Iowa Women in the Workplace

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Iowa Women in the Workplace

by Mary Allison Farley

These photographs, taken by an unknown photographer in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1912, are part of an extraordinary collection housed at the Center for Dubuque History at Loras College. Grouped together as the William J. Klauer Collection, the more than four hundred photographs serve as an exceptional record of workers in a variety of settings shortly after the turn of the century. The all inclusive camera angle captured men and women as part of their total work environment, while the photographer’s large view camera produced sharp and detail-filled images. Much valuable information can be gleaned from the photographs about daily work patterns and working conditions.

The twenty-four photographs selected for this presentation document some of the employment opportunities available to women in urban or small-town communities. The images of Dubuque women ironing in laundries, sitting at typewriters in small business offices, and serving customers in millinery shops represent typical work settings that could have been photographed equally well in other parts of Iowa and the Midwest. The employment opportunities for women in industrial settings varied with the nature of the industries that thrived in particular communities, but in general, women worked in light industry. Thus, in Dubuque, women worked at the mattress factory, the candy factories, the paper box factory, and the garment factories. In Muscatine, women made up a large proportion of the labor force at the button factory. Des Moines women found employment at a hosiery mill. Sioux City women were employed by a biscuit company.

The women wage earners in these photographs were part of the growing number of women who worked outside their homes at the turn of the century. Nationally, the number of women workers increased dramatically in the twenty years between 1890 and 1910. One million women had been counted as part of the labor force in 1890, but by 1910 eight million wage-earning women were included in the work force count. More and more women—and particularly young, single women—began to work for wages away from their homes. They followed traditional, domestic jobs like baking and sewing from their homes into new industrial settings. Further, increasing numbers of women graduated from high school during the 1890 to 1910 period (25,182 in 1890 and 92,753 in 1910) and filled newly-created office positions in business and industry. Some women acquired additional job skills through business school training.

Men and women shared considerable ambivalence about the increased movement of women from the home into the wage-earning work force. Almost everyone agreed that the home roles of wife and mother should be the most important roles for a woman. They believed, further, that if a woman had to work for wages before marriage she should select a job that would prepare her for her future domestic responsibilities. Jobs thought appropriate for women, therefore, were those that emphasized cleanliness, neatness, gentility, and the skills of the homemaker. Yet many women had to take jobs that did not meet these standards. And employers were quick to recruit women into a variety of workplaces because women cost less to employ than men and women were less likely to organize into unions.

At the time when people had stated to realize that more women needed to earn wages to support themselves, the “family wage concept” hindered women’s effort to secure a living wage. Many people believed that only men needed to earn a living wage since men were responsible for the support of their families. People assumed that women were economically dependent on fathers or husbands and did not require a full wage. However, in reality, the unemployment, injuries, and low wages that plagued male wage earners often caused them to depend on the economic contributions of women in the their families. The increasing number of women who headed their own households also contradicted the assumptions behind the family wage concept.

This gallery recreates a 1984 exhibit titled "Iowa Women in the Workplace." The exhibit, curated by Mary Allison Farley, traveled Iowa for three years. The exhibit and text were also adapted into an article for The Palmpest, Volume 67, Number 1, January/February 1986.

This gallery recreates a 1984 exhibit titled “Iowa Women in the Workplace.” The exhibit, curated by Mary Allison Farley, traveled Iowa for three years. The exhibit and text were also adapted into an article for The Palmpest, Volume 67, Number 1, January/February 1986.

Section 1: Workplaces Away from Home

Women working at the McFadden Coffee and Spice Company in Dubuque Iowa in 1912

Women working at the McFadden Coffee and Spice Company in Dubuque Iowa in 1912

Clerking in a grocery store attached to her home allowed a woman to tend both to the customers and to her children. In 1912, a woman generally gave up her wage-earning activities when she married unless she helped run the family store or took boarders into her home.

Clerking in a grocery store attached to her home allowed a woman to tend both to the customers and to her children. In 1912, a woman generally gave up her wage-earning activities when she married unless she helped run the family store or took boarders into her home.

