Practical Suggestions for Mother and Housewife | Page 5

of
sex in the newspaper world. Copy is paid for according to its amount
and quality, regardless of whether it was written by a woman or a man.
Women labor here, as elsewhere, under physical disabilities in
comparison with men, and yet in compensation they have the
advantage over men in their special adaptation to certain features of
newspaper work, such as the interviewing of women, writing
household and fashion articles, etc. There are more chances for this
kind of special work in large cities, and here the aspiring newspaper
woman may go, when she has proved her ability.
Mrs. Ida Husted Harper, who stands in the front rank of newspaper
women, has tersely stated the duties a woman reporter must undertake
and the sacrifices she must make, as follows: "The woman who wishes
to be a newspaper reporter should ask herself if she is able to toil from
eight to fifteen hours of the day, seven days in the week; if she is
willing to take whatever assignment may be given; to go wherever sent,
to accomplish what she is delegated to do, at whatever risk, or rebuff,
or inconvenience; to brave all kinds of weather; to give up the
frivolities of dress that women love and confine herself to a plain
serviceable suit; to renounce practically the pleasures of social life; to
put her relations to others on a business basis; to subordinate personal
desires and eliminate the 'ego'; to be careful always to disarm prejudice
against and create an impression favorable to women in this occupation;
to expect no favors on account of sex; to submit her work to the same
standard by which a man's is judged."
The salaries earned by women as reporters are, with a few notable
exceptions, not large. As low as $8 and $10 a week are paid to
beginners; from $15 to $25 a week is considered a fair salary, and $30 a
week an exceptionally good one for a woman who has not received
recognition as a thoroughly experienced reporter.

It is from the ranks of newspaper women who have gone to the large
cities and made a name for themselves as capable reporters that the
editorial staffs of the magazines are recruited. As a rule they obtain
their introductions by magazine contributions chiefly of special articles
on subjects in which they have made themselves experts. The salaries
of these positions range from $25 a week for assistant editors to $50
and upward for the heads of departments.
Book publishers employ women of this class to edit and compile works
upon their specialties. Quite a number of women in New York earn
several thousand dollars a year each at such work, while continuing
their regular editorial labors.
Many newspaper women drift naturally into advertising writing, which
is well-paid for when cleverly done. Since the goods chiefly advertised
are largely for women, women have the preference as writers of
advertisements. Then, too, manufacturers and advertising agents pay
well for ideas useful in promoting the commodities of themselves or
their clients. Here the woman at home may find out whether she has
special ability as an advertising writer, by thinking out new and catchy
ideas for the promotion of articles which she sees are widely advertised,
and mailing these to the manufacturers. It is well if she have artistic
ability, so that she may make designs of the ideas, though this is not
essential.
It is the advertising columns of the newspapers and magazines, even
more than the reading matter, which give a demand for work in
illustration. To the woman who has talent rather than genius in drawing,
illustration and commercial art afford a far safer field, in respect to
remuneration, than the making of oil-paintings and water-colors. If
ability in drawing is conjoined with ability in designing and writing
advertisements, the earnings are more than doubled. Since payment for
the individual drawing is more customary than employing an artist at a
fixed salary, illustrating and the designing of advertisements can be
done at home. There are many young girls just out of the art-school
who earn from $25 to $50 a week by such "piece-work."
Akin to this work is the designing of book-covers, for which publishers

pay from $15 to $25 each.
Of a more mechanical nature is making the drawings for commercial
catalogues, and the prices paid are low, $9 a week being the rule for
beginners. Designers of patterns, etc., for various manufacturers receive
a similar amount at first. They may hope, after several years of
experience, to rise to $25 a week, or possibly $30 or $35.

CHAPTER II
THE SINGLE WOMAN
Teaching--Teaching Women in Society--Parliamentary
Law--Games--Book-reviewing--Manuscript-reading for
Publishers--Library Work--Teaching Music and Painting--Home Study
of Professional Housework--The Unmarried Daughter at Home--The
Woman in Business--Her Relation to Her