INTRODUCTION
When my 87-year-old mother was a kid, going to school in a one-room schoolhouse, she recalls having to learn the names of all the cabinet members. She was only about ten or eleven years old. Today the only name she remembers is Frances Perkins–because she was the only woman!
Today, for many Americans, Frances Perkins isn’t even a name. But she was a formidable woman, a pioneer among women in politics and public service. Appointed Secretary of Labor in 1933 by President Franklin Roosevelt, she was the first woman to serve in the cabinet.
Frances Perkins was a determined lady, a lady with a hat who made a habit of studying the habits of her male counterparts, colleagues, and bosses–just so she would have a better chance of accomplishing her goals. Perhaps her hat was an invisible helmet. Certainly in those days women had to arm themselves psychologically if they wanted to get anything done in the public domain–still dominated by men (mostly male-chauvinist men). Perkins was definitely a strategic thinker (1).
She was born in Boston on April 10th, 1880 (2). So this Sunday is the anniversary of her birth and with that in mind we can bring her life and achievements into the classroom more directly. With a "Happy Birthday to Frances Perkins" activity we can more easily share that story with younger students. But students at every level need to know about her concern for the poor and for working Americans, and how she managed to accomplish so much. (I regret the posting delay but you can celebrate the legacy of this remarkable woman any time next week–or this month--or save the idea for next year.)
Why should we celebrate the birthday of Frances Perkins this year? I can think of three good reasons:
First, this year marks the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, a horrific tragedy that stoked the efforts of many labor activists and reformers. Perkins was already in New York City, a graduate student at Columbia University, when the city’s garment workers strike of 1909 broke out. She was among those better-off women who decided to support the cause of their working-class sisters by helping to fund the strikers and to connect them with influential, sympathetic politicians. It was this interest in the affairs of the garment workers that accounts for Frances Perkins being on the scene to witness the Triangle fire. Yes, she was an eye-witness, an experience that must have forged in her an urgency about the need to legislate for a whole roster of labor reforms, including safety regulations and eventually the minimum wage law and other New Deal legislation.
Secondly, Perkins’ many years of activism on behalf of American workers, is truly admirable. At the age of twelve she had rejected the usual explanations for the poverty that, rather than being the result of laziness or alcoholism, was part and parcel of a process--the industrialization of America. At Mount Holyoke college she would study political economy (though she majored in chemisty and physics), providing another source of her ideas. But biographer Penny Colman also traces her commitment to deeply religious notions about "leading a useful life and making a difference" (3). So a lesson featuring Frances Perkins is appropriate wherever instilling a sense of civic responsibility is deemed part of a school’s mission. In her own words, "One thing was perfectly clear ... the circumstances of the life of the people of my generation was my business, and I ought to do something about it" (4). In short, a hero in her own time, she is a role model of public service for our time.
Thirdly, as "Madam Secretary" of the Department of Labor during the New Deal, she had an ambitious agenda: "unemployment insurance, old-age insurance, and health insurance" (5). So there are obvious connections to make between the past and the present: i) the New Deal legislation that Perkins helped to formulate and implement; ii) current debates over paying/extending unemployment benefits, creating jobs and better jobs, preserving/funding Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid; and providing health insurance for all Americans. As the national economy recovers, very slowly, from the greatest recession since the Great Depression–while 13.5 million Americans remain officially unemployed (plus many more either not counted or underemployed)–with the future of Social Security uncertain–we could do no better than step back into the past to understand WHY people like Perkins’ believed in government "insurance" (what we call "the safety net").
Too many Americans know too little about the history of the labor movement. Much animosity towards unions is due to a lack of information or to misinformation about its legacy. This is not to claim that circumstances have not changed since the heyday of the labor movement. Despite certain parallels between the Great Depression and the Great Recession our national economy today is embedded in a globalized world economy quite different from that of the 1930s. The "world historical context" is different. On the other hand, the degree to which inequality has increased in this country during the last 30-40 years greatly disturbs me. It is also part of the larger historical context of our present predicament. Moreover, the debates over the status and future of public workers’ unions–taking place in state legislatures across the the US–also help to make American labor history relevant in the present.
Hiding Labor History
Recently, Governor Paul LePage of Maine decided that mural in the state’s Department of Labor was too pro-labor and therefore at odds with the pro-business views of his administration. So he had it removed and put into storage in an allegedly secret location.
The mural is huge, consisting of 11 panels ( nearly eight feet high) put together to span 36 feet. Here’s what the governor found objectionable: depictions of mill workers, factory workers, child laborers, depictions of striking workers, and portraits of labor activists. How could a labor-themed mural be inappropriate in such a venue, given Maine’s long labor history? And, lest anyone recall the names of prominent labor leaders, Gov. LePage changed the names of seven conference rooms to ensure their descent into oblivion (6). This is mind-boggling.
