THE DOMESTIC SERVANT QUESTION AND UNEMPLOYMENT.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] SIE,—The time has surely come when something might be done to show the world that domestic work is not dull, nor derogatory if done in the right spirit. The reason there are so few properly qualified domestic servants at present is be- cause Englishwomen of the leisure classes before the war had emancipated themselves from personal household supervision. The effect of this was naturally not seen until the supply of trained servants was used up. The war further complicated the matter. Girls have been taught by example and precept for years to look down on domestic work. We have sown the wind and are reaping the whirlwind; but it is a little too much of a good thing, in the impoverished state of the country, to have to pay unemployment doles to those who will not take the trouble to learn to do work of the greatest national im- portance, which is crying out for workers. The great need of the moment is for mistresses to learn to train their own maids, and for every possible means to be taken to remove the stigma of domestic drudge from the valuable work of domestio service. A girl's cap and apron should be a badge of honour.
Queen Mary is doing her best. God bless her We all ought to play up.
Short hours of work, daily free time, and good outings; high wages, pleasant surroundings in the shape of agreeable well-furnished kitchens, sitting-rooms, and bedrooms; clubs in which dances, whist drives, picnics, &c., can be arranged for leisure hours are the chief panaceas put forward for the improvement of the unpopular occupation of domestic service. These are all good, but as a cook-general I protest they are not enough. It is public opinion and the spirit in which the work is done that we must change. We shall' never work through the difficulty by the mere application of material concessions. May I suggest the formation of a National Guild of Home-makers to which employers - and employees could alike belong? Its work would be to. organize quits small drawing-meetings and study-circles, for the free discussion of domestic employment and diffioultiee, from hOth. points of view; raise the status of domestic work by encouraging the training of mistresses. as well as maids; . and brink about better understanding between, mistress 411d. maid, For until we regain the human and personal relationship between the, family, and staff of home, workere the .very best, trade anion regulations will not satisfy for long. One real, A why servants have had, a bard time.. is, because mistresses_ have not. always understood the art of eliminating the.unnecemry, and servants have not known always how to, work methodically. Some of .00urke. have. I am said to be a. good cook and teacher, and it would give, me. great pleasure to,. give my services in the work of training gide, I ahould, not want wages,: only board and lodging, if any lady would take. up this piece of national service in a small way in her own home.—I' am, Sir, ace.,
Coox-GENERAL.
Previous page
