On this page
-
Text (1)
-
I^OCAIi SOCIETIES. 219
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
A Paper Head At The Meeting Op The Assoc...
the advertising columns of the Times , that there is already a small demand for women , as book-keepersand it is probable that this
, demand would increase if the supply were of better quality ; but as book-keeping * is _never taught in girls' schools , or in places of adult
education for young women , it is exceedingly difficult for a girl to become acquainted with the business . She can only acquire a
knowledge of it by chance , or by picking up stray pieces of information from her male relations . If , therefore , local societies were ix >
subscribe to engage the services of a good commercial master to teach a class of girls of the rank of small tradesmen's daughters
accounts and book-keeping , they would probably enable many of them to engage in an occupation which , compared to those usually
followed by women , is remarkably easy and agreeable . The hours in a shop seldom exceed ten , with an interval for
dinner and tea , and a book-keeper would be seated during a great part of the time .
No young person should be recommended to a situation till the master had given her a certificate of competencyand no certificate
, should be granted till she was thoroughly well-instructed in arithmetic as well as book-keeping . She ought to be able to do the first
four rules in arithmetic , bills of parcels and practice , quickly and correctly , and to reckon rapidly questions on the prices of articles
without a slate . Above all , neat handwriting and a knowledge of spelling are essential .
If she knows less than this , she is not fit to take a situation ; and every incompetent girl who gets a place does great injury to the
cause of the employment of women , as her failure tends to strengthen the too prevalent impression that they are by nature
unfit for any occupation that requires intelligence . Where the means for paying a commercial teacher are not
forthcoming , any lady with a good knowledge of arithmetic might easily prepare herself for the post of volunteer teacher by studying
book-keeping by _single entry , ( Chambers' system is , perhaps , the easiest ; Haddon ' s the shortest and most comprehensive ) but it
, would be rash for an amateur lady teacher to take upon herself to grant the certificates ; the services of a professional gentleman
should always be engaged for this purpose , as only those who practicallunderstand the business can know exactly what is
wanted . y I must remark , however , that the instruction given to adults is seldom satisfactory unless there is some little foundation
of sound education to begin upon . It often happens that a girl of seventeen or eihteen comes to the classes in London deficient in
spelling and handwriting g , and unable to multiply correctly , _thouglx she may have attended a genteel private school for years , and have
gone as far as practice in the arithmetic book . Six months of good teaching will effect a great improvement in her acquirements ,
but childhood even , that as the is a knowled poor substitute ge so hast ily reall attained y sound can onl instruction y be super in -
it 2
I^Ocaii Societies. 219
I _^ OCAIi SOCIETIES . 219
-
-
Citation
-
English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), Dec. 1, 1861, page 219, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01121861/page/3/
-