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CHAPTER VII

Acres of Diamonds in the Home Field

If you detest and despise housework, this chapter is not for you! But if, like us, you get a lift from turning a storm-tossed room into a haven of evened shades, dusted tables and inviting chairs; if, like us, you hover tenderly over the crust of an apple pie or the crispness of young, fried chicken; if, like us, you know no perfume more delightful than the fresh aroma of sun dried linens—then you will not want to miss a word of what we are about to say. For you it may hold a real gleam of opportunity. For there is an enormous field where jobs are still to be had for the proper asking. And the only re­quired experience is the one of daily living.

We refer to jobs in the home—that green pasture on which our eyes had been turned from the beginning. Every time we picked up a newspaper and opened it at the Help Wanted section, there it was before us, big in the news. Wanted—house-…

keeper by business couple. Wanted—woman to take entire charge of motherless home. Wanted— companion-nurse for two children. Wanted— chauffeur. Wanted—handy man. Wanted—wanted wanted—wanted! Business might be cutting down right and left. Business might be laying off hands by the thousand. But the home fires still had to be kept burning, and there were plenty of SOS calls all along the path of our trips to help tend them.

Of course, these were not white collar jobs. They might not be of the type that would step you up socially, but definitely they need not step you down. The whole situation would be up to you. If you handled your position with the dignity with which you would handle any other job that re­quired responsibility and capability, you would be accorded the respect that you merited, and there would be no losing of face at all. And the advan­tages of these jobs in the home are striking in com­parison with many office jobs that apparently pay more. Living expenses are almost always taken care of; no room rent, no money for meals, less money for clothes certainly, no carfare to and from work. Barring any small personal expenses, a person can save every cent he makes.

Our ideas were not original by any means. We…

personally knew several women who used to manage their own homes and who now were just as com­petently managing homes for other people. Also, we had been hearing these positions advocated in some of the office employment agencies. Every little while, as we were trying to get various jobs, some helpful agency man or woman would say: "Why don't you go out on your own and try for a housekeeping job? That pays all right when your living expenses are taken into account." Or: "I should think you could do very well, managing a home for a business couple." Or: "What about po­sitions where parents want their growing children to be associated with the nicer type of person? Had you ever thought of taking some kind of job with children?"

As a matter of fact, we had. Back in our minds, we had long held both these fields—home care and child care—in reserve as a nest egg in time of need. Actually, we have always thought that it takes as much skill to run a home as it does to run a type­writer, and that balancing the family budget is as technical as balancing books. As for children, we prided ourselves on our ability to get along with them and to win their liking.

We stepped right into the newspaper columns…

and began to answer the ads and all through our trips, wherever we were, we kept on answering them. There were any number under the head­ings of:

housekeeper

companion

practical nurse

child care

Then occasionally there would be specials, such as a call for a cook in a small institution, or chauffeur-companion, or house mother for some students' home. Reading them, we were astonished by the many outlets offered. It was as if any and every tal­ent that had been developed in the domestic arts now could be turned into money.

Nor were we for a moment underestimating the requirements in the home field. We had listed at the very start of our job campaign—each of us, and independently—in our employable characteristics: managing home; good cook, like to plan meals; a knack in handling children. Certainly this field was no place for the person whose home—except when company was imminent—looked as if it had been in the wake of a tornado; or whose children were never happier than when visiting the neighbors.

But we felt that we could qualify—and so we proceeded to find out.

Within the space of a few days, and in a single Pennsylvania city not far from Philadelphia, there was a flock of housekeepings ads in the local news­paper, and many of them sounded interesting.

HOUSEKEEPER—white, between 30 and 45. Good home and all conveniences. 2 adults. State salary and telephone. P. O. Box 9876.

HOUSEKEEPER-for   motherless   home.    3   children, school age. Good salary. Write full details. Z

HOUSEKEEPER-settled  type  for elderly  man.   Plain cooking.  Weekends  free.  Good salary, good home for right person. Phone: ABC 1096.