Women controlled the intimate world of the beauty shop. They might occasionally allow a man to enter this clean and orderly environment if he needed a toupee. (O'Donnell Sisters Beauty Shop)

Women controlled the intimate world of the beauty shop. They might occasionally allow a man to enter this clean and orderly environment if he needed a toupee. (O’Donnell Sisters Beauty Shop)

The elegant image of calendar ladies clashed with the day to day reality of work in the print shop and the dairy office.

The elegant image of calendar ladies clashed with the day to day reality of work in the print shop and the dairy office.

Office at Klauer Manufacturing.

Office at Klauer Manufacturing.

For the most part, women worked with other women. Although women might work in the same shipping room, they held different jobs and received different wages. Wage surveys confirmed that “a woman wasn’t worth as much as a man.” (Beatrice Creamery, 1912)

For the most part, women worked with other women. Although women might work in the same shipping room, they held different jobs and received different wages. Wage surveys confirmed that “a woman wasn’t worth as much as a man.” (Beatrice Creamery, 1912)

As production moved from the home to the factor, employers hired women to inspect, label, package and tend machines. Even in light industry, women faced poor working conditions. One worker in a paperbox factory described “the awful noise and confusion, the terrific heat, the foul smell of the glue, and the agony of … blistered hands.”

As production moved from the home to the factor, employers hired women to inspect, label, package and tend machines. Even in light industry, women faced poor working conditions. One worker in a paperbox factory described “the awful noise and confusion, the terrific heat, the foul smell of the glue, and the agony of … blistered hands.”Section 2: Women’s Jobs, Women’s Wages

Section 2: Women’s Jobs, Women’s Wages

Beatrice Creamery, Dubuque, Iowa, 1912

Beatrice Creamery, Dubuque, Iowa, 1912

Nurses working at Mercy Hospital, Dubuque, Iowa, 1912

Nurses working at Mercy Hospital, Dubuque, Iowa, 1912

Nurses working at Mercy Hospital, Dubuque, Iowa, 1912

Nurses working at Mercy Hospital, Dubuque, Iowa, 1912

At the mattress factory, women cut and sewed the mattress ticking under the watchful eye of the male owner. They earned from $4 to $6/week. In a separate part of the factory, the men filled the mattresses and stitched them together, earning from $6 to $15/week. (Dubuuque Mattress Factory, 1912)

At the mattress factory, women cut and sewed the mattress ticking under the watchful eye of the male owner. They earned from $4 to $6/week. In a separate part of the factory, the men filled the mattresses and stitched them together, earning from $6 to $15/week. (Dubuuque Mattress Factory, 1912)

Dubuque Mattress Factory, 1912

Dubuque Mattress Factory, 1912

Based on her investigation of laundries in 1915, Iowa’s woman factory inspector reported that the constant standing and continual use of the arm, combined with the heat and steam, made hand ironing one of the heavy jobs of laundry work. In one Dubuque laundry, however, the female ironers earned only half as much as the male drivers who brought home $12/week. (Lorenz Laundry, 1912)

Based on her investigation of laundries in 1915, Iowa’s woman factory inspector reported that the constant standing and continual use of the arm, combined with the heat and steam, made hand ironing one of the heavy jobs of laundry work. In one Dubuque laundry, however, the female ironers earned only half as much as the male drivers who brought home $12/week. (Lorenz Laundry, 1912)

Lorenz Laundry, Dubuque, Iowa, 1912.

Lorenz Laundry, Dubuque, Iowa, 1912.

