WOMEN'S PART

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 96, 24 April 1916, Page 2

WOMEN'S PART

VOCATIONS OF THE MODERN GIRL

TRIUMPH OF NAVY BLUE

EXPERIMENTS IN ENGLAND

(PROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

LONDON, 2nd March. "Well, what do you think of them? How are they getting'on?" He looked straight at the questioner and deliberately delivered himself thus : "On the whole I am quite satisfied. They really are reliable and quick at sorting now that they are getting to know the locality But they are rather slow when it cornea to delivering, for numbers and names seem to mix them up. I don't complain, though, for they are shaping quite well. There's one thing I can't make out—why do girls, dress so stupidly ? Only this morning one of our new ones started off on the early round across the Common; it was very wet, and she was wearing stockings full of little'holes—(a masculine appreciation of openwork, thought I, but I did not interrupt)—and very thin house shoes, with large buckles; and her neck had nothing to cover it What do you call those blouses—newmonyer?—l don't know why girls wear them She must have looked a sorry sight when she got back. It seems to me that if girls want to do good, useful wqrk they have got to start by being suit-ably and sensibly dressed." Thus the postman—a very old stager— gave vent to his feelings. It was plain that lie was resigning himself to make the best of a novel experiment. It would have been unkind to chip in with .extenuating circumstances. He was talkI ing on Christmas Eve, at the last house on the round, otherwise he could not have stayed to say so much. The object of it all was the new innovation—the Post Girl. Id the interim though, better sense has prevailed, and for the Post Girl everyone has a good word. She now wears strong boots, but so far as the uninitiated can discern, she has no regulation uniform beyond the weatherproof hat, which nothing can spoil or •put out of shape. There is a family likeness, too, about the satchel of brown canvas that is slung across one shoulder. But apa.rt from these details she seems to wear her own costume^of blanket coat or waterproof acording to-the day The Post Girl does not seem in a hurry, but her step is firm and even, and she covers ground without loss of time. Some people sa,y she is more careful than the postman. Certainly the .knocker knows how to respond to her firm grasp. ON WHEELS " Mind your back, pleas©!" Everyone familiar with London termini—busy places—respects promptly that polite but stern order. Perhaps now | the voice that utters it may be a trifle thin; its timbre sound's juvenile. Whether or no, instinct.turns you round to face the danger the better to avoid it. But you see no luggage, no porter, no great truck The station property that is looming near is the buffet on wheels—laden with tea-urn, crockery, sandwiches, buns, fruit, and smokes. It is about to perambulate the length of the outgoing express. The person pushing it is out of sight, but again the warning from behind—" Mind your back, plea.se !" Then it dawns upon you why the thinness of the vocal quality; the erstwhile youth in charge has been ousted by a mere " flapper," well on theright side of sixteen. Her uniform is of. dark blue cloth, short in the skirt and comfortable looking, the coat being long and semi-fitting. The dark blue straw hat has a ribbon band, with the gold lettering "Refreshment Room." She starts and stops her travelling tea-shop with less effort than is required by the best regulated perambulator; and she likes her work. Truly the terminus affords plenty of life, ever varying, and that is what the young girl wants—endless variety and ' constant work lessen the tedium of labour. THE SNIPPERS. "' There is an army corps of attractive girls at one at least of London's important- railway stations. Each one is armed with a clipper, and each wears a long dark blue coat of reefer cloth, double-breasted, with a double line of gilt buttons down the front; the semiboltsd back has two more knobs of gilt, while a further touch of the same tone is to be found on the,collar points, this time the company's monogram. The hat is of navy blue straw of fine quality, and becoming sailor shape, banded with blue silk ribbon, bearing the lettering "ticket Collector." Without exception the feet are well shod; tan boots are a favourite choice, the alternative being' black shoes smart-ened with cloth gaiters. It is good to see a company of these girls traverse the length of the out-going Riviera express, scrutinise the tickets well before- snipping; all manner of queries are promptly answered. The work of one compartment completed, the door is closed, with a snap of authority, and the next compartment is visited. There are probably half a dozen girls to a long train, and not one of them trespasses on the other's preserves. The duty is performed with precise deliberation and assurance. It conld not be neater it' the occupation had been a life-long one. The train moves out— there is a breather for a few minutes. The girls cluster together and talk happily,; then they walk with an air of official ease and knowledge to the next duty post, Vperhaps to meet an incoming train and take the tickets. Here quickness of sight is very necessary to thwart frequent evil designs of travellers who, having settled their consciences to gentle slumber, scruple not to try and palm off tickets out of date or otherwise disqualified. Yes, the station girl has to keep her wits sharp, and, withal, politeness has to be ono of her traits. Dark blue, with silver buttons, is worn by the "Underground Girl," and her blue felt hat has a wide brim, which is becoming. . Undesirous, apparently, of wishing to make the ticket girl too attractive, another big line dresses the new employee in a' suit of dark blue, with a closefitting bodice top/ bolted, and buttoned severely up the front with a line of gilt buttons; it crowns this severe uniform with a peaked cap. Now, the pea,ked cap does not suit a girl at all, and its close grip of the head behind interferes witlr the hair, no matter how neatly this may have been dressed.. No, the designer of this dress for the girl lacks a sense of the artistic. But its wearer performs her duty to the satisfaction of the travelling public and of the management. ■ STRENUOUS WORKERS. Yon would go a long way before meeting a> more strapping set of girls than those ■ who are "conducting" the L.C.C. tramcars. There are about three hundred of them now in regular work. "Fares ready, please!" "Pass along in front!"' "Movo up closer, please!" ''By your leave,' pleasel" A never-ending procession of orders which must become a little monotonous, alwayslittered by a voice that can be heard from one end of the long car to the other. It needed a little practice to accomplish this foal with success- The tram-girls are of a good type,, and a i

I few weeks of nippy weather have added to a naturally healthy colour. This conductor is undeniably neat She wears very dark grey cloth—consisting of a short skirt and a belted jacket' of the Norfolk pattern; its decorations include the puncher which punches new tickets, fitted with resounding bell; another small machine is slung from a strap across.one shoulder, and its duty is to efface for ever from future use the return ticket; from the other shoulder is slung the money pouch, and a splash of colour is provided by the crimson badge with her number, while the brass chain of the whistle shines like gold. This girl wears mittens, sensible boots with gaiters, and a hat of shiny black waterproof material, becoming in outline, finished with a bow of its own fabric. The tram-girl tells you she likes her work—"the hours are very long, but the pay is good, and the officials are very considerate to us." And you don't find many people whose heart is in their work grumble at long hours if the attendant conditions are happy. Some people at first' took rather & delight in trying to tease the novice and to bring blushes to her cheeks, and it was the custom of the entire populace to stare. But now everyone is used to the girl conductor, everyone treats her well, and likes to have a momentary passing chat. In these days of overcrowding, the conductor has her work cut out to look after her car, but she never gets the least bit excited, worried, or annoyed. She keeps perfectly calm, and her "Full up' No more room!" is as irrefutable as the laws^ of the Medes and Persians. The public wants to help'her, not to hinder, and resents it not when she bars the way oE would-be passengers by hang ing up the barrier chain. There is no indecision either about the triple pull at the bell-chain, which sets the bell sounding with three clarion notes, and off starts the driver, well pleased to go his length till his new mate pu]]s him sharply up. The tram-girl has to be strong and healthy, and' she is not chosen if she does not look equal to the strain of long periods on her feet. SHE IS COMING. Presently the girl 'bus-conductor will be an everyday occurrence. At the moment she is ■ a rara avis. You may stand at a busy corner for an hour, watch every 'bus that passes for every part of the suburbs, but not until the fifty-fifth* minute—if then—will you see the girl at the doorway. But she is in training, to the number of about seventy, and that number will most likely be increased very soon. The omnibus company is going to dress its feminine conductors in dark blue cloth, the skirt to reach only a short distance below the knees, the rather long Norfolk jacket to be pipe<s with white, the soft felt "Alpine" hat of blue felt to be turned up at one side, piped with white, find bearing the' London General Omnibus Company's badge in front; it is good to know that boots with low heels have been chosen; these will be finished by long gaiters of cloth and leather; and a mackintosh will be provided_ for wet weather. The hours of the girl conductor will be ten hours, the same as the men. The few girls who are on the road now declare that they like their work,. and that nothing would induce them to go back to the typewriter—besides, they earn more on the 'bus than they do in the office. ■ AT THE WHEEL. When the war was very young the feminine spirit was very eager to drive motor-vans. And there were many attempts. But so often the physique was unable to bear the strain. Huge motorvans laden with heavy goods are one thing, the 'private Veil-sprung motor-car quite another. For weeks a lady was driven up in her own car to one of the big stores, and then transferred herself to the wheel of a big delivery van... But it was not possible to keep up this; work for long. But we do see every, where any number of ladies driving their husbands to the office every morning and calling for them iri the afternoon. They 'manage skilfully, and this fact makes one wonder why the police are still objecting to grant the woman a license to drive the taxi. The motor-girl-drivers of the ambulances in connection with the New Zealand hospital at Walton always attract great attention when they come up to town. They are in khaki, with a waterproof coa^t to cover them up, also khaki in colour. The close-fitting cap is quite attractive, made, t00,.0f khaki waterproof, modelled on the Dutch outline, with full crown; there is a section I at the back of it that can be worn up or downy- according as to whether protection is wanted for the neck and ears. I These girls have big gauntlet gloves of fur or wool, and ankles made snug by close-fitting gaiters. The girl, too, is employed to drive some of the Government motor-cars, and khaki is the colour of her uniform. In Glasgow, we are .told, the woman tram-driver is on the streets, but she has. not yet come to London ; and one wonders whether she would have the strength to manage the big double cars that are used in busy times. There are girls driving pairs of horses' that are attached to the vans that bring supplies | to city and West .End' restaurants, and these same girls wrestle bravely with the heavy wooden trays which have to be carried into the shops. A man puts a tray on his head and thinks nothing of it, whereas it takes two girls to manipulate one. NO LONGER A NOVICE. The lift-girl is very little younger than the war, so she is well seasoned to her occupation, which, she does not find irksome. In the early days it was a little ' bit mixing sometimes to be able to reel off at each stopping place the attractions and the specialties belonging to ! that particular floor. But once these intricacies were mastered there was nothing else to worry her In one place we find her uniform to be an overall of pretty blue linen, with waistbelt of black patent leather, and the letter "S" worked on each point of the turn-down collar. At another large store she is in dark blue, consisting of !a trim skirt, half-covered by a long and beautifullycut semi-fitting coat, braided with gold, and having gold buttons; an air of smartness to this outfit is accorded by the fresh collar of white pique or white muslin that stands up at the back of the neck, turning over the coat collar OUTSIDE AGAIN. In addition to these' indoor workers, the big shops have imported healthy and important-looking girls to take the .place of the man at the door At every doorway stands a large girl; she opens and closes the doors of motor-cars and taxis; she puts the pet clog on the chain, where he shivers nml whines tiil his owner thinks she will return to him. When the weather is wet this lady commissionaire carries the giiint umbrella, which will protect several people on the same journey; on tine days she wears a coat and skirt of dark blue, and a peaked cap_ of navy banded with black; when it is wet she has a mackintosh of dark blue. An important part of her stock-in-trade is the whistle, and the taxi on the rank close by obeys it on- the instant. When it snows there is an additional girl who is kept busy removing the snoiv from the foodway. She wears strong boots, a black rubber macintosh, warm dark gloves, and a peaked cap of navy blue, and she keeps moving up and down, up and down, with a small squegee, keeping the pavement free from mud and slush. ■ Inside the doorwaj;,