HOUSEKEEPER—full charge business couple. Experi­enced. Sleep in. $10-$12 a week. Telephone: DEF 1987.

HOUSEKEEPER—capable taking charge of large room­ing house. No cooking. References. Call before noon. 400 Main Street.

HOUSEKEEPER—who prefers good home to high wages, 2 in family. General and cooking. All conveniences. Five room house. Telephone: York 16.

HOUSEKEEPER—middle aged to take charge of country house, all marketing, servants, etc. Permanent position to right person. Give full information in first letter. Excel­lent salary. Write XYZ.

HOUSEKEEPER—good cook, good planner and buyer. 3 in family. High standard required. Woman selected will have room, bath, occasional use of car. $16 a week. Do not answer this ad unless you can qualify. Write MN.

HOUSEKEEPER-for 3 small apartments. Experienced only. State salary and references. 500 Market St.

The first ad we answered read as follows:

HOUSEKEEPER-CHAUFFEUR. For elderly woman, one in family. Full charge. Good salary. References. Write to P. O. Box 0987.

We had no way of judging how many persons would answer the ad, but we knew that if our an­swer were to stand out and get consideration, it had to be somewhat above the average run. And if that were to be true, it only could be because we were offering a better buy to that elderly woman, or made her see that we understood exactly what she needed, and that we ourselves could fill that need.

We felt that she might receive many letters that said in effect:

Am good housekeeper, drive car well. Have had so many years experience. Left last job so many months ago for this reason. Can offer these good references.

But the ad had said that she was an elderly woman —and alone. Would not that present some sort of picture toward which our letter could tend? We thought that it did, and so we wrote:

housekeeeper—If your home is the size that one woman can handle, and you like it kept like a new silver dol­lar—here is your woman. I really enjoy housework and could easily cater to all your tastes. And if you happen to enjoy company, I can have your meals as festive as you please.

chauffeur—I have driven a car almost as long as there have been automobiles. I have driven for a sick boy who was terrified of accidents, but who enjoyed our drives. And I have also driven for a woman who was always in a hurry, and I satisfied her. What I am trying to say, is that 1 feel almost certain I can suit you.

Evidently our attempt at winning her with a per­sonal touch pleased her, for our letter won an inter­view and then the job.

Another advertisement stopped us because it mentioned one of our especial weaknesses, dogs. It read:

woman—over 30, to attend elderly woman with dog. Permanent position. Share housework. Telephone: LM 456.

A job like that seemed right down our alley so we planned certain points that we might make in the telephone conversation. We could quite truth­fully say that we loved dogs, but that in itself was not too convincing. So we worked out some thoughts that we hoped carried a little warmth, and originality, too. To make sure that the con­versation would proceed as tellingly as possible, we made notes before lifting the receiver. Of course, the opening sentence had to be routine in order to identify ourself with the advertisement. We began:…

I am calling about the advertisement in the morning paper. Are you the lady who advertised?

She said that she was, and we continued:

As soon as I saw your ad, I knew that I would like to have the chance to work for you. Do you mind my saying that that word dog in your advertisement certainly won my heart?

She asked if we liked dogs, too. We replied:

I certainly do! Not being able to have a dog is one of the real drawbacks about living in a small apartment. I look longingly at every dog I see in the street.

The conversation was off to a running start. She said that Casey was an Irish setter, and she wanted to know if we were good and strong because he pulled hard on the leash. He was a valuable dog, she explained, and she had had him since he was a puppy. She was always afraid that Casey would pull away and get run over, and if anything hap­pened to that dog it would break her heart.

We eagerly assured her that we could handle Casey, and that while he was in our care he would never get away.

We went on:

While you are sizing me up to see how I would do, why not see what Casey thinks, too?

She laughed and said that she could see that we understood how an old woman felt about her dog.

