My dear Miss Addams: --
This letter is written to you both as a member of the Board of Managers of the National Society for the Promotion of Industrial Education and as one who is interested in the promotion of practical training to fit girls and women for the duties of the home and the factory, giving them the same advantage in life as those which we are seeking to secure for boys and men.
The National Society, after six years of promotion and propaganda, is now seeking to do constructive work. That movement is well afoot. We need wise legislation on the subject and we need to induce communities everywhere to start classes and to start them properly, to carry them on in ways that promise to be effective.
There is considerable probability that the group of ladies and gentlemen who have been associated closely with the Manhattan Trade School for Girls, will contribute the money which will enable the Society to employ the services of a woman agent who, cooperating with the Secretary, will give her entire time to the cause of the girls and women.
This letter is written to you, asking for advice and suggestions with regard to a desirable person for the work. Promising people are apparently hard to find in this specialized field. Such a woman should, if possible, have a national reputation. It is desirable, if possible, to secure [illegible] a person who has had previous experience in dealing with the practical training of girls and women, preferably in trade or household arts schools. Apropos of this, I will say that Mrs. Woolman and Miss Marshall do not seem to be available for the work.
This woman agent should have executive ability, a winning personality, capacity to deal with people, the ability to address large audiences, to think concerning her work in a constructive way, and to write.
While the question of salary has not been definitely decided upon, it seems safe to say it might range from $2500 to $4000, according to the desirability of the candidate. Any suggestion you might give with regard to this matter will be appreciated and will be treated as confidential.
Thanking you in advance, I remain
Sincerely yours,
C A Prosser [signed]
Secretary.
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