Show h Mc YS I t I 5 DABSON'S BABSON'S I 4 AUTHENTIC 3 t REPORT i t T ft Eer r r W. W Baba Bab 1 t Role Of W Working orl ing Wife A recent study by the National Industrial Conference D B Board o 0 a r d takes a realistic look at the role of the working wife in America today The survey brings to light many questions that should be beof beof beof of interest to families at all so social social social so- so cial levels and suggests many answers that may not jibe with those of women contemplating contemplating contemplating plating taking jobs to double the Income their husbands are making THE WORKING MOTHER WITH CHILDREN prices so SG high and still sUll climbing many young or mid- mid IL 1 I die-aged die housewives with children children chil chil- dren are already holding down regular jobs outside the home for economic reasons But their experience has not always been as helpful as they expected It would be for reasons that may not have occurred to mothers currently thinking of going out outto tu to work Scanning some statistics on this situation we find that often the salary a mother had thought she would add to her husbands husband's take make has somehow evaporated to an alarming degree before It got into her market basket For instance a woman who takes a job paying a year to add to her husbands husband's may well find that she ends up contributing only about to the family till Where does this sizable difference disappear to toVell Well Vell If she has two children and is not blessed with a mother moth moth- er or mother-in-law mother willing to todo todo todo do Indefinite duty she will probably have to lay layout out as much as a year for a full full- time housekeeper or nurse Then there are such He items ms as carfare or the upkeep of another auto extra clothing lunches and taxes And usually not considered considered con con- in advance the mother will have no time lime to hunt for retail bargains and ferret out short cuts that will hold housekeeping housekeeping housekeeping house house- keeping costs down CONDITIONS OF COURSE VARY WIDELY While this means that many manya a working mother will be surprised surprised surprised sur sur- by how slight her addition is to the household kitty there are many situations in which it itis itis itis is eminently worthwhile for a wife to hold a job whether time or part vuen lien children children children chil chil- dren are older and at school or are more Incentives Incentives incentives there college outside for a woman to go the tives home and make use of her talents In the first place the cost ofIn of household help at this particular reduced and time can be greatly eliminated entirely pert perhaps aps salary extra more of the Hence directed toward the education ed education ed- ed be can of the children timesaving timesaving timesaving time- time saving appliances and boosting t the family's standard of living I generally many Despite the fact that women believe their place is young in the home tak taking in g care of the children and of the house there number of are a surprising women who want to take economic eco- eco I advantage of their education I tion and training as soon as reasonably possible Such girls consider their college experience experience experience exper exper- wasted unless they use It to help the family economically They feel also that they are healthier and in better spirits if they can find stimulating work NOW HOW MANY l WIVES ARE ACTUALLY WORKING The g gradual r a d u a 1 extinction n of prejudice against females in various segments of the social l' l and economic order has now be come so complete that women are accepted In almost any Y role I Out of the country's total labor i force of about J a an re pro proximately xi r ar are women working today Of this number about 60 are married and many of them have children The trend toward an ever greater movement of women into the time full labor force may be expected to intensify over the years Immediately ahead particularly in view o Of at f 1 the manpower shortage in so many different significant J J I fields i Part of the upward pressure will stem from the higher education edu edit cation being attained by more morea a and nd more American git I I ing them for a wider diversity of jobs lobs Greatest concentration t will probably continue to be In Inthe the pay higher-pay-bracket lies At present of families with r Incomes of over ear some 40 have two incomes You can expect working en to become more numerous I I more sophisticated more ca capable ca pable and gable and more highly paid paid- as educational opportunities are made more read readily available to the economically deprived A |