, having given them an expensive College course, wish to keep them at home, but still desire to have something for their outlay. And in the general craze for cheap labour and the impecunious condition of girls' schools, it would be perhaps expecting too much that such labour on such terms— often competent too—should be refused. Much also depends on the aim and motive with which the profession is entered. Women teachers have not all yet realised that they must stand or fall together. Mazzini has said, " You injure your brother men by accepting a remuneration below the value of your labour," and it will be well when this is thoroughly accepted as a principle.—I am, Sir, &c., F. E. B.