Tonya M. Fleetwood

Good Jobs for Good Girls

February 1, 2004 - 11:21 pm

I've really been meaning to update more, but I'm just so busy that websiting relocates to the bottom of my priority list. I'm still not updating yet; the following is from an old book called 'Good Jobs for Good Girls' by Harford Powel. It was published in 1949. Given my recent bad news in terms of a future career, I thought I would provide this comical guideline for working women way back in the day.

Good Job for Good Girls by Harford Powel

Work, as you know, is unnatural. Look at the animal kingdom. Ask yourself if its highest creatures are the busy bees and the industrious ants. Bees and ants work hard all day, and what do they get for it?
Such higher animals as the purring pussy by the fireside or the wellfed spaniel on the sofa have long ago learned how to live luxuriously without work. And so can you.
Look around you carefully, and you will agree that only one of the higher animals is willing to spend his life at hard labor.
That animal is Man -- not Woman, of course.
Intelligent women have discovered that there are far better things to do with their time than waste it in drudgery.
This is written for girls on the eve of their careers. Here are a number of jobs. Merely select the one that seems least unpleasant to you. All have great drawbacks, of course, otherwise the men in charge would be trampled to death by the crowds of women rushing to work for them.
But every business or professional career can be short for an attractive girl. Perhaps only a few months, perhaps even less than that. No feminine nervous system is strong enough to resist the ravages of paid work over many long years. There is a higher career, one in which you never get exhausted, never get out of bed one moment before you please, and never lack money to buy anything that strikes your fancy. This career is marriage. But it must be marriage to a man who enjoys gratifying your every whim, and who always has the funds necessary for this good purpose.

Secretarial Work
Alone all day with an important man!
That is the alluring picture of the private secretary's life, as painted in the catalogues of the secretarial schools.
Actually, it is the smallest part of what can happen to a girl who understands this kind of work. For if you know how to captivate and control high executives (including company presidents) your fortune in immediately made.
You will move very soon from your typewriter to the altar, and from the altar to the big house at Oyster Bay or Palm Springs, the triplex apartment on Park Avenue, or wherever else you want to make your home.
Don't make the common (and fatal) mistake of letting the Boss choose you. Choose him! The supply of lonely top executives who sadly need the services of attractive and capable girls is absolutely inexhaustible.
Let the Boss see at a glance how much happier he will be with you than with any other girl in the office.
Of course, you will first select him carefully for such qualities as looks, kindness, size of income, sobriety, freedom from marital entanglements....Surely you know what you want in a man.
If you and he like each other at first sight, nothing else matters. You will quickly find yourself sharing his luxurious private office. And then?
What a wonderful new world opens up to you!
The bigger the Big Boss is, the more he will seem to you, in his private office, just a great, big, blundering boy.
The more celebrated he is in his work, the fewer practival things he will be able to do. You will find yourself playing nursemaid, doctor, confidante, and psychiatric nurse to this important and, let us hope, heart-free man. Soon you discover how much practical help and spiritual uplift a beautiful, young girl can give to a weary, older man.

Receptionist
In such a popular job as that of receptionist, you will meet many important men.
Wedding bells have almost started to ring for you as soon as you are properly performing the duties of this position.
As a receptionist (or deceptionist, if you prefer), you must never laugh at a man. His eyes may pop. He may flush lobster-red, merely because he is kept waiting. But be tactful. If wealthy, he has high blood pressure and a high idea of the value of his time. He demands to see the manager in tones which suggest that he wishes to tear that manager limb from limb.
But no man is ever too furious to strike up a conversation with a beautiful, responsive young girl.
As an office receptionist you can always delight any male caller merely by remembering his face, his name, and the man he hopes to see. His delight will ripen fast into admiration, and admiration is an imperceptible distance from love.
Be truly grateful if destiny calls you to be a receptionist or hostess. This is you chance to learn all that is best and worst in masculine nature. And you earn while you learn! Simply select a popular pitch, and be as careful about clothes, make-up, perfume, and manners as if you, not the company's products or services, were on sale.
And why not?
You will have so many offers that you should tarry, not marry, until you have picked the very best.
Some married women have been heard to say that the best is none too good.



