Primary source analysis methods and applications

¶ … Gilded age, millions of women were employed in shops and factories. Others worked for wealthier households as domestic workers doing household chores. Several women favored to work in factories as opposed to working as domestic servants. Helen Campbell, a journalist, interviewed people who had formerly worked as servants to ascertain the reason for the preference (Cott and Boydson, 2016). An American woman aged 22 called Margaret stated that the ultimate goal for everyone was freedom. Waitresses got two days off their work in a week. Those working in the house seldom had such privileges. They were engaged throughout the week and there was little break. Waitresses, on the other hand were assured of getting at least two days to spend on themselves. Margaret said that the two off days gave her freedom to pursue whatever ends she wanted. Another woman noted that sharing and working with others meant that she was to stick to the common rules and there was hardly any cause to complain. Furthermore, another worker of Irish origin stated that she had come to America to make their lives better and not to slave under people who would just order her around. Those interviewed seemed to push for the idea of freedom, the domestic workers resented the idea of someone continuously bossing them around. They shared the opinion that women bosses were not easy to work under; they would push one around while not exactly sure what they wanted. Assuming the position of a servant would mean being accepting of the limitations that came with the position and majority of the interviewed individuals did not like the idea. Another interviewee working as a chambermaid said that not even a minute was available for her to spend alone. She was working with 4 other workers and they shared a room. It is not an easy thing giving up your life to live under orders constantly (Campbell 1996).

About the author

Helen Stuart Campbell was a reformer, author and one of the pioneers in movement of home economics. She did stories detailing the struggles of women especially in poverty and domestic life. She hailed from New York. She schooled in Warren located in Rhode Island, as well as, at Mrs. Cook's Seminary that is situated in Bloomfield, New Jersey. At the beginning of her career as a writer, she did Children's books under the name Helen Weeks, her married name. As a home economics activist, she was instrumental in organizing the "National Household Economics Association" (Women Working n.d.).

She published a textbook titled The Easiest Way in House-Keeping and Cooking in the year 1881. The book she is best known for is her 1882 work The Problem of the Poor, which was based on her experiences serving in New York City. In 1887, she produced another book titled Prisoners of Poverty that was followed by Women Wage Earners in 1893 for which the American Economic Association gave her an award. A fictional work, Herndon's Income (1886) portrayed the effects low wages had on women (Women Working n.d.).

Campbell was a teacher at North Carolina's Raleigh School of Cooking in 1878 for a short while and later at the Wisconsin University. The New York Tribune hired her in 1886 to help study women's condition in New York's departmental stores and needle trades. She also worked in Chicago's Unity Settlement as head resident. Her spent her last days in Dadham, Massachusetts (Women Working n.d.).

Historical Context

Wealthy observers bemoaning the 'servant problem' towards the end of the 19th century often wondered why women preferred working in the factory to working as a domestic servant. Helen Campbell who was investigating workers' (women) circumstances in 1880s wrote moving accounts of 'prisoners of poverty' who were not able to support themselves fully from industrial employments. She also wondered what moved women toward factory work and away from domestic work (Campbell 1996). Campbell tried to paint a picture of the working conditions of the working women arguing that accurately learning their struggles and sorrows was the first step towards genuinely helping them (Campbell 1996).

In 1884, the Massachusetts Bureau of Statistics of Labor presented a report based on its investigations on the physical, sanitary, economic, and moral conditions of women working outside of domestic service. Conclusions were drawn from personal accounts of 1,032 of the 20,000 girls working in Boston. Just about 3% of women with industrial occupations were under the umbrella of a trade union at the end of the 19th century. Trade unions as well as the American Federation of Labor, founded in 1886 focused mostly on skilled male workers. Very little attention was given to women and children working in sweatshops. Advocates like Ida Etten, a lady who had some financial independence, adopted working women's cause and attempted getting AFL to give more attention towards efforts to organize women by writing reports and giving speeches like the one given at the AFL's national convention in 1980. Can Etten, with Eva Valesh, another strong advocate, succeeded in getting the federation's executive board to establish a salaried office for a number of years in the early 1890s for a national women's organizer (Campbell 1996).