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Progressivism and Social Work for Women in Minneapolis

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Women's Work and Politics in WWI America

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Abstract

This chapter deals with the importance of the gendered progressive movements like the Women’s Trade Union League (WTUL), the Women’s Welfare League, the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), and the settlement houses for preventing working women in Minneapolis from “going wrong” and instead becoming non-unionized and efficient blue- and white-collar workers. The YWCA in particular changed from being considered by the company management to be an intruder to becoming a welcome partner in making working women respectable and well-adjusted to the social order of capitalism.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Shelton Stromquist , Re-inventing “the People”: The Progressive Movement, the Class Problem, and the Origins of Modern Liberalism, Urbana and Chicago, 2006, pp. 3ff. and 34.

  2. 2.

    Stromquist, 2006, pp. 16, 22, 25 and 76.

  3. 3.

    Stromquist, 2006, pp. 87 and 123.

  4. 4.

    Stromquist, 2006, pp. 194ff.

  5. 5.

    Stromquist, 2006, pp. 124–130; Kessler-Harris, 2003, p. 165; and Lara Vapnek, Breadwinners: Working Women and Economic Independence, Chicago, 2009, p. 133.

  6. 6.

    McCreesh, 1985, pp. 52f.

  7. 7.

    Jensen and Davidson (eds.), 1984, p. xiii.

  8. 8.

    McCreesh, 1985, p. 88f. Ellen Lindstrom was a member of the board of both the United Garment Workers of America and the National Women’s Trade Union League. McCreesh, 1985, pp. 86 and 88.

  9. 9.

    Stromquist, 2006, pp. 127f.; Kessler-Harris, 2003, p. 166.

  10. 10.

    Stromquist, 2006, p. 129.

  11. 11.

    Kessler-Harris, 2003, p. 166.

  12. 12.

    Kessler-Harris, 2003, p. 171.

  13. 13.

    Vapnek, 2009, p. 160.

  14. 14.

    Kessler-Harris, 2003, p. 171. See also Anderson, 1973.

  15. 15.

    Life and Labor , July 1918, p. 152.

  16. 16.

    Diane Kirkby, “Henry, Alice (1857–1943),” Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/henry-alice-6642/text11443, accessed December 10, 2012. See also Munsingwear News , December 1921, p. 30.

  17. 17.

    Report, Conference of Departments of Women in Industry of the Middle-West State Divisions, Chicago, 1919, p. 7. Minnesota Commission of Public Safety. Location 103.K.6.9B, MHS.

  18. 18.

    Life and Labor , October 1919, p. 271.

  19. 19.

    Life and Labor , October 1919, p. 271.

  20. 20.

    Minutes of Women’s Welfare League , January 5, 1912, p. 29, Women’s Welfare League of Minneapolis, Records 1911–1962, Box 2, Location BK1.w872, MHS.

  21. 21.

    Women’s Welfare League—Minneapolis, Folder, Minneapolis 1914, Women’s Welfare League of Minneapolis, Records 1911–1962, Box 2, Location BK1.w872, MHS.

  22. 22.

    Minutes of the Legislative Committee of January 9, 1913; May 8, 1913; and December 11, 1913, Women’s Welfare League of Minneapolis, Records 1911–1962, Box 1, Location BK1/.W872, MHS.

  23. 23.

    Minutes of the Legislative Committee of November 12, 1912, Women’s Welfare League of Minneapolis, Records 1911–1962, Box 1, Location BK1/.W872, MHS. In the early 1920s, the Women’s Co-operative Alliance made several surveys of movies in Minneapolis; see Cynthia A. Hanson, “Catheryne Cooke Gilman and the Minneapolis Betterment Movement,” in Minnesota History, Vol. 51: 6 (1989), pp. 202–216.

  24. 24.

    Minutes of the Legislative Committee of December 12, 1912, Women’s Welfare League of Minneapolis, Records 1911–1962, Box 1, Location BK1/.W872, MHS.

  25. 25.

    Minutes of the Legislative Committee of January 23, 1913, Women’s Welfare League of Minneapolis, Records 1911–1962, Box 1, Location BK1/.W872, MHS.

  26. 26.

    Minutes of the Legislative Committee of February 11, 1914, Women’s Welfare League of Minneapolis, Records 1911–1962, Box 1, Location BK1/.W872, MHS.

  27. 27.

    Minutes of the Legislative Committee of May 3 and 24, 1912, Women’s Welfare League of Minneapolis, Records 1911–1962, Box 1, Location BK1/.W872, MHS.

  28. 28.

    Faue, 1991, p. 24.

  29. 29.

    Minutes of the Legislative Committee of December 20, 1912, Women’s Welfare League of Minneapolis, Records 1911–1962, Box 1, Location BK1/.W872, MHS.

  30. 30.

