CLERKS.
_Bookkeepers._--There is a very considerable demand for female clerks
and bookkeepers. The necessary knowledge is easily acquired by any
industrious person with punctual and orderly habits.
An adult bookkeeping class is held at 22, Berners Street, Oxford
Street, the office of the Society for the Employment of Women. On
entering the class a student is required to bring recommendations from
two householders, who will be responsible for her thorough steadiness
and respectability. If, as is often the case, the student has lately
left school, a letter from the mistress, or her latest school report,
is required, and those only are admitted to the class who can write
clearly and neatly, spell correctly, and work accurately the first
four rules of arithmetic simple and compound. A course of lessons
generally extends over four or five months; during that time students
are not only taught the principles of book-keeping by single and double
entry, but every effort is made to inspire them with a high sense of
responsibility, and to make them punctual, orderly, and earnest, in
the discharge of their duties. No student is allowed to go up for
examination unless her conduct in the class has been satisfactory, and
unless she has shown a desire to do her work conscientiously.
Bookkeepers who have gained certificates almost invariably retain
their situations with credit. It is often difficult to obtain a first
situation, for practical experience is generally required, but in this
the certificate is a great help, as it forms a good introduction, and
is a guarantee of efficiency and respectability.
When she has once made a fair start, a certificated bookkeeper is
seldom unemployed. The class meets on the evenings of Monday and
Thursday, at 6.30. The fee is sixpence weekly. A bookkeeping class
is also held at the College for Working Women, 7, Fitzroy Street,
Fitzroy Square. The fee is 1s. 3d. each term; there are four terms in
the year, consisting of 35 lessons, from 8 to 9.30 P.M. New pupils are
only admitted on the first class night of the Michaelmas and Easter
terms. Students can be examined by the Society of Arts, and obtain the
certificates of the Society free of expense. The membership fee is a
shilling a term extra.
Public classes, besides those I have mentioned, are held at the College
for Men and Women, Queen Square, Bloomsbury; at the Quebec Institute,
Baker Street; and at the Birkbeck Institute, Chancery Lane. Clerks must
be prepared to accept low salaries for their first engagements, perhaps
10s. a week; but after they have gained experience, they will be able
to secure from 15s. to 30s. a week.
_Telephone._--The United Telephone Company, 36, Coleman Street,
Moorgate Street, employ about a hundred young ladies, chiefly the
daughters of professional men who have received few educational
advantages, and no special technical instruction. The requirements
being small the salary is in proportion, commencing at 11s. weekly, and
rising slowly to 16s. Candidates must be between the ages of 16 and 20.
Those whose parents are in trade are not eligible.
_Shorthand Writing._--The power of writing in shorthand is a very
valuable acquisition, especially to bookkeepers who also act as
correspondents, as it frequently enables them to obtain larger salaries
than they could expect without it, and there is an increasing demand
for female shorthand clerks. Translators also occasionally employ them
to write from dictation, and sometimes it happens they can get work as
reporters.
Miss Pritchard, of 83, Edgeware Road, is highly recommended as a
teacher. She says it requires nine months to learn, and perhaps from
six to twelve months' practice afterwards, to become a proficient
writer, so much depends upon the individual ability. She herself began
to earn money by it at the end of the first nine months. Her charge
for tuition is a guinea for thirteen lessons, one every week. She can
usually arrange to give the lessons, if desirable, in the evening, so
that they need not interfere with any daily employment in which her
pupils may be engaged.
The rate of pay shorthand writers expect to receive is twopence a folio
(72 words). Of course for this they have to make a fair copy of their
work in ordinary writing.
The Metropolitan School of Shorthand in Chancery Lane undertakes to
ensure proficiency for a certain fixed charge. I understand that the
sum of £5 is the maximum amount.
_Post Office Directories._--Messrs. Kelly and Co., of 51, Great Queen
Street, Lincoln's Inn, employ a considerable number of female clerks to
assist in compiling their Post Office directories; they will take girls
from the age of fourteen, and the only necessary qualifications are
reading and perfectly legible writing. The pay commences at 8s. a week,
and increases 2s. a week every year until it reaches a pound. The hours
are from half-past nine until half-past five, excepting on Saturdays,
when they leave off working at four o'clock. An hour is allowed for
dinner, which must be eaten on the premises. The duties are decidedly
easy, and the hours light. Applications for employment must be made by
letter, but vacancies seldom occur.
_Junior Army and Navy Stores._--These recently-established stores
employ ladies as clerks; the preference is given to daughters of
military or naval officers.
