FIFTY MILLION STRONG 



ment. This is the reason why there is as much need of the 

 rural Y. W. C. A. as there is of the rural Y. M. C. A. In a 

 way there is a greater need. When the first county Y. W. C. 

 A. was building, a man of prominence expressed the opinion 

 that there was little demand for such an institution. He 

 failed utterly to understand that a nation can rise no higher 

 than its homes and the one great purpose of the Y. W. C. A. 

 is to elevate the home life of the nation. 



Thousands of young women seek employment today. A 

 very large class of them become employees of shops, factories 

 and mills; an equally large class become bookkeepers, stenog- 

 raphers and clerks; a third class become teachers or adopt 

 similar callings. A study of the laws of the various states 

 soon convinces one that much attention has been given in 

 recent years to the employment of women in shop, factory 

 and mill. A great deal has also been done to better the 

 condition of young women clerks, stenographers and book- 

 keepers. And, finally, the vocation of teaching and similar 

 callings adopted by young women have in many cases been 

 made much more attractive as well as profitable. In these 

 three classes of work in the labor, business and professional 

 worlds, young women are enjoying greater advantages from 

 year to year. In all three the hours of labor are in many 

 states fixed and the number of hours has been reduced from 

 time to time. In all three surroundings have been improved. 

 In all three wages have been increased. In all three the 

 physical, mental and moral welfare of the employees is receiv- 

 ing more and more attention. In all three opportunities are 

 given to advance. 



But, unfortunately, employment in the home, which in the 

 past has especially appealed to young women from Rural 

 America, has not shared in the advantages that have made 

 more attractive the other callings adopted by young women. 

 The collective happiness of the American people is, to a large 

 extent, dependent on helpers in tens of thousands of homes. 

 This being true, let the same attention be given to the calling 

 of household service and the same efforts be put forth to 



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