Objective Conditions
DID YOU KNOW:
The Criminal Code was amended in 1909 to criminalize the abduction of women. Before this, the abduction of any woman over 16 was legal, except if she was an heiress. However, the maximum penalty for stealing a cow was much higher than for kidnapping an heiress 1 .
The term that describes the (indefinable) separation of women (or other minorities) from obtaining upper level positions in a hierarchy is referred to as the Glass Ceiling 2
Before the First World War, just at the turn of the century, it was acceptable for an unmarried women to work outside of the home. For a woman, this job would be something to fill the gap between the end of school and the start of her family. However, once this women became married, it was not acceptable for to work, because her husband was expected to support her. If a married women did work, it was assumed that this was because the man could not support his wife, so the husband was considered a failure 3 . In Canada, in the year 1900, the only job that allowed women to have a pension was as a teacher .4
During WWI many men left to serve in the army. This left many of the factory industrial jobs (especially building military weapons) in central Canada, as well as farming (more in the west), without workers. Many women replaced men in these factories and farms; however, women received much lower wages than the men. When the men returned the women were encouraged to leave their work and become mothers once again. The government, just after WWI, decided to lay off the large majority of the women workers in the factory jobs and farming because all the men came back. However, many women continued to work, and at the same intensity they had demonstrated in their past professions. Many new positions became available to women like social work, library work and physiotherapy 5. By 1921, 65% of women workers were in clerical, domestic service and professional (teaching, nursing) occupations 6
Gradually, women made great progress in the range of opportunities in the work force and the number of non-domestic jobs that were available to them. Though, after the great depression (1930s) this trend reversed as many women were forced back into domestic careers because it was much easier to get a job in those professions 7. However, during WWII, when men again left to join the military, the government encouraged women to join the workforce just like the previous World War 8. In WWII childcare centres and tax benefits were provided for the women during the time of the war. This encouraged women to take up a job in the factories that were in much need of employees 9.
The Criminal Code was amended in 1909 to criminalize the abduction of women. Before this, the abduction of any woman over 16 was legal, except if she was an heiress. However, the maximum penalty for stealing a cow was much higher than for kidnapping an heiress 1 .
The term that describes the (indefinable) separation of women (or other minorities) from obtaining upper level positions in a hierarchy is referred to as the Glass Ceiling 2
Before the First World War, just at the turn of the century, it was acceptable for an unmarried women to work outside of the home. For a woman, this job would be something to fill the gap between the end of school and the start of her family. However, once this women became married, it was not acceptable for to work, because her husband was expected to support her. If a married women did work, it was assumed that this was because the man could not support his wife, so the husband was considered a failure 3 . In Canada, in the year 1900, the only job that allowed women to have a pension was as a teacher .4
During WWI many men left to serve in the army. This left many of the factory industrial jobs (especially building military weapons) in central Canada, as well as farming (more in the west), without workers. Many women replaced men in these factories and farms; however, women received much lower wages than the men. When the men returned the women were encouraged to leave their work and become mothers once again. The government, just after WWI, decided to lay off the large majority of the women workers in the factory jobs and farming because all the men came back. However, many women continued to work, and at the same intensity they had demonstrated in their past professions. Many new positions became available to women like social work, library work and physiotherapy 5. By 1921, 65% of women workers were in clerical, domestic service and professional (teaching, nursing) occupations 6
Gradually, women made great progress in the range of opportunities in the work force and the number of non-domestic jobs that were available to them. Though, after the great depression (1930s) this trend reversed as many women were forced back into domestic careers because it was much easier to get a job in those professions 7. However, during WWII, when men again left to join the military, the government encouraged women to join the workforce just like the previous World War 8. In WWII childcare centres and tax benefits were provided for the women during the time of the war. This encouraged women to take up a job in the factories that were in much need of employees 9.
Women had these opportunities in factories because of the war, however, in these facilities, women were often put at risk. Women's roles in these factories very often had to do with the manufacturing of war products. Women were exposed to TNT and as a result were often nicknamed "Canaries" because their skin turned yellow from the hazardous material. 10
This article, describes some of the hardship and dangers women faced when working in these factories: http://www.oldmagazinearticles.com/rosie_the_riveter_pdf
This article, describes some of the hardship and dangers women faced when working in these factories: http://www.oldmagazinearticles.com/rosie_the_riveter_pdf
1.Identify the source
Book: Coomber, Jan, and Rosemary Evans. "The Turn of the Century: Economic Realities." InWomen: Changing Canada, 10-13. Don Mills, Ont.: Oxford University Press, 1997.
a) Is there any written identification such as a caption, a title, a signature, and a date on or attached to the photograph?