stands a pretty girl, whisk in hand. "Madam, may I brush the snow from your coat?" Of course, you ' are very grateful: her manner is as pretty as her tace. And just lately she has had a busy time. ' The sou-wester is a useful protection for the head of the girl who has to be on patrol outside all the day, and, though this pattern will not generally be regarded as particularly attractive, it certainly is enhanced by a pretty face beneath it, or, perhaps one should say, it is not. unbecoming above a pretty face. Go where you will, you will usually .find that good-looking girls, strong and healthy of appearance, nave been chosen for positions where there is much to be • done outside. There is no room anywhere here for the anaemic or the weedy. ' Dark blue is worn by the little messenger girls, who steal quietly up to the reporters' tables at city meetings; they are more eager .for "copy" than even were the smart little boys. Thej'move off briskly with the precious sheets, and return in due course for more —ever athirst.for "copy." Women will* no doubt respond to the appeal to work on the land, and Lord Selborne has approved a woman farm worker's uniform _that will cost 26s 6d; it is a coat and slurt of durable washing fabric, gaiters and stout boots. Farmers are being impressed with the need to engage women and to help in their training. • _ We find girls at most of the station bookstalls, and they deliver papers to subscribers; but.they are not wearing any special uniform; neither' are the girls who are doing work for the mes-, senger companies.' ,' ' ' - Girk engaged at the War Office are wearing' overalls of brown linen, of attractive artistic design, and, of course, all the munition girls' and -women wear overalls of linen to protect their dresses. ; .