HELP FOR MOTHERS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 197, 15 May 1920, Page 8

HELP FOR MOTHERS

ASSISTANCE IN THE HOME

RAISING STATUS OF HOUSEHOLD f SERVICE NEW SCHEME FOR WELLINGTON (By Agnes Bennett.) An association has been formed here to bolvo the domestic service problem. The scheme is founded on tho Household Orderly Association, already working well ill Bomo London suburbs. The aims of the association are: (1) To help the housewives, especi- _ ally tlioso who are bringing up young ' families. (2) To put household service on tlio honourable footing it deserves. Tho method* by which these aims are to bo reached are three: (a) Ey establishing a council who ■; shall act as links between employer and employed, and siiail make lair working conditions for both, and to whom either party may appeal is referee or arbitrator. (b) By establishing centres and lios - tels where employees may enjoy community life, either as residents mi' club members. (c) By establishing a guild of employers who will aid tho council in forwarding the aims of the association and help regularise tho.work of tho employees. An effort is now being made lo start 0110 of these community centres in Kelburn, a generous oiler at low rental, with good purchasing clause, having been made of a suitable house to accommodate about 22 members. . The occupation of household orderly should prove attractive to many girls of education who now take refuge in office work as being tile readiest means of earning a living, and at the same time allotting freedom for the development of their 'own hobbies and tastes. Properly engineered, domestic service can offer equal liberty, and should prove a more health-giving and developmental existence than the sedentary life of typistes, too many of whom belong lo the white-faced nnny of the tired, anaemic in mind as well as. in body.' Limited hours of work and community or home life are essential in any natural and healthful existence. The long hours of work and isolation of the old-time servant were pitiable. The legacies of feudal times are still with us, but a higher civilisation has banished the need of protection of a master and his men-at-arms, and feudalism has passed. The clays of democracy and individualism aro with us. Individuality means freedom, freedom demands the co-existence of organisation, and that organisation, must be oil a baste fair to all. Master and mistress must become employer, and must abrogate certain hereditary customs which have been looked upon as rights, e.g.. the right (?) to have their employees at work from early mom to late evening; the right (?) to 1 call on an employee for service at any time even when off duty. The employee ' must be prepared to give intelligent, first-class work during working hours, ' and make the interest of tlie employer , her own for the time being. To bo first tho apprentice and atter I the assistant are the natural steps in any trnde or profession. why ignore ' this natural and valuable sequence in % important an occupation as that or home-maker? and certainly such is the natural and most desirable goal for' tho majority of women. Undoubtedly the life of a well-organ-ised office or warehouse is developmental to any girl of spirit and determination, and cannot be without it? efi'ect upon tho dullest, but. unfortunately the mediocre and the larger number gravitate to small concerns, .where -'» young ami inexperienced' girl is kept for a small amount of work which by no means fully occupies her either physically or mentally. Mio falls into light, easy, and olten incurably frivolous habits that unlit her for performing the duties or appreciating tho compensations of home life. To 1)0 the possessor in>;l head ot a home used to be the El Dorado of every normal girl. To-day many shrink from it as from slavery; and they aro not altogether wrong in their estimate. The need of the over-pressed mother has chiefly stimulated this movement at this particular juncture; but the writer has long cherished the hope of reform in household service, and of its'' being recognised as one of the most u»etul and therefore one of the most honouiablo ways a woman can serve her counk'in an ideal State the labour should be so distributed as to allow some leisure and somo individuality to all. in® mother is doing high service for ho Stato in bearing and rearing its young citizens. Tho means of aiding her should be availablo. What better than that the future mothers should eomo to hoi assistance, and thus get training and experience fitting them for their own future ?-but they must get it under fan conditions. • ' Feudalism lias died hard in the domestic world; and still its obsolete ideas and customs cumber the minds of many. 'Nevertheless, with wise guidance and fairmindediiess a far finer system may be evolved, destined to become a true, permanent, and respected economic factor in the life and happiness of tho State. It is proposed that the Household Orderly Association shall consist ot members willing lo further its objects. Membership is now invited. A governin' body, the council, will bo elected annually by members of the association. This C( neil will have full control of the alla.i'3 of the association and its finances. A Coinmitteo of Control will be appointed by the jouncil to administer the hostel and attend to matters affecting the workers, who shall be known as household orderlies and veai a special uniform or badge. It is proposed that these household orderlies shall have a special status-that m the households in which their assistance is required tliey shall be given a social status eauivocal to that of any independent woman, subject, of course, during hours of work to tho requirements ot their employer. Household orderlies mav, as agreed oil, reside in the homo in "which they are employed or may livy at the hostel, but in either caso when off duty must bo entirely tret. Those who by arrangement resido at the homo of tho employer must ot course conform to tho usages ot the house just as those who reside at tho hostel must conform to the hostel lulis. To qualify as household orderlies, workers must enter the hostel as resident probationers to have their olhcicncy and general fitness for tlio work tested,' mid submit to tho training that is considered necessary. Oil passing tho tests and signing articles of association, tho probationer qualifies as an. ji.u. and can claim tho rights and privileges attached thereto so long as she roiuornis to association rules and standauls ot efficiency and conduct lhe tune of probation and tests of efficiency shall be in control of the hostel committee who will safeguard interests of the piobationer as to payment and training and will not allow tho time to exceed one month ■ without pay except under spoci:U circumstances and with the consent of council aiul probationer. Broadly speaking, tho idea is to. eneuro, as far as possible, for the household orderly regular hours of employment, freedom lor rest and recreation, and adequate remuneration. The employer will benefit by being assured of 'trained assistance in the household by persons who have passed tho .tests of the association. The idea is ono ot mutual benefits. Assistance is needed to bring about this much needed economic reform-will patriotic citizens help cither with donations to the furnishing of the first hostel | or by acting as guarantors foi the newssary bank overdraft that lia-s an'Piuly been guaranteed to the extent of AlQftO. That tho risk of this guarantor is comparatively small may bo judgod fron a Biirvey of tho annual reports of the well-tested Women Students' Hostel, some of whose promotors and administrators are largely responsible for tho present movement.