One of the main jobs for factory
owners was recruiting girls to come and work in the mills. To do so, owners
would send employees out to farms in rural areas in Massachusetts, Vermont and
New Hampshire. Farm girls were tempted to travel to Lowell and work in the
mills so they could earn money, get off the farm, and experience city life.
Many parents were afraid of losing their daughters to the big city life style,
but then they realize that their daughter will be sending home money that will
help the family big time. Some of the disadvantages of being a mill girl were strict
rules, unfair pay, injuries, threat of being black listed and a damaged
reputation. A damaged reputation was a risk because most girls during this time
period stayed at home and did household activities, so when a girl left the
house to work she was subjected to criticism. Many people thought that women
who worked would never find a husband. Some of the positives included earning a
salary, making friends, education, and access to city life.
A Picture of Lowell Mill Girls
(From https://yesteryearsnews.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/mill-girls-cotton-mill-1908.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment