CLARE'S JEANS.

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1416, 16 October 1923, Page 3

CLARE'S JEANS.

HOW LAW OF HEREDITY GOVERNS If almost any woman were asked: "Is not this the era of grace for her sex," the reply would he: "Certainly, most certainly, it is." Gradually, hut effectively, women are forsaking the beaten track or domesticity and blazoning new trails for themselves as their inclination and their tenacity wills. To-day, there is hard- ! 'ly an avenue of labour, or a profesj si oil, which has <not been invaded I more or less successfully by daughI ters of Eve. and it is much to their credit that the professions chosen are by no means easy, or offering a quick way to distinction or fortune. One of th* hardest, and certainly most, exacting of Fortune's roads is that of engineering. There is so much against it as a common choice, that it. is rarely that one hears of a successful woman engineer, but this claim belongs to .Miss Claire Xicolet, and she is employed at the Missouri- River Power Plant, in quite a responsible capacity. Physique does not make the woman. This i;irl of the jeans is a featherweight and in a ballroom would be called a pretty flapper, but with her overalls on and a chunk of waste in her hand, there's no man courageous enough to smile at her enthusiasm, nor be facetious about her choice of a profession. She is what people would call a high brow—the blue stocking of another generation, and she confesses that wheels and cogs have always had a fascination for her. So as to be quite certain on the question of a vocation, however, she tested herself thoroughly by taking a year in liberal arts and sciences, and then receiving permission, she changed over to the mechanical section. It wasn't easy work, and she had a tough fight, for any man will admit that getting acquainted with real engineering is a he-man's job, but she got through, and refused all outside offers of tuition or coaching by her class mates. Tenacity must he one of Miss Nicolet's outstanding characteristics. That University course cost money. She wasn't well off. and hadn't a dollar to spare, so to get through it meant earning to pay her way. She took on during one summer vacation the position of draughtsman and again took charge of the architectural library, and on another occasion managed a mechanical library. It was all needful grist to the mill and was getting her nearer to her ambition. As other women love the song of the sea, she adores the hum of the turbines. She calls it music, her music, and her greatest joy is to be among them, waste in hand, her hair covered away by a close cap, and her little figure trousered and trim, testing here and listening there, and afraid of nothing. When she applied for her job it was as a mechanic with no favours asked and none expected. She insisted on equality of labour, and told the man up above that she'd do anything there was to be done around the power house, and even preferred that they would give a place with the efficiency staff —a job she is at present holding with credit to herself, and with the confidence of those who smiled at her enthusiasm. Efficiency engineering is her objective, and it is one that only those specially qualified could hope to attain. She is putting in all her time to this, as well as her mind and her abilities, and is determined to arrive, no matter how hard the climbing is. Her argument is that engineering is constructive work, and through that a great many people can be reached. This belief emboldens her to make snecial effort, for in her own words: "Engineering is lacking in a way. in

the human element," and she hopes lacking through some sort of social work for girls and women. Her Fathers And then the ancient law of heredity does count in her case. Miss Nicolet's father gave her particular her-i tage, All his life he has been sociated with the mechanical, and his daughter could do no loss than love figures and wheels, and the scent of the mechanic's long nosed oil can. Kansas is keeping its eye on its wonder girl •jiul predicts that she has not fully beaconed their State sky yet, even though she can already scheme for them a power plant used in the Kansas City Railways Company.