In a subsequent interview our whole hearted inter­est in Casey completely clinched the job. The fact that we found we would be expected to sleep in gave us a very graceful reason for not accepting. In trying for jobs as companion we followed the same system in our applications. There was one ad that read:

COMPANION— 35 to 40. To two elderly sisters. Six days a week, Sundays off. No housework. Give phone number and salary expected. A-765

This was a position advertised in a large Maryland city where we were job hunting for several days. Our reply letter read:

A-765

Dear Ladies:

I wonder if your advertisement was not addressed just to me. For I was trained the way southern girls used to be trained— in the social arts rather than in any practical business way. I converse easily, read well, play the piano, and can manage a household if called upon.

From your advertisement, I gather that you desire a person of some discrimination. I believe I can qualify. But after satisfying you as to my references and back­ground, I will never bore you about the better days that I have seen.

As I cannot exactly tell what my duties would be, I do not know what salary to ask. Anyway, I should prefer to be guided by what you consider fair.

The Southern background happened to be gen­uine, for one of us hailed from the South—and we tried to couch our letter in true Southern mood.

The following day we were invited for an inter­view. We found an interesting situation. In this rather large house, apparently well manned by servants, lived twin sisters. They were tall, slim, aristocratic, and probably somewhere between sixty-five and seventy-five years old. They possessed a lively wit, wanted to be read to, talked to and en­tertained in any way a companion could devise. But the extra touch was the fact that, because of some unknown feud, they had not been on speak­ing terms for years. Their medium of communica­tion had been a companion who had recently died. The aloof connivance that had contrived the ad, we shall never know. But apparently they had been attracted to our letter because we seemed to realize their needs.

Sitting on a settee in the big old fashioned par­lor, with one sister in the dim recesses of one corner and the other a stiff figure in a petit-point chair over by the window, we made a new version of the eternal triangle. The point about the interview was that both sisters, in different words and at dif­ferent times, said that they had thought of adver-…

tising for a young person in order to have some life in the house, and then hesitated because they did not want a lot of young people eternally traipsing in and out. But that they felt that we would suit because we had some gumption about us and were not the whining type.

It was the formula working again. These two women wanted a touch of life, and the person who got that companion job had to bring to this market what the buyers were looking for. In fact, we found that often three of the main prerequisites in a com­panion—judging from the jobs we followed up— were the optimistic viewpoint, the look of health, and a happy disposition.

There was the gentleman in the suburbs of an upstate Pennsylvania city where we remained over night. He advertised a position that would justly appeal to any out-of-job secretary. The advertise­ment read:

COMPANION and typist. Mature woman to take care of correspondence for a gentleman who has retired, and to act as companion. Hours 9 to 5:30. Lunch given. Write full particulars to DEF 432.

We mailed a neatly blocked, attractive looking letter that would not only give our qualifications…

but at the same time be the outward proof of our ability as a typist. We said in the answer:

I believe that I can qualify for the position you adver­tised in Sunday's paper.

As a companion, I could be useful in many ways—read to you the daily newspapers, or books, or magazines. If card games interest you, I know several good ones that play well with two or more persons. And of course, if you care for walks or drives, I would take every precaution to see that you were comfortable and enjoyed them.

I type rapidly and have little difficulty in expressing myself in letters. I mean, that if you wanted me to, I could answer most of your mail with just enough help from you to get your thoughts in the matter.

In the interview that resulted, we found that the man and his wife were the entire family. The man was perhaps fifteen years older than his wife, and rather feeble. She led a very active social and club existence, which kept her away from the house a greater part of every day. In the evening, the cou­ple sometimes dined with friends, or had friends in to dinner. The man's days had become long and dull, and his ad was the first effort to give a little more interest to them.

The position—which we could have had—paid twelve dollars a week. His memorable reply paid tribute to any care and thought put into a letter. He said:…

I hardly knew what I wanted in a companion until your letter began to define it. Then it seemed to me that it would be very pleasant to have definite times for good leading, for games, and so on.

For so long I have been accustomed to a full working day, that now that I am retired, time seems to hang rather heavy on my hands. But a routine of amusing things to do would be something to try.