Go to Older Entries Directory Good Jobs for Good Girls February 1, 2004 - 11:21 pm I've really been meaning to update more, but I'm just so busy that websiting relocates to the bottom of my priority list. I'm still not updating yet; the following is from an old book called 'Good Jobs for Good Girls' by Harford Powel. It was published in 1949. Given my recent bad news in terms of a future career, I thought I would provide this comical guideline for working women way back in the day. Good Job for Good Girls by Harford Powel Work, as you know, is unnatural. Look at the animal kingdom. Ask yourself if its highest creatures are the busy bees and the industrious ants. Bees and ants work hard all day, and what do they get for it? Such higher animals as the purring pussy by the fireside or the wellfed spaniel on the sofa have long ago learned how to live luxuriously without work. And so can you. Look around you carefully, and you will agree that only one of the higher animals is willing to spend his life at hard labor. That animal is Man -- not Woman, of course. Intelligent women have discovered that there are far better things to do with their time than waste it in drudgery. This is written for girls on the eve of their careers. Here are a number of jobs. Merely select the one that seems least unpleasant to you. All have great drawbacks, of course, otherwise the men in charge would be trampled to death by the crowds of women rushing to work for them. But every business or professional career can be short for an attractive girl. Perhaps only a few months, perhaps even less than that. No feminine nervous system is strong enough to resist the ravages of paid work over many long years. There is a higher career, one in which you never get exhausted, never get out of bed one moment before you please, and never lack money to buy anything that strikes your fancy. This career is marriage. But it must be marriage to a man who enjoys gratifying your every whim, and who always has the funds necessary for this good purpose. Secretarial Work Alone all day with an important man! That is the alluring picture of the private secretary's life, as painted in the catalogues of the secretarial schools. Actually, it is the smallest part of what can happen to a girl who understands this kind of work. For if you know how to captivate and control high executives (including company presidents) your fortune in immediately made. You will move very soon from your typewriter to the altar, and from the altar to the big house at Oyster Bay or Palm Springs, the triplex apartment on Park Avenue, or wherever else you want to make your home. Don't make the common (and fatal) mistake of letting the Boss choose you. Choose him! The supply of lonely top executives who sadly need the services of attractive and capable girls is absolutely inexhaustible. Let the Boss see at a glance how much happier he will be with you than with any other girl in the office. Of course, you will first select him carefully for such qualities as looks, kindness, size of income, sobriety, freedom from marital entanglements....Surely you know what you want in a man. If you and he like each other at first sight, nothing else matters. You will quickly find yourself sharing his luxurious private office. And then? What a wonderful new world opens up to you! The bigger the Big Boss is, the more he will seem to you, in his private office, just a great, big, blundering boy. The more celebrated he is in his work, the fewer practival things he will be able to do. You will find yourself playing nursemaid, doctor, confidante, and psychiatric nurse to this important and, let us hope, heart-free man. Soon you discover how much practical help and spiritual uplift a beautiful, young girl can give to a weary, older man. Receptionist In such a popular job as that of receptionist, you will meet many important men. Wedding bells have almost started to ring for you as soon as you are properly performing the duties of this position. As a receptionist (or deceptionist, if you prefer), you must never laugh at a man. His eyes may pop. He may flush lobster-red, merely because he is kept waiting. But be tactful. If wealthy, he has high blood pressure and a high idea of the value of his time. He demands to see the manager in tones which suggest that he wishes to tear that manager limb from limb. But no man is ever too furious to strike up a conversation with a beautiful, responsive young girl. As an office receptionist you can always delight any male caller merely by remembering his face, his name, and the man he hopes to see. His delight will ripen fast into admiration, and admiration is an imperceptible distance from love. Be truly grateful if destiny calls you to be a receptionist or hostess. This is you chance to learn all that is best and worst in masculine nature. And you earn while you learn! Simply select a popular pitch, and be as careful about clothes, make-up, perfume, and manners as if you, not the company's products or services, were on sale. And why not? You will have so many offers that you should tarry, not marry, until you have picked the very best. Some married women have been heard to say that the best is none too good.