shop floor and in the canteen, yet it appears that there are still a great many instances where the young girls are forced to put up with certain improprieties, which, innocent and inexperienced as they are, they are often incapable of rebuffing. Worse, some of them may take the indecencies to which they are subjected for well-meaning attentions, which in turn may tempt them to indulge in unbecoming conduct, with all the tragic consequences that may entail.”
Even though our region had seen industrial development for well over half a century, it seemed that industry was still regarded as an intruder liable to jeopardize the area’s once-pristine innocence. People do like to place the past on a romantic pedestal, like some treasured Christmas ornament, conveniently forgetting the hanky-panky and fornication that has always been rife in the open fields or the hayloft. Who hasn’t heard the raunchy stories about rolls in the hay? They just go to show that barns aren’t only for housing the livestock and their fodder.
“We take every aspect of our workers’ safety extremely seriously,” I replied, “and do all we can to save the young girls from themselves, as well as guard them from the boorish behavior of the male personnel. But surely the parents must accept some of the responsibility too? And the Church, naturally. You yourself just acknowledged that we have tried to keep the sexes apart wherever possible. What more can we do? After all, this is a commercial enterprise, not a finishing school.”
“We do what we can, of course,” said the priest, slowly tapping the tips of his emaciated fingers together, “but in this case we need everyone to step in. In my parish, we offer informational sessions; we get women of unimpeachable repute to prepare the girls for their future housewifely duties, instructing them in the arts of housekeeping, cooking, and virtuous conduct. It would be to your credit if your company could assume some similar role in educating your workers. There are other firms in our country—not yet very many, I’ll admit—that have shouldered that responsibility. It would benefit not only your employees but your own interests as well, since it would do a lot for your firm’s general success and reputation. All in all, I know the people around here would very much appreciate that sort of initiative.”
I didn’t think much of the idea, but promised the padre I’d mention it to the other directors, and that I would keep him apprised of our decision.
When I told Rivka that night about it, she was immediately enthusiastic. My young wife had the knack of befriending folks from all walks of life, even out here in this class-conscious rural society. I had noticed this propensity of hers that first night in my Lancia, when she’d been so chummy with Frank; she always managed to win people over. In the beginning I found it quite charming; later on, her coziness with my factory girls very nearly destroyed me.
My energetic young bride wasn’t prepared to cut herself off from the outside world and stay home like some broody mother hen. Her vivacious, free-spirited nature—the quality that had so attracted me when we first met—proved to be the very essence of her makeup. I was away a great deal, of course, mostly on business, though there was also the occasional extramarital fling.Rivka didn’t seem to mind very much. She wasn’t the type to sit around moping, waiting for me to come home. On the contrary; a women’s-libber before the concept even existed, that was my Rivka.
The priest’s suggestion found a receptive ear with her, and she immediately set out to organize instructive evenings for my workers. I doubt that my bride was the one the cleric had in mind to carry out his plan, not being of unimpeachable virtue herself (he, like everyone else, had kept a careful tab of the number of months we’d been married before her delivery). And besides, she wasn’t even Catholic. An unbeliever and
Even though our region had seen industrial development for well over half a century, it seemed that industry was still regarded as an intruder liable to jeopardize the area’s once-pristine innocence. People do like to place the past on a romantic pedestal, like some treasured Christmas ornament, conveniently forgetting the hanky-panky and fornication that has always been rife in the open fields or the hayloft. Who hasn’t heard the raunchy stories about rolls in the hay? They just go to show that barns aren’t only for housing the livestock and their fodder.
“We take every aspect of our workers’ safety extremely seriously,” I replied, “and do all we can to save the young girls from themselves, as well as guard them from the boorish behavior of the male personnel. But surely the parents must accept some of the responsibility too? And the Church, naturally. You yourself just acknowledged that we have tried to keep the sexes apart wherever possible. What more can we do? After all, this is a commercial enterprise, not a finishing school.”
“We do what we can, of course,” said the priest, slowly tapping the tips of his emaciated fingers together, “but in this case we need everyone to step in. In my parish, we offer informational sessions; we get women of unimpeachable repute to prepare the girls for their future housewifely duties, instructing them in the arts of housekeeping, cooking, and virtuous conduct. It would be to your credit if your company could assume some similar role in educating your workers. There are other firms in our country—not yet very many, I’ll admit—that have shouldered that responsibility. It would benefit not only your employees but your own interests as well, since it would do a lot for your firm’s general success and reputation. All in all, I know the people around here would very much appreciate that sort of initiative.”
I didn’t think much of the idea, but promised the padre I’d mention it to the other directors, and that I would keep him apprised of our decision.
When I told Rivka that night about it, she was immediately enthusiastic. My young wife had the knack of befriending folks from all walks of life, even out here in this class-conscious rural society. I had noticed this propensity of hers that first night in my Lancia, when she’d been so chummy with Frank; she always managed to win people over. In the beginning I found it quite charming; later on, her coziness with my factory girls very nearly destroyed me.
My energetic young bride wasn’t prepared to cut herself off from the outside world and stay home like some broody mother hen. Her vivacious, free-spirited nature—the quality that had so attracted me when we first met—proved to be the very essence of her makeup. I was away a great deal, of course, mostly on business, though there was also the occasional extramarital fling.Rivka didn’t seem to mind very much. She wasn’t the type to sit around moping, waiting for me to come home. On the contrary; a women’s-libber before the concept even existed, that was my Rivka.
The priest’s suggestion found a receptive ear with her, and she immediately set out to organize instructive evenings for my workers. I doubt that my bride was the one the cleric had in mind to carry out his plan, not being of unimpeachable virtue herself (he, like everyone else, had kept a careful tab of the number of months we’d been married before her delivery). And besides, she wasn’t even Catholic. An unbeliever and
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