That was a good letter.

But it was merely the sort of letter that anyone would write who was trying to think how he could fit into that companion job so that the advertiser would say: "There's the man I want!" Or: "That is the very woman who would suit me!"

Another position that came through an adver­tisement in a newspaper in a small town in Dela­ware had to be answered by telephone. The adver­tisement read:

TEMPORARY COMPANION to convalescent woman. About 40, pleasant appearance and manner. Some experi­ence with the sick. Telephone for appointment. R-642.

We telephoned and identified ourselves as replying to the newspaper advertisement. We had already determined not only the wording of our message, but also a definite point about the voice. Since the advertisement concerned a convalescent, we were going to speak in as clear and restful a tone as pos-…

sible. As soon as the connection was made, there was a short pause and then someone said to us: "Hold the wire a moment, please."

We did, and presently another voice answered.

We again gave our reason for calling, and con­tinued:

I believe that the sick person would find that I suited her. I have spent a great deal of time with sick people, and I enjoy making them comfortable, and entertaining them.

"I am the sick person," was the reply. "I am very nervous just now, but your voice sounds soothing. I should like to see you. So many times over the phone I cannot understand what people are say­ing. But I understood you right away."

She proved to be a woman who had been in a serious motor accident, and was quite nervous as a result. The person she needed had to be a calm, serene, competent individual. And any feeling of hurry or confusion or rush would have barred an applicant automatically. Our manner of speaking over the telephone was the first big point in our favor. But again—what sort of person would an ill woman be likely to want? All we did was to try to fill the bill. But that was enough to win that job.

Child care offered a number of interesting posi­tions in every city that we visited. Ads read:

CHILD'S NURSE-complete charge of 7 year old girl. Good character, refined, dependable. State wages and experience. Write ABC.

CHILDREN'S NURSE-35 to 45. Must like children. Care of three, between ages of 5 to 11. Servant type need not apply. $12 a week. Sleep in. Tel.: 482.

WOMAN ELDERLY to take care of child while parents work. Best references, must be fond of children. Sleep in or out. No household duties. Write full details to P. O. Box 345.

NURSE-COMPANION 30 to 45. Educated, prepared to take charge of four children in grades. Willing to travel. Good position to right person. $60 a month. Telephone for appointment: North 975.

CHILD'S NURSE—complete charge of 1 and 3 year old. Refined, pleasant with children. Sleep in. $30 a month. Mountains in summer. References. 1-234.

MOTHER'S HELPER-any age. Good home, light house­work. Two children. $8 a week. References. Call mornings before 11. 1200 Main Street.

MOTHER'S HELPER. Refined type. One child, 6. Care of your room and child's room. Sleep in. References and salary expected. P. O. Box 234.

WOMAN to take full charge of twin girls, 3. No house­work, not servant type. Free to travel. Must like children. References. Telephone Bell 3000.

We applied for several such positions and got them. In every one of the applications, we stressed our liking for children. But we did not make the statement in so many words. "I am fond of chil-…

dren" is a phrase on so many lips whose owners are anything but fond, that it has come to be almost meaningless. In our letters and telephone calls we tried to convey by example how we felt about chil­dren. What could we say? Well, here were some of the expressions:

I cared for little Jean for three years. When I first knew her, she was such a timid little thing. But I taught her not to be afraid of the dark, or of dogs, or of noise. She is a lovely little girl, and I hated to see her parents move away.

Or:

Your two children at 1 and 3 are at a most interesting age. Just ready to learn all sorts of nice little company manners, and to pick up some of the games that I save for the babies. We ought to have a great time together.

Or:

Your two youngsters at 7 and 9 are old enough to take some good hikes. There are so many things about the woods and the country that children of that age love to learn. Once two child friends and myself tamed a baby squirrel—but we were located in the country, where the little animal was not under foot.

The experience with children is just as authen­tic whether it comes from your own children, your nieces or your nephews, or from an actual child care position.