The Employments of Women: A Cyclopædia of Woman's WorkPenny, Virginia
General
The Employments of Women: A Cyclopædia of Woman's Work
Penny, Virginia
Women -- Employment
=24. Readers to the Working Classes.= In China, at almost every store
where cups of tea are sold, a number of men make it a business to read
to those that come in to buy or drink tea. A gratuity is bestowed by
such as feel disposed. The working classes that are not able to read and
buy books, are thereby enabled to have the benefit of those that can.
Now we do not see why the same principle may not be carried out in this
country. Shakspearian readings, it is true, have been popular and
fashionable for a few years. We have seen it stated that "seven of Fanny
Kemble Butler's recent Shakspearian readings in New York city netted the
fine sum of $6,000." Beside, lectures have been delivered and poems
recited, mostly of the readers' composition. Now might not competent
ladies make it useful to the working classes of their own sex, or even
both sexes, to spend an evening, occasionally, in reading to them?
Charging a small entrance fee, if there is a good attendance, would
support the reader, and enlighten the audience. It would be better if
the poor, hard-working classes had more elevating and refining
amusements. We know of none better calculated to improve while it
entertains than reading. Might it not be done in saloons?--properly
qualified men in the gentlemen's department, and properly qualified
women in the ladies' department. In our large cities, where time is so
precious, many a lady, we doubt not, would give an additional sixpence
to have a book she carries with her or the papers of the day read aloud
while she eats her lunch. The only difficulty is, the prices paid would
scarcely justify one sufficiently qualified for the undertaking.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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