Skilled seamstresses made women’s clothing in a variety of setting. Many of them continued to work out of their homes but some set up their own businesses. Workers in some of these shops faced cramped, hazardous working conditions, typical of the sweatshops of the time. If the cloth scraps caught on fire, the shop would be engulfed in flames in no time at all. (Mrs. Tomlinson's Custom Dress Shop)

Skilled seamstresses made women’s clothing in a variety of setting. Many of them continued to work out of their homes but some set up their own businesses. Workers in some of these shops faced cramped, hazardous working conditions, typical of the sweatshops of the time. If the cloth scraps caught on fire, the shop would be engulfed in flames in no time at all. (Mrs. Tomlinson’s Custom Dress Shop)

Candymaking operations employed women only to dip the candies in chocolate and to package them. The highly paid men who mixed up the batches of candy worked on a separate floor. The long, regular hours of the candy factory employees grew even longer during the holiday season. (William Lawther Company)

Candymaking operations employed women only to dip the candies in chocolate and to package them. The highly paid men who mixed up the batches of candy worked on a separate floor. The long, regular hours of the candy factory employees grew even longer during the holiday season. (William Lawther Company)

Section 3: Salesclerks, Not Servants

Clerks wanted seats behind the counters so that they could get off their feet occasionally. Before they convinced the store management to provide seats for the clerks, a cashier remembered that “women were quitting because it was so hard.” (Becker-Hazelton Company, Dubuque, Iowa, 1912)

Clerks wanted seats behind the counters so that they could get off their feet occasionally. Before they convinced the store management to provide seats for the clerks, a cashier remembered that “women were quitting because it was so hard.” (Becker-Hazelton Company, Dubuque, Iowa, 1912)

Women sought out millinery shops for employment because of the attractive working environment. (Ruprecht Brothers Company)

Women sought out millinery shops for employment because of the attractive working environment. (Ruprecht Brothers Company)

Millinery shop workroom.

Millinery shop workroom.

Like most other working people at this time, salesclerks and cashiers put in six day weeks of 8 to 9.5 hour days. Employers required even longer hours during the holiday season.

Like most other working people at this time, salesclerks and cashiers put in six day weeks of 8 to 9.5 hour days. Employers required even longer hours during the holiday season.

Women with few other options filled the service jobs at the soda fountains and the restaurants. (Adam Zillig's Drug Store)

Women with few other options filled the service jobs at the soda fountains and the restaurants. (Adam Zillig’s Drug Store)

In family-owned businesses, the boundary between what men could do and what women could do was less distinct. The protective structure of the family gave women the opportunity to work at jobs usually associated with men. (Buechle's Meat Market)

In family-owned businesses, the boundary between what men could do and what women could do was less distinct. The protective structure of the family gave women the opportunity to work at jobs usually associated with men. (Buechle’s Meat Market)

Section 4: Miss Remington at the Typewriter

In 1912, men continued to dominate the clerical labor force. However, as employers recruited trained women for clerical jobs, the status and wages associated with clerical jobs dropped. (Office at the McFadden Coffee and Spice Company)

In 1912, men continued to dominate the clerical labor force. However, as employers recruited trained women for clerical jobs, the status and wages associated with clerical jobs dropped. (Office at the McFadden Coffee and Spice Company)

At one time most clerical workers were men. In 1870 men filled almost 98% of the clerical jobs available. As recently as 1910 men still held 66% of these jobs, though women were steadily moving into the clerical labor force. (Office in the B & I Building)

At one time most clerical workers were men. In 1870 men filled almost 98% of the clerical jobs available. As recently as 1910 men still held 66% of these jobs, though women were steadily moving into the clerical labor force. (Office in the B & I Building)

The breakdown of clerical work into routine, specialized jobs accompanied the movement of women and machines into the office. Male clericals left the offices as these changes occurred, leaving behind the problems of job segregation and low pay.

The breakdown of clerical work into routine, specialized jobs accompanied the movement of women and machines into the office. Male clericals left the offices as these changes occurred, leaving behind the problems of job segregation and low pay.

Office at Hanson Brothers Grocery, Dubuque, Iowa, 1912.

Office at Hanson Brothers Grocery, Dubuque, Iowa, 1912.

Women entered the office in numbers at the same time that new technology was introduced. The Remington Company advertised its typewriter with a “Miss Remington” rather than a “Mr. Remington” in order to help recruit women into the office.

Women entered the office in numbers at the same time that new technology was introduced. The Remington Company advertised its typewriter with a “Miss Remington” rather than a “Mr. Remington” in order to help recruit women into the office.