All the information is in the photograph above, and you can see there is a caption as well. As well, in the section of the book this picture is found in, it explains how many women worked in Mills and Factories in the beginning of the new century. From the accompanying text in the book chapter, the reader known the picture takes place during WW1, but the photo has no specific date.
2. Location
Can you identify where the photograph was taken in Canada?
From the pircture alone, you know it must be from central Canada, because in the other regions the women's work was less about industry/manufacturing and more related to farming. However, from the caption you can see that it is from George Matthew & CO. factory in Ottawa.
3. Objects
Identify and classify objects in the photograph into types or categories. For example, work and tools, machinery, entertainment items, decorations, family items, art, fashion, types/architectural style of buildings.
The women are pasting labels on cans. There doesn't seem to be any machinery, only the hands of the workers. There are windows throughout the room and boxes on shelves on some of the walls.
4. People in the Photograph. For all the people on the photograph,
identify:
a) Age (approximate)
The people seem to be young-middle aged (approximately age 20-35)
b) Gender
The people labelling the cans are all women. The supervisors are all men.
c) What they are wearing (style)?
Women: long dresses and whites caps. Men: trench coats. The men look maybe more formally dressed than the women.
d) People’s roles or occupations
It is obvious from the picture that the men have the higher positions. The women, on the other hand, have the more tedious, lower-class role in the factory.
e) If they are noted figures, can you identify their names?
There are no specific noted people in the photograph. The only name given is the name of the company (George Matthews & Co. factory) so perhaps there is a George Matthews in the building but it is unclear to say he is there for sure, because it could very possibly be named after him for another reason.
5. Actions
Describe what is happening in the photograph. For example:
a) What are people doing?
The Women are labelling food cans, while the men supervise.
b) How are people interacting?
Everything is very serious and there is not much interaction. The women seem very focused on their task, as do the men. It looks like a very rigid work environment (probably appropriate for an early 1900s factory). You can also see a very clear divide between the men and the women. All the women clustered together at the table with the men wandering around the rest of the room.
c) Is there an event, celebration, ritual or common occurrence taking place?
No. To me it just seems like a typical day at work.
6. Purpose of the Photograph
a) Was it a personal photograph or one that was to be published?
It is definitely not personal. I would assume it would be a photograph for the company (George Matthew & CO factory).
b) Does it appear to be an amateur, a commercial or a professional photograph?
I wouldn't call it an amateur photo, because the photo seems to orderly and posed for that. I would think it was a commercial photograph, again as I mention before, probably for the company (George Matthew & CO factory).
c) Why do you think the photograph was taken?
It could be to advertise for the company. I'm not sure why else there would be a photograph taken.
d) Do you think the photograph had an impact on others?
I think that at the actual time the photo was taken it did not have such a large impact, because it was a very typical event at the time, meaning in the war years. However, when looking at current time, it explains a lot about the time period.
7. Historical Context
a) What is the historical context of the photo you chose?
It shows that during the First World War women started to work in much more industrial professions.
b) How does the photograph provide objective proof that a social problem existed?
As stated above, there were more women involved in factory work during this time period. However, these women were only allowed to fill the lower-class jobs. The higher class jobs were given still to the men. In this particular case, the men are the supervisors, and the women are the workers preforming the tedious task of labelling the cans. There is a clear divide between the genders in this photo. The women are stationary, where as the men circle around them. With different clothing, attitudes and who's doing the "gritty and hard" work, you can clearly see who is viewed as higher up, or more important in this factory. The men are clearly more powerful than the women. This translates directly to the social problem of women's economic rights during the turn of the century. There is the Glass Ceiling, were the women are separated from the men in the ability to have higher possitions, even though they were given these new oportunitites to be involved in industrial work.
There were good and bad things that came with the new work available to women during the war years. Some of these are visible from the picture above. One example of a good side of this kind of work was, unlike domestic professions, these industry jobs had set working hours. You can see the structure and routine this factory has. They also had the benefit of being able to work alongside other women, and this companionship was much more social than the domestic jobs. The women can work at the table for the day with other women. They also had a chance to meet men of their own age, as you notice the "charming" male supervisors in the factory. This was incredibly important to a women in this time period. However, there were also drawbacks. Because of the separation in the hierarchy of promotions and jobs (the Glass Ceiling), the women were paid much less then the men. The male supervisors are much more finely dressed than the women, and although this might just be the work attire suited for supervisors it still makes a statement. As well, you can see how much power these supervisors seem to have over the women. Imagine if a woman's luck was bad, she could end up with a supervisor who abused her. This could be a horrific situation.
Book: Coomber, Jan, and Rosemary Evans. "The Turn of the Century: Economic Realities." InWomen: Changing Canada, 10-13. Don Mills, Ont.: Oxford University Press, 1997.
a) Is there any written identification such as a caption, a title, a signature, and a date on or attached to the photograph?