    Minutes of the Legislative Committee of February 21, 1913, Women’s Welfare League of Minneapolis, Records 1911–1962, Box 1, Location BK1/.W872, MHS.

  31. 31.

    Minutes of the Legislative Committee of April 23, 1915, Women’s Welfare League of Minneapolis, Records 1911–1962, Box 1, Location BK1/.W872, MHS.

  32. 32.

    The Minneapolis Journal, October 31, 1915. F. M. Stowell’s scrapbook, Munsingwear Inc., Records, Box 32, Vol. 19, Location 148.C.14.3.(B), MHS.

  33. 33.

    Report of the President for 1917, Women’s Welfare League of Minneapolis, Records 1911–1962, Box 1, Location BK1.W.872, MHS. Caroline Manning was later recruited to the Woman’s Bureau at the United States Department of Labor. See Anderson, 1951, pp. 111, 197 and 216.

  34. 34.

    Minutes of the Legislative Committee of November 16, 1917, Women’s Welfare League of Minneapolis, Records 1911–1962, Box 1, Location BK1/.W872, MHS.

  35. 35.

    Minutes of the Legislative Committee of January 4, 1916, Women’s Welfare League of Minneapolis, Records 1911–1962, Box 1, Location BK1/.W872, MHS.

  36. 36.

    Munsingwear News , November 1919, p. 14.

  37. 37.

    Lynn Weiner, “‘Our Sister’s Keepers’: The Minneapolis Woman’s Christian Association and Housing for Working Women,” in Minnesota History, Vol. 46: 5 (1979), pp. 189–200, 192.

  38. 38.

    Letter from Lilian Trusdell of the Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association to Miss Cunningham of the Woman’s Commission of May 29, 1917, Correspondence and Subject Files, Minnesota Commission of Public Safety, Women’s Committee, Box 1, Location 103.K.7.9B MHS.

  39. 39.

    Letter of May 29, 1917, from Frances M. Crittenden to Miss Harriet A. Cunningham, Correspondence and Subject Files, Minnesota Commission of Public Safety, Women’s Committee, Box 1, Location 103.K.7.9, MHS.

  40. 40.

    Summary of the findings of the survey, p. 18, Survey 1919, Vol. 1, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  41. 41.

    Lane, “Women and Girls Employed Outside of Home,” p. 85, Survey 1919, Vol. 2, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  42. 42.

    Welfare Work for Employees in Industrial Establishments in the United States, 1919, p. 75.

  43. 43.

    Fine, 1990, p. 185.

  44. 44.

    “Statistics, by Esther M. Erickson ,” Vol. 1, 1902–1903, p. 2, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  45. 45.

    “Statistics, by Esther M. Erickson ,” Vol. 1, 1902–1903, p. 2, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  46. 46.

    “Statistics, by Esther M. Erickson ,” Vol. 1, 1902–1903, p. 9, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  47. 47.

    “Statistics, by Esther M. Erickson ,” Vol. 1, 1902–1903, pp. 113f., Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  48. 48.

    “Statistics, by Esther M. Erickson ,” Vol. 1, 1902–1903, p. 36, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  49. 49.

    St. Paul Globe, March 25, 1888. Quoted from Hart, 2012.

  50. 50.

    “Statistics, by Esther M. Erickson ,” Vol. 1, 1902–1903, p. 36, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  51. 51.

    “Statistics, by Esther M. Erickson ,” Vol. 1, 1902–1903, pp. 105–107, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  52. 52.

    “Statistics, by Esther M. Erickson ,” Vol. 1, 1902–1903, pp. 113f., Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  53. 53.

    Munsingwear News , November 1919, p. 11.

  54. 54.

    Munsingwear News , February 1916, p. 13.

  55. 55.

    Munsingwear News , May 1917, p. 11.

  56. 56.

    Letter of May 29, 1917, from Frances M. Crittenden to Miss Harriet A. Cunningham, Correspondence and Subject Files, Minnesota Commission of Public Safety, Women’s Committee, Box 1, Location 103.K.7.9, MHS.

  57. 57.

    Report of the survey director, p. 1, Survey 1919, Vol. 1, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  58. 58.

    Schedules filled by interviewers. District I, Settlements and Chapels, Survey 1919, Vol. 5, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  59. 59.

    Schedules filled by interviewers. District II, Settlements and Chapels, Survey 1919, Vol. 5, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  60. 60.

    Women in Industry in Minnesota in 1918, p. 7.

  61. 61.

    Summary of the findings of the survey, pp. 20–28, Survey 1919, Vol. 1, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  62. 62.

    Summary of the findings of the survey, pp. 1–8, Survey 1919, Vol. 1, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  63. 63.

    Schedules filled by interviewers, District V, Probation officers and Police Matrons, Survey 1919, Vol. 5, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Vol. 5, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  64. 64.

    Statistical tables, pp. 149–151, Survey 1919, Vol. 3, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  65. 65.

