CHAPTER X.
 

(17iS9-1766.)
 

Sooiety for the Enoonragement of Faithfnl Bomeatio Servants Organized—*

Development of Chatham Street—^Fint Baptist Ghnroh—Iaw

Begnlatinff Price of Heat—Sandy Hook Lighthouse,

The housekeepers of the early ninoteenth century must have had an.
experience similar to those of the twentieth century in the employing of
household help and the retaining of It, according to tho record of the
formstlon of a Society for the Encouragement of Faithful Domestic Ser^
vants established nearly one hundred years ago, with headquarters in
Chambers street. At that time the Question of the autocracy of the upstairs
girl and the downstairs girl, of the cook, the nurse and tho maid and of all
the rest of the nerve destroying, anger breeding household help no doubt
had been thoroughly considered, resolving itself eventually into the forma¬
tion of a society for mutual protection and the settlement of the Question in
an interesting way. Of course, a similar plan, If adopted to-day, would
limit the field of the carlcaturiat and cause the writer of Jokes on the mis-
trees and maid Question much worry to Snd a hospitable place for his
stock of hoary and wanton puns, but what relief would come to the house-
bolder when the servant raven disappeared from the door^ and the cheery
"Tes, ma'am," "No. ma'am," took its place, and the cook welcomed the
mistress to the kitchen and the butler removed tbe shoes of the master
from their telltale place at the foot of the stairs, etc. Oh, happy day!
Here is the narrative of the society's formation:

A committee of women representative of New Tork's best families,
flnding it bard to retain servants, formed the association mentioned above,
placing the fee for membership In It at S6, Tbey chose as officers a prest'
dent and eight managers, who wore subscribers, and sn agent, whoso duty
it was to keep a register of all persons spplying for places as domestics oi
servants of any description, and who could produce good written recom¬
mendations that they wore entitled to have their namea registered. As
the primary object of the society was to offer liberal premiums to those
^domestics who conducted themselves well and remained longest En a family,
the society adopted a graded list of awards, to he given annually to all
nominated servants. Subscribers were the nominators for such premiums,
and any of them who were found giving a false character to a servant
were excluded from the society- Premiums were bestowed for one, two and
three or more years of faithful service, and also a premium of 1 per cent.
on all balances in the savings bank, the books to he exhibited to the agent.

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