Four Years in the Underbrush: Adventures as a Working Woman in New YorkAnonymous
History
Four Years in the Underbrush: Adventures as a Working Woman in New York
Anonymous
Women employees -- New York (State) -- New York
Ah me! The time came all too soon when I had to leave this job of good
food and cheerful surroundings—a whole week before the date set for me
to take the position left vacant by the marriage of Mary’s cousin. And I
bitterly resented the circumstances that caused me to leave though it
was the offer of a promotion.
“We never promote a girl until she has been here two weeks,” Jane Ward
said to me late in the afternoon of my second Friday. “Your second week
won’t be up until next Tuesday, but you have done so well that the
manager says I may put you in charge of that machine.” She indicated a
machine which at the time she spoke was bringing down hot gingersnaps
from the oven on the floor above. Then she added: “It means a dollar a
week raise for you, and it is a sit-down job.”
For two whole days I debated with myself the question—to accept the
promotion or not to accept. Those bountiful well-cooked lunches were a
real temptation. Alice and Mrs. Wilkins had remarked more than once on
the change in my appearance. The scales proved that I had regained seven
of the fifteen pounds lost while in Atlantic City. If Jane had not been
so eager to reward me! Or if only I hadn’t been so eager to make good.
Late Sunday afternoon I posted a letter telling Jane that it would be
impossible for me to return to work the following day as I was needed at
home. Though untrue, that excuse represented the awakening of my sense
of personal responsibility.
For had I accepted that promotion I would have taken the place of some
woman who really needed the dollar a week raise. Besides, I would have
given Jane the trouble of training me. No such qualms of conscience had
troubled me when the manager of the premium station offered me permanent
employment, though I was perfectly aware that fifty-six other women had
been hoping and working for the position.
Before turning away from the biscuit factory I wish to state that even
to-day, after my experience in so many different lines of work, I have
but one criticism to make: There is no reason why women should be forced
to stand while packing crackers.
This may seem a small matter, but to the woman worker it is most
serious. In all my experience I have never found any work so fatiguing
as standing on my feet continuously for several hours at a time. The
fact that the feet are incased in pointed-toed shoes with high heels
does not lessen the strain.
Women should have better sense than to wear such shoes to work. Indeed?
Let any one making such a protest try to buy, in New York, a pair of
shoes with round toes and moderately low heels when the other style is
in fashion. I have tried, and though I succeeded, it was after much
searching and always at an additional cost of several dollars. Besides,
because a woman works for her living does not make her any less a woman;
and every woman, unless she is a fool, wishes to appear well dressed—in
the fashion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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