Thursday, February 21, 2008
I had to share this!
If you can't read the above, here's the text:
1943 Guide to Hiring Women
The following is an excerpt from the July 1943 issue of Transportation Magazine. This was written for male supervisors of women in the work force during World War II.
"Eleven Tips on Getting More Efficiency Out of Women Employees: There's no longer any question whether transit companies should hire women for jobs formerly held by men. The draft and manpower shortage has settled that point. The important things now are to select the most efficient women available and how to use them to the best advantage.
Here are eleven helpful tips on the subject from Western Properties:
1. Pick young married women. They usually have more of a sense of responsibility than their unmarried sisters, they're less likely to be flirtatious, they need the work or they wouldn't be doing it, they still have the pep and interest to work hard and to deal with the public efficiently.
2. When you have to use older women, try to get ones who have worked outside the home at some time in their lives. Older women who have never contacted the public have a hard time adapting themselves and are inclined to be cantankerous and fussy. It's always well to impress upon older women the importance of friendliness and courtesy.
3. General experience indicates that "husky" girls - those who are just a little on the heavy side - are more even tempered and efficient than their underweight sisters.
4. Retain a physician to give each woman you hire a special physical examination - one covering female conditions. This step not only protects the property against the possibilities of lawsuit, but reveals whether the employee-to-be has any female weaknesses which would make her mentally or physically unfit for the job.
5. Stress at the outset the importance of time the fact that a minute or two lost here and there makes serious inroads on schedules. Until this point is gotten across, service is likely to be slowed up.
6. Give the female employee a definite day-long schedule of duties so that they'll keep busy without bothering the management for instructions every few minutes. Numerous properties say that women make excellent workers when they have their jobs cut out for them, but that they lack initiative in finding work themselves.
7. Whenever possible, let the inside employee change from one job to another at some time during the day. Women are inclined to be less nervous and happier with change.
8. Give every girl an adequate number of rest periods during the day. You have to make some allowances for feminine psychology. A girl has more confidence and is more efficient if she can keep her hair tidied, apply fresh lipstick and wash her hands several times a day.
9. Be tactful when issuing instructions or in making criticisms. Women are often sensitive; they can't shrug off harsh words the way men do. Never ridicule a woman - it breaks her spirit and cuts off her efficiency.
10. Be reasonably considerate about using strong language around women. Even though a girl's husband or father may swear vociferously, she'll grow to dislike a place of business where she hears too much of this.
11. Get enough size variety in operator's uniforms so that each girl can have a proper fit. This point can't be stressed too much in keeping women happy."
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"3. General experience indicates that "husky" girls - those who are just a little on the heavy side - are more even tempered and efficient than their underweight sisters."
Just a little on the heavy side, mind you. Those of us who are huggable perhaps? *reconsiders staying in jazzercise*
I'm actually annoyed at the shameless ignorance and contempt of this text towards women. What idiot came up with the idea of discarding half of the species as mentally unfit to function in civil society? Probably the same people who think it's a great idea to have hundreds of thousands get themselves killed to fulfill their ambition.
While the article's tone toward women is obviously reprehensible, the underlying statement is that people not accustomed to being so abused as they are at work will reject the institution outright. It requires trickery, conditioning and of course the threat of destitution to make people actually slave away for robber-barons.
Uh, I can think of just such a place. It's called Planet Earth. Are you under the impression that human survival is cost-free, and it's just some sort of conspiracy that forces us to work for our very existence? Is working in a cubicle five days a week really somehow much worse than thousands of years ago when brutal subsistance agrivulture and hunting were how to survive? When real starvation loomed constantly in the background? Methinks you need some perspective.
Back in 1943, when the country was at war, we had actual priorities.
it's soooooo interesting to see what has changed over time...and what hasn't so much...
ah well.
As a non-husky female who has worked in situations surrounded by men (a loading dock, for one, and office, for another), I can say for certain that list is utter rubbish.
And oh yes, child care is a high priority. No point in running off to defend our nation and leaving the children to their own devices. I mean really, have you ever raised children or are you talking out your ass? (pardon my harsh language. I did not wish to offend any delicate ears. Haha.)
-- Ann Nonimus
The mindset is truly amazing as well as backward!
I really liked that obout feminine psychology.
It´s a lot that we male don´t understand..
Joan Stepsen
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