The necessary qualifications are a thorough knowledge of arithmetic, a
slight acquaintance with book-keeping, and good legible writing. The
hours are from nine to six, with an hour's interval for dinner. The
salaries commence at £40 a year.
_Prudential Life Assurance._--One hundred and sixty ladies are
employed by this Company at their offices, Holborn Bars; only daughters
of professional men are eligible, and they require no special
qualifications beyond an ordinary English education. The hours of
work are from a quarter to ten to five o'clock; on Saturdays until
two. The comfort of the lady clerks has been studied to a very great
extent, an excellent library and piano are provided for their use, and
a refreshment room, where they can obtain luncheon (for which an hour
is allowed) at a moderate price. The flat roof has been converted into
terraces, where they may take exercise during their luncheon hour, and
they have a separate entrance and staircase to that used by the male
clerks.
They are paid £32 the first year, £42 the second, and £52 the third;
after that time their salaries increase according to the value of their
services. The duties principally consist of copying and writing letters
from notes.
_Coupon Sorters._--Messrs. Rothschild, St. Swithin's Lane, and Messrs.
Baring, Bishopsgate Street Within, employ a small number of women in
sorting coupons; the only necessary qualifications are an ordinary
English education and good references. At Messrs. Baring's the hours
of work are from ten to five. The junior clerks receive 15s. a week,
and the seniors' salaries average £1 to 25s.; they are engaged by the
week. I believe that Messrs. Rothschild's rules are very similar.
_Law Copyists._--Many women are now employed in law copying; they are
apprenticed for six months, sometimes paying a small premium of 2 or 3
guineas, but in some cases they are only required to give their time.
After six months they begin to earn a few shillings a week, which may
increase, according to efficiency, to 25s. Their salary is regular,
and does not depend (as it does in the case of men) on their employers
having work or not. The hours are from nine to seven, excepting on
Saturdays, when they leave a little earlier.
The following firms employ women, but only the first three will
teach:--Mr. Hardy, Castle Street, Holborn; Mrs. Le Fuel, Brownlow
Street, Holborn; Mr. F. Watkins, Dyer's Buildings, Holborn; Messrs.
Hooper and Sons, Ludgate Hill; Messrs. Hadley, Castle Street, Holborn.
Law clerks also occasionally employ women as copyists, and I think
efficient writers might frequently obtain private employment from
solicitors, especially if they had any acquaintance with them, or they
could take specimens of their work to strangers, and boldly ask for
a trial. Employers like girls to begin to learn soon after leaving
school; they will take them as young as fifteen.
_Telegraphy._--The following is an exact copy of the rules for
telegraph clerks. Applications for admission to the Telegraph Office
must be made to the Postmaster-General, as all nominations are made by
him.
The subjects for test examination are:--
(1.) Writing from dictation.
(2.) Writing with a pencil, or style.
(3.) Arithmetic (easy sums in the first four rules).
Limits of age, not under fourteen or above eighteen.
Successful candidates have to attend the Post Office Telegraph School
to undergo a course of instruction in telegraphy, for which instruction
no charge is made, but they do not receive any pay while at the school.
The course of instruction usually extends over a period of three
months, but if at any period of their tuition, or during their
probationary employment at a telegraph office, it becomes evident they
display no aptitude for the duties of a telegraphist, their nomination
or probationary appointment will be cancelled.
The scale of pay for women is 8s. per week, on receiving a certificate
from the school, and commencing the period of probation; rising to
12s. on being certified to be fully capable of transmitting public
messages; and rising to 14s. on being certified as being capable of
taking charge of a telegraph instrument; afterwards, as vacancies
occur, 14s. per week, increasing by 1s. per week to 17s. per week, with
a prospect of rising to 30s. per week.
Hours of attendance for female clerks, eight hours a day, between the
hours of 8 A.M. and 8 P.M.
_Post Office Clerks._--A considerable number of ladies are employed
in the Receiver and Accountant General's Office; it is, I believe,
more generally known as the Post Office Clearing House. An entrance
examination has to be passed in the following subjects of competitive
examination, conducted by the Civil Service Commissioners:--
(1.) Handwriting and orthography.
(2.) English grammar and composition.
(3.) Arithmetic (including vulgar and decimal fractions).
(4.) Geography.
Candidates under seventeen or above twenty years of age are ineligible.
_Salary._
2nd Class, £40, rising by £7 10s. yearly to £75.
1st Class, £80 " £7 10s. " £100.
Principal Clerks, £110 " £10 " £150.
The hours of attendance are from 10 to 4.
Hitherto women have been employed as returners and counterwomen in the
General Post Office, London, but no fresh appointments have been made
for some time, and it does not appear likely that there will be any
more.