    Reports by District, The Central District, by Rita D. MacMullan, p. 29, Survey 1919, Vol. 1, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  66. 66.

    Reports by District, The Central District, by Rita D. MacMullan, pp. 235f. Survey 1919, Vol. 1, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  67. 67.

    Report of the Survey Director, Margareth H. Abels, p. 8, Survey 1919, Vol. 1, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  68. 68.

    Munsingwear News , September and October 1921, p. 10.

  69. 69.

    Reports by District, The Central District, by Rita MacMullan. p. 36, Survey 1919, Vol. 1; Statistical Tables, pp. 159f., Survey 1919, Vol. 3, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  70. 70.

    Report of the Sub-Committee on Homes for Working Girls, p. 273, Survey 1919, Vol. 4, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  71. 71.

    Munsingwear News , August 1919, p. 14.

  72. 72.

    Report of the Sub-Committee on Homes for Working Girls, pp. 273ff., Survey 1919, Vol. 4, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  73. 73.

    Report of the Sub-Committee on Homes for Working Girls, pp. 271 and 274, Survey 1919, Vol. 4, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  74. 74.

    Manuel Conrad Elmer, Women in Clerical and Secretarial Work, Minneapolis, 1925, p. 41.

  75. 75.

    Summary of the findings of the Survey, p. 18, Survey 1919, Vol. 1, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  76. 76.

    Lists and Schedules of Public and Social Agencies, pp. 211f., Survey 1919, Vol. 3, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  77. 77.

    Schedules filled by interviewers, District III, Survey 1919, Vol. 5, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  78. 78.

    Lane, 1919, Survey 1919, Vol. 2, Special Studies, p. 85, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association Archive, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  79. 79.

    Munsingwear News , January 1916, p. 3.

  80. 80.

    Winifred Wandersee Bolin, “Heating up the Melting Pot: Settlement Work and Americanization in Northeast Minneapolis,” in Minnesota History, Vol. 45: 2 (1976), pp. 58, 58–69.

  81. 81.

    McCreesh, 1985, p. 65.

  82. 82.

    Stromquist, 2006, pp. 45 and 115.

  83. 83.

    Pamphlets relating to social settlements in Minnesota, Location HV4175-HV4630, MHS.

  84. 84.

    Unity House after 17 years of Service (1914), p. 3, Pamphlets relating to social settlements in Minneapolis, Location HV4175-HV4630, MHS.

  85. 85.

    Munsingwear News , November 1919, p. 11.

  86. 86.

    Unity House, 1897–1947, p. 8, Pamphlets relating to social settlements in Minneapolis, Location HV4175-HV4630, MHS.

  87. 87.

    Schedules filled by interviewers, District I, Settlements and Chapels, Survey 1919, Vol. 5, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  88. 88.

    Munsingwear News , November 1919, p. 15.

  89. 89.

    A History of Pillsbury House, Minneapolis 1934, p. 12. Pamphlets relating to social settlements in Minnesota, Location HV4175-HV4630, MHS.

  90. 90.

    Report on a Community Study of the Sixth Ward made by the Bureau of Municipal Research of the Minneapolis Civic and Commerce Association , pp. 311–313, Copy in Survey 1919, Vol. 4, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  91. 91.

    Report on a Community Study of the Sixth Ward made by the Bureau of Municipal Research of the Minneapolis Civic and Commerce Association , p. 314, Copy Survey 1919, Vol. 4, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  92. 92.

    Undated welcome pamphlet, Pamphlets relating to social settlements in Minnesota, Location HV4175-HV4630, MHS.

  93. 93.

    Munsingwear News , February 1916, p. 12.

  94. 94.

    Munsingwear News , November 1919, p. 7.

  95. 95.

    Schedules filled by interviewers, District II, Settlements and Chapels, pp. 20–28, Survey 1919, Vol. 5, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  96. 96.

    Pamphlets relating to social settlements in Minnesota, Location HV4175-HV4630, MHS.

  97. 97.

    Munsingwear News , November 1919, p. 9.

  98. 98.

    Schedules filled by interviewers, District III, Settlements and Chapels, Survey 1919, Vol. 5, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  99. 99.

    Schedules filled by interviewers, District II, Settlements and Chapels, Survey 1919, Vol. 5, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota .

  100. 100.

    Munsingwear News , November 1919, p. 21.

  101. 101.

    Report of the Sub-Committee on Homes for Working Girls, pp. 275f., Survey 1919, Vol. 4, Copies of Survey Reports used in the Study, Minneapolis Young Women’s Christian Association, Records, Box 10, Social Welfare History Archive, University of Minneapolis.

  102. 102.

    Quotation from Stromquist, 2006, p. 124.

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    Lars Olsson

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Olsson, L. (2018). Progressivism and Social Work for Women in Minneapolis. In: Women's Work and Politics in WWI America. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90215-9_7

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