Artists and labor activists protested, as might be expected. But Lynn Pasquerella, President of Mount Holyoke College, the oldest women’s college in America. Mount Holyoke is down in Massachusetts, so why was President Paquerella in a tizz over the the removal of a mural in Maine? The decision by gov. LePage raised her hackles for two reasons: i) the mural’s historic figures include Frances Perkins, a graduate of Mount Holyoke; ii) it "conjures thoughts of the rewriting of history prevalent in totalitarian regimes." (7) Perhaps, that’s an overstatement but Gov. LePage did remove, literally, a representation of history that helps keep history alive.
As we remember the life of public service of Frances Perkins, let us also be mindful of those who would erase our country’s labor history. That history is erased by those who would remove from public consciousness every vestige of the those who lived it, thus impoverishing our collective memory.
Milestones in the Life of Frances Perkins
- born in Boston on April 10, 1880 (or 1882) but raised in Worster, Massachusetts
- majored in chemistry and physics at Mount Holyoke College
- studied working conditions in factories in Massachusetts and Connecticut (while a student at Mount Holyoke)
- graduated from Mount Holyoke, 1902
- taught at Monson Academy (Massachusetts) and Ferry Hall School (Lake Forest, Illinois)
- earned a master’s degree in economics and sociology from Columbia University, New York City, 1910
- married Paul Caldwell Wilson in 1913 but kept her own name; mother of a son (died in infancy) and a daughter (born 1916)
- supported women’s suffrage
- served on the New York State Industrial Commission, 1918-1920; then as Executive Secretary of the Council on Immigrant Education, 1920-1922, before returning to the Industrial Commission, 1922-1928; served as Industrial Commissioner, 1929-1933
- appointed Secretary of Labor in 1933, serving until 1945
- planned and then helped to enact and implement New Deal legislation, most notably the Social Security Act of 1935
- appointed to the United States Civil Service Commission in 1946, serving until 1953
- taught at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, 1957-1965
- died May 14, 1965 at age 85
ACTIVITIES
Perkins’ place in American history makes this topic relevant in social studies classes from upper elementary through middle and high school. Adapt these activities across grade levels to suit your students. Secretary Perkins was a proper lady, who disliked first-name familiarity, but I think it would be OK to call her Frances when talking to younger children.
ELEMENTARY STUDENTS: Print copies of the Frances Perkins poster from the Better Heroes web site (see Resources). Hand these out and then tell students, briefly, about Frances Perkins and what she did to make America a better place for working people and their families. Emphasize how she helped to pass child labor laws--to keep children out of factories and in school. This ties-in nicely with a theme from "Ahmed Had a Secret" (posted March 11, 2011).
ELEMENTARY RESEARCH: Find a picture of the US postage stamp honoring Frances Perkins. What year was it issued? How much was it worth? Why does it show her wearing a hat?
UPPER ELEMENTARY & MIDDLE SCHOOL RESEARCH: Frances Perkins was the first woman ever appointed to a cabinet post. Who appointed her? Who are the women serving in President Obama’s cabinet? Make a list or a poster with their photos and departments.
MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL RESEARCH: If you were going to write a biography of Frances Perkins, where would you go to examine her papers? What would you find in these archives?
SHOW the documentary "You May Call Her Madam Secretary" if you can find it in a school or local library. Frances Perkins is portrayed, in her own words, by an accomplished actress. The primary sources include letters and an oral history interview conducted as part of an oral history project at Columbia University.
LISTEN to either of the NPR interviews with authors who have written biographies of Perkins. Students should take notes (or answer questions from a worksheet). ASK: What did you learn about Frances Perkins that most surprised you? After hearing the author talk about the book, would you like to read it? (See notes about these programs in Resources.)
SHOW/LISTEN to part of biographer Downey’s book talk. I recommend the first ten minutes. After brief opening comments, Downey reads from her account of the interview Perkins had with FDR before accepting the position of Secretary of Labor. Then she talks about the New Deal legislation that Perkins was so instrumental in shaping and implementing. Downy makes an interesting point about how the New Deal was an attempt to work with capitalism rather than against it. Since this excerpt takes only 10 minutes, it is could be inserted into a broader lesson about the New Deal.
LISTEN/READ/DISCUSS: Listen to the Downey talk and/or read about Frances. ASK: Why do you think Secretary Perkins’s efforts usually receive much less attention than those of President Roosevelt and other members of his administration? Consider, gender roles in the 1930s but try to elicit other possible reasons. For example, the controversy over her refusal to deport Harry Bridges, a Communist and head of a west coast union, left her open to criticism from the left–though the Supreme Court later agreed with her on reasoning.
