Women's Employment Bureau

In the month of November appeared various notices regarding "a new departure" in our city, called the " Womens Employment Bureau," ari organization for bringing working women in'o direct communication with persons who wished to employ thetn. At the first official meeting of the bureau, one lady from every church in Ann Arbor was elected a member of a general committee, and it was decided to test the city's needs of such an organizaron by a three-months, experiment?. The ladies library was first used semi weekly, as an office, two ladies taking charge of books of registratioD, oecupation, character and wages. Several apI plicants appearing on the opening day, ■ and the interest still conlinuiDg, the office was removed to Mrs. Parker's, Ann-stThis lady, by untiring faith and labor, ha kept the project alive ; without solieitation, she has registered fifty-six names, , coveriBg a most varied list of occupations ; house-work, room-woik, laundrv-work' washers and ironers by day or week scrubbers and house-cleaners, waitresses at entertainment?, nurses, dressmakers, I seamstresses, repairers of furs and clothing' copyists, readers, andftharitable doctoring' üf tliese fifly-six persons, over thirty have found employment through the bureausome have temporary work but not suffil cient lor ttieir needs ; others were without I any meaos of support and strangers n the city. Several of the cases helped had families to be fed and clothed, and would undoubtedly have been forced to ask city aid, or to accept private charity. Only one department of the bureau was not well supplied, that of house servante The idea of registering and obtainir.g a situation, in place of asking the merchants and grocere, and walking from house to I house, when personal friends could find no work, wasso novel it seemed unwelcome and it was only by the older and experïenced women who understood the mutual good and immediate helpfulness to labor, who were willing and eaeer to reeïster. I But, withia a month, manv annl.Vutmno have been made by young girls, several of whom are now n homes, doiDg most excellent work. This laok of purely domestio service is a most serious problem and it is only partly solved by the bureau' in time applcations for house-work will mcrease, as the good of so doing becomes more apparent; but the needs are greater than the supply, and one of the chief efforts of the bureau will be to adjust the supply as the organ'zation matares Now in the light of the above facts ought not (ha project to be continued and encouraged to a longer existence ? Is it not worthy of receiving interest and aid I and becoming another of the permanent associations of the city ? With the growth of Ann Arbor, with the coming of nesv enterprises, we have an ever increasing na[ tive and foreignpopulation, who have"their times of adversity and need help. Our city gives aid to the distressed childreD but cannot reach the wants of all, and eannot give personal aid, advice and eympathy and this, for years, has been most generou?lygiven by the band of self-denyino workers.1 of the Ladies Charitable union who also exercise the spirit of true benevolence by abstaicing from increasing pauperism and constantly encouraging self help, and, to aid in this latter work is the hope of this new sister organization, the Women s Employment Bureau," and they earnestly ask the support of ■ ' -- ful woanen in the undertaking. Another ol lts aims is to endeavor to watch over the interests of all seeking work of any character, and, as far as possible, to guard yonng girls, wishing employment, till they 8re i" ü ?fe Al8 t0 rai?e the standard of work, so as to obtain for the general public, women cmpetent to do well whatever labor they earn a livelihood by. The bureau must necessarily, until weil es-abluhed, be semi-charitable in ita Dotare, but is there a better field for philanthropy tbaa that of assisting women who Wkhto help themselves and their families ? lüe office of the bureau is at Miss Sperry s, No. 88 Washington.st., near the high school, and the hours are from 8 a. w. to G p. m. every day.