Life, 1904-06-02 · page 31 of 50
Life — June 2, 1904 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the dramatic shift in domestic service expectations between the "old style" and "new style" of hiring household help. **The "Two Want Ads" Satire:** The **old advertisement** reflects traditional employer dominance: a hired girl works for $2/week with minimal amenities, entering through servants' entrances. The **new advertisement** mockingly exaggerates the reverse—now employers must offer a "service-lady" $5/week, private bedroom with bath, drawing-room access, seven evenings off weekly, a piano, automobile, and no children. Absurdly, she "will take orders from nobody" and the employer can only hope she'll listen to "requests." **The Social Point:** This reflects early 1900s labor dynamics where domestic workers—increasingly scarce and demanding better conditions—had gained negotiating power. Employers had to offer improved terms to attract help, inverting the traditional servant-master relationship. The exaggerated "new style" ad ridicules how far employer concessions had gone, portraying servants as now making unreasonable demands. The top illustration labeled "SPECULATION" appears unrelated—showing figures in dramatic poses, possibly theatrical commentary matching the season-end editorial text above.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
of such a le. made to understand the valu theatre to the whole American ND so, ring down the curtain on the season of 1903-04. It dies unregretted and un- mourned except by those whose investments have met with—in most cases—deserved disaster, Let the dead past bury its dead FA Let us hope, even against hope, that next season's summary will give us eater cause to regret that another theatrical year has gone, Sfetcalfe. Two ‘Want Ads.’ OLD STYL ANTED: A hired girl todo house- work and make herself generally useful. Wages two dollars.a week and found. Apply at servants’ entrance. NEW STYLE. Waxtep: A service-lady, black or white, domestic or foreign, to accept five dollars a week with all the com- forts of an elegant home and make herself generally ornamental. Parlor and bedroom with bath on third floor —clevator in house and man to run it. SPECULATION, She may receive her friends in the drawing-room, have seven evenings, “MADAME, WON'T VOU TAKE THIS SEAT?” “ste. VOU PLATTER a afternoons off each ht key, and mornings and week, have her own nig complain if the place isn’t run to suit her. She will take orders from nobody, but it is hoped that she will listen to requests when properly made. Have a hand-played piano in the house, but will get the other kind if applicant is of musical tastes without corresponding accomplishment. Family will be glad tocat at second table. “Telephone in house. Ha horses and so forth, but will substitute automobile if desired. No dogs. Children will be sent to an asylum if not satisfacto: House of latest’ modern design in exclusive neighborhood. Employer will give bond for the discharge of her duties and asks nothing except that applicant will not so that she (th ployer) may tell her fashionable friends that she is not doing her own work. Applicant will please give address and employer will her to the position offered. ences required. “give notice, 1 on her before inviting No refer- comicbooks.com