All the information is in the photograph above, and you can see there is a caption as well. As well, in the section of the book this picture is found in, it explains how many women worked in Mills and Factories in the beginning of the new century. From the accompanying text in the book chapter, the reader known the picture takes place during WW1, but the photo has no specific date.
2. Location
Can you identify where the photograph was taken in Canada?
From the pircture alone, you know it must be from central Canada, because in the other regions the women's work was less about industry/manufacturing and more related to farming. However, from the caption you can see that it is from George Matthew & CO. factory in Ottawa.
3. Objects
Identify and classify objects in the photograph into types or categories. For example, work and tools, machinery, entertainment items, decorations, family items, art, fashion, types/architectural style of buildings.
The women are pasting labels on cans. There doesn't seem to be any machinery, only the hands of the workers. There are windows throughout the room and boxes on shelves on some of the walls.
4. People in the Photograph. For all the people on the photograph,
identify:
a) Age (approximate)
The people seem to be young-middle aged (approximately age 20-35)
b) Gender
The people labelling the cans are all women. The supervisors are all men.
c) What they are wearing (style)?
Women: long dresses and whites caps. Men: trench coats. The men look maybe more formally dressed than the women.
d) People’s roles or occupations
It is obvious from the picture that the men have the higher positions. The women, on the other hand, have the more tedious, lower-class role in the factory.
e) If they are noted figures, can you identify their names?
There are no specific noted people in the photograph. The only name given is the name of the company (George Matthews & Co. factory) so perhaps there is a George Matthews in the building but it is unclear to say he is there for sure, because it could very possibly be named after him for another reason.
5. Actions
Describe what is happening in the photograph. For example:
a) What are people doing?
The Women are labelling food cans, while the men supervise.
b) How are people interacting?
Everything is very serious and there is not much interaction. The women seem very focused on their task, as do the men. It looks like a very rigid work environment (probably appropriate for an early 1900s factory). You can also see a very clear divide between the men and the women. All the women clustered together at the table with the men wandering around the rest of the room.
c) Is there an event, celebration, ritual or common occurrence taking place?
No. To me it just seems like a typical day at work.
6. Purpose of the Photograph
a) Was it a personal photograph or one that was to be published?
It is definitely not personal. I would assume it would be a photograph for the company (George Matthew & CO factory).
b) Does it appear to be an amateur, a commercial or a professional photograph?
I wouldn't call it an amateur photo, because the photo seems to orderly and posed for that. I would think it was a commercial photograph, again as I mention before, probably for the company (George Matthew & CO factory).
c) Why do you think the photograph was taken?
It could be to advertise for the company. I'm not sure why else there would be a photograph taken.
d) Do you think the photograph had an impact on others?
I think that at the actual time the photo was taken it did not have such a large impact, because it was a very typical event at the time, meaning in the war years. However, when looking at current time, it explains a lot about the time period.
7. Historical Context
a) What is the historical context of the photo you chose?
It shows that during the First World War women started to work in much more industrial professions.
b) How does the photograph provide objective proof that a social problem existed?
As stated above, there were more women involved in factory work during this time period. However, these women were only allowed to fill the lower-class jobs. The higher class jobs were given still to the men. In this particular case, the men are the supervisors, and the women are the workers preforming the tedious task of labelling the cans. There is a clear divide between the genders in this photo. The women are stationary, where as the men circle around them. With different clothing, attitudes and who's doing the "gritty and hard" work, you can clearly see who is viewed as higher up, or more important in this factory. The men are clearly more powerful than the women. This translates directly to the social problem of women's economic rights during the turn of the century. There is the Glass Ceiling, were the women are separated from the men in the ability to have higher possitions, even though they were given these new oportunitites to be involved in industrial work.
There were good and bad things that came with the new work available to women during the war years. Some of these are visible from the picture above. One example of a good side of this kind of work was, unlike domestic professions, these industry jobs had set working hours. You can see the structure and routine this factory has. They also had the benefit of being able to work alongside other women, and this companionship was much more social than the domestic jobs. The women can work at the table for the day with other women. They also had a chance to meet men of their own age, as you notice the "charming" male supervisors in the factory. This was incredibly important to a women in this time period. However, there were also drawbacks. Because of the separation in the hierarchy of promotions and jobs (the Glass Ceiling), the women were paid much less then the men. The male supervisors are much more finely dressed than the women, and although this might just be the work attire suited for supervisors it still makes a statement. As well, you can see how much power these supervisors seem to have over the women. Imagine if a woman's luck was bad, she could end up with a supervisor who abused her. This could be a horrific situation.