Occupations, Industrial Studies, and Practical Value of Same- Concluded.

Of the 512 graduates considered, 159 studied bookkeeping, 147 drawing, 106 dressmaking, 151 plain sewing, 138 cookery, while 347 did not answer the inquiry.

To Inquiry 9,"Has your (industrial) school instruction been of practical value in your employment?" 102, or 19.92 per cent, answered "Yes;" 381, or 74.41 per cent, answered "No," while 29, or 5.67 per cent, did not reply to the inquiry.

The next table shows occupations, the number of months worked, weekly wages at start and at time of the investigation, and length of time after graduation before work was begun.

The average working time since beginning work was 10.4 months; the average weekly wages at start, $3.35 — at time of the investigation, $3.99 an advance of 64 cents, or 19.10 per cent.

Of the 512 for whom occupations are given, 78 went to work as soon as they left school, 243 within three months, 101 in from three to six months, 82 between six months and one year, and five after one year. Owing to the nature of the occupation the information could not be obtained in three instances.

The next table gives a classification of weekly wages paid at start of work, and present pay (time of the investigation), with percentages.

Although the weekly wages are small, the advances, inside of an average term of employment of a little more than 10 months, are quite marked. At beginning work 284 received $2.50 but under $3.50, while "present pay" shows an advance for 198 of that number. At beginning work there were 178 receiving $3.50 but under $5, while "present pay" gives 377 as receiving that compensation. If they, in their opinion, derived no particular gain from their industrial education, their general education and aptitude were certainly of value to them.

To more clearly show the period of employment we subjoin a table presenting the time more in detail.

From the above, we see that 399, or 77.93 per cent, had been employed less than one year, the average being, as before stated, 10.4 months.

The greater part of the investigation was conducted by a special agent, a lady of superior education, and one having a deep interest in the future advancement of the girl graduates of Boston's grammar schools. She was authorized to make a special report, and it is appended, without change excepting in a few comparatively unimportant particulars.

"Say, lady, yer hasn't come to carry away those kids, has yer?" were the words that roused me from my absorbing thoughts on sociology, and looking down at my diminutive interlocutor I met the anxious, soulful eyes of a "Little Mother" and then my glance followed her hand to the seven or eight infants toward whom she pointed and who seemed to be having a lovely time in the dirt and mud, or fighting or bawling.

Scantily clad, and such clothing torn, the eldest of the "kids" must have been less than four years of age, while the dear little child so fearful I had come to steal away her charges was but eight years old in time, but oh, so old in sorrow and harsh experiences. To her I was the stern hand of Law and Punishment until her fears were calmed by kind words and turned into happiness by the sweets I took from my handbag for herself and to share with the other babies.

At other, and many, times, I have had to disclaim charitable intents, much to my regret, and to confess that mine were not the hands of charity and mercy, of the Flower Mission and Floating Hospital, but that mine was the voice of education, the eyes of observation, the feet of understanding and comprehension, and the helping hands of the Bureau of Statistics of Labor; one of its agents in the pursuit of that knowledge which is for the information and advancement of our dear, old Commonwealth.

The path of duty has taken me to the homes of the grammar school girl graduates of 1904, scattered throughout Greater Boston - from the crowded tenement house to the luxurious home, with many gradations between. Everywhere have I met courtesy and I have frequently been consulted by parents as to the best course with their daughters. Of course, it was impossible for me to advise, but I could be a sympathetic listener.

Once only in my questionings came I near failure, but succeeded in turning what threatened defeat into victory, so that more was related than I cared to hear. It was at the house of a thrifty mechanic whose "strong-minded" wife objected to answering "State questions." Seeing her mood, I acquiesced in some of her comments as seen from her point of view, adding, "Now that I have listened to your arguments you will, I know, be equally fair-minded in listening to the State's view of the matter and how its intentions are to benefit and not to be inquisitive." Then I set forth the advantages accruing to all through the information obtained by the State from the individual. After being assured that the State was no respecter of persons and that the wealthy and poor alike were asked the same questions (which surprised her) she was sufficiently broad-minded to apologize for her previous abruptness.

Many times one marvels and is speechless at the contrast between the dingy, reeking tenement and the bright, animated school girl who calls the rooms therein her home! Again one wonders if the toil and self-denial of the mother meet a grateful return from the child (alas, too many are ungrateful), but one is not surprised that the graduate is sent immediately to work, for it is sadly evident that the necessities of life demand that each member of the family add to its income at the earliest possible moment. In fact, while yet in school many children obtain employment for their after hours and for Saturdays and thus help in the family support. Their little pittances are indeed of great assistance, for in the poorer families there seems to be no " race suicide" and eight children are but a common allotment. These children are mostly of foreign parentage, if not of foreign birth, and the late General Francis A. Walker was evidently correct in his conclusions regarding the effect of immigration on the native birth rate. About onehalf the graduates attended high school, trade school, commercial college, or private school, and of those at high school fully two-thirds took the commercial course. "Will Fortune never come with both hands full!" constantly repeated itself to me when I met the number of dear girls who desired a higher education, but instead were obliged to seek employment, and then found the many who would not continue at school although given the opportunity. One case in point is where the girl desires to fit herself for a kindergarten instructor, and this is also the wish of the mother for her child, since there is no lack of money to prevent a college course. The father"does not see the need of so much learning, and wants his daughter to study bookkeeping so as to keep his books if he should open a store!"

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Such a father-circumstances and environment considered—is more difficult to comprehend than is the Russian who keeps a small store in Greater Boston, and has his daughter for saleswoman since her graduation. In the presence of his wife and daughter he exclaimed, in answer to my inquiry regarding wages: — Wages! she gets her sleeping and her keep and her clothing, and it's little enough she does for all that has been done for her these years without her expecting to be paid for helping me now." This seems to be the general rule - although not so harshly expressed - whenever the parents were the employers. A goodly proportion of graduates were colored girls, and it is singular that none went into stores or factories, but that the majority continued to high school. Since recent experiences in the African Belt my respect for the colored race has greatly increased, for they are eminently self-respecting as shown in their manners and cleanliness; in striking contrast to their near neighbors. Some colored graduates remained at home (probably laundry work), but not one went out to service.

My astonishment continues at this state of affairs, and reminds me of the lady in Washington who searched long in vain for a fairly good general housework girl, a colored one. One day, happening to meet an elderly colored woman on the street who looked as though she might have been a house servant in ante-bellum days, and was therefore reliable, in sheer desperation she stopped her and made her wants known: "Aunty, I want a girl who is trusty and a good cook; don't you know of some one I can get?"