DISCUSS: Several web sites have collected Perkins quotations. Select one of these as a start-point for class discussion about current social issues, in particular those related to (exacerbated by) the Great Recession and its consequences. ASK: "What would Frances Perkins do?" about our slow, fragile recovery, with its still high rate of unemployment and large number of home foreclosures. WRITE: Students write essays prompted by this class discussion but develop their own POVs about the current situation and what we (as individuals, a society, a nation) might do about it.
VIEW: An interactive copy of the Maine mural at the New York Times web site. Discuss the issues surrounding its removal.
RESOURCES
"Frances Perkins: Quotes." Better World Heroes:
http://www.betterworld.net/heroes/pages-p/perkins-quotes.htm
- Click "ColorMe" and then scroll down for PDF poster.
- Check out other links for biographical info.
Frances Perkins Center: http://francesperkinscenter.org/links.html
- Gateway to info on the web, with links to many resources, including recent news articles, a list of biographies, and material related to the New Deal.
VIDEO: "You May Call Her Madam Secretary." 58 Mins. Vineyard Video: http://www.vineyardvideo.org/fracesperkins.shtml
- Actress Frances Sternhagen portrays Perkins, using words from primary sources (oral history interviews, letters, writings).
CHILDREN’S BIOGRAPHIES:
1) Keller, Emily. Frances Perkins: First Woman Cabinet Member. Morgan Reynolds Publishing, 2006. Young adult level (grades 8 and higher).
2) Pasachoff, Naomi. Frances Perkins: Champion of the New Deal. Oxford University Press, 1999. Middle school level (grades 6 and up).
3) Colman, Penny. A Woman Unafraid: The Achievements of Frances Perkins. 1993. Middle/high school level (grades 6 to 10).
ADULT BIOGRAPHY:
Downey, Kirsten. The Woman Behind the New Deal: The Life of Frances Perkins, FDR's Secretary of Labor and His Moral Conscience. Doubleday, 2009. Paperback: Anchor, 2010.
"Biographer Chronicles Perkins, ‘New Deal’ Pioneer." All Things Considered. NPR (March 28, 2009): http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102473182&ft=1&f=1033#102959217
- For Maureen Corrigan, "Frances Perkins, the Woman behind the New Deal" and a link to "Jacki Lyden Talks to Author Kirsten Downey" (transcript online)
"Remembering Social Security’s Forgotten Shepherd." Morning Edition. NPR (August 12, 2005): http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4795737
- Linda Werthheimer’s interview with Penny Colman, with a focus on the 70th anniversary for the Social Security Act (1935).
- Very special because it contains historical soundbites (from a t 1962 speech) in which Perkins explains how she made it clear to FDR that she was determined to work for change ("You may not want me because I have some serious things I want to do.").
- If you use this program or its transcript in class, ask students to listen closely for to this audio "primary source".
- Describes scope/contents of Perkins papers and related material in the collection of her alma mater.
- See "Abstract" and "Biographical Note" (details of her education, job history, years of public service).
- "Mount Holyoke College welcomes women who follow unconventional paths to its gates and through The Frances Perkins Program opens the nation's oldest women's college to students of nontraditional age ... who wish to complete the requirements for a Bachelor of Arts degree."
For more labor history from the US Department of Labor:
http://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/history/main.htm
NOTES
Biographical information comes from items listed in "Resources."
1) Kirsten Downey, The Woman Behind the New Deal; and Maureen Corrigan’s review posted on NPR (both in Resources).
2) The date most often given is 1882 but she appears in the 1880 census with her original first-name of Fannie (changed to Frances about 1905). This merits further investigation, however.
3) Linda Werthheimer’s 2005 interview with Penny Colman, "Remembering Social Security’s Forgotten Shepherd," on NPR (see Resources).
4) Frances Perkins, from the "Oral History" interviews done by Columbia University–as quoted on the Vineyard Video site (see Resources).
5) Frances Perkins. Transcript of audio embedded in Linda Wertheimer’s 2005 interview with Penny Colman (see note 3).
6) Steven Greenhouse, "Mural of Maine’s Workers Becomes Political Target," including link to interactive feature, New York Times (March 23, 2011); http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/24/us/24lepage.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=steven%20greenhouse%20mural%20of%20maines&st=cse; also "Maine: Labor Mural Is Moved to Undisclosed Location" (NYT March 29, 2011). The artist was Julie Taylor of Tremont, Maine, who spent an entire year creating it. It was funded with federal money and installed in 2008. For more details about the panel itself, see her web site: http://www.judytaylorstudio.com
7) "Mount Holyoke President Raps Maine Governor for Removing Frances Perkins Mural," Daily Hampshire Gazette (March 30, 2011): http://gazettenet.com/2011/03/30/mount-ho9lyoke-president-raps-maine-governor-removing-frances-per
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