Summer School for Women Workers in Industry

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The Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry, which ran from 1921 to 1938, was a residential summer school program that brought approximately 100 young working women—mostly factory workers with minimal education—to the Bryn Mawr College campus for eight weeks of liberal arts study. Conceived as part of the workers' education movement in the 1920s and 30s, the program was the first of its kind aimed at women in the United States. The School is also notable because in 1926, at the suggestion of students and against former College President and SSWWI founder M. Carey Thomas's wishes, Hilda Worthington Smith admitted five African-American students to the summer school at a time when Bryn Mawr College had no Black graduates. This collection includes photographs, mostly donated by SSWWI alumnae/i.

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210 items [showing 1 - 20]

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Eleanor Roosevelt
Title:
Eleanor Roosevelt
Description:
Photograph of Eleanor Roosevelt, covering her eyes from the sun and smiling, looking on as workers do some sort of manual labor in a field.
Date:
(approximate)1921 - (approximate)1938
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
Faculty and students from the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Title:
Faculty and students from the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Description:
Faculty and students pose for a portrait. Inscribed on back: "Harrison Hartley with group of students."
Date:
(approximate)1921 - (approximate)1938
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
Faculty and students from the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Title:
Faculty and students from the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Description:
Faculty and students sitting for a group photograph under a tree in front of Thomas Hall.
Date:
1930
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
Students from the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Title:
Students from the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Description:
Photograph of a group of women on the lawn in front of a campus building. One woman is looking through a telescope. Other women are pointing at the sky.
Date:
(approximate)1925
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
Faculty and students from the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Title:
Faculty and students from the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Description:
Faculty and students sitting for a group photograph by a tree in front of Thomas Hall. One woman reads a book.
Date:
(approximate)1921 - (approximate)1938
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
Students from the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Title:
Students from the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Description:
Group of students sitting in a garden.
Date:
1931-06-01
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Title:
Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Description:
Photo of man walking a dog. Inscribed on back: "six weeks' acquaintance. Here's hoping it doesn't end at that. To a most cheerful and courageous thinker from one who has appreciated even this little interval of comradeship, Oliver Schule Loud."
Date:
1934
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
Faculty from the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Title:
Faculty from the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Description:
Photograph of woman holding a small cup. A small bird is perched on her hand, and with a pair of tweezers she feeds the bird a worm.
Date:
(approximate)1925
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
Students from the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Title:
Students from the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Description:
Students sitting for a group photograph on the front steps of Thomas Hall.
Date:
1930
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
Student from the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Title:
Student from the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Description:
A student, Katharine Pollock Ellickson, standing for a photograph in front of a large bush.
Date:
(approximate)1921 - (approximate)1938
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
Drawing of a woman wearing a bonnet
Title:
Drawing of a woman wearing a bonnet
Description:
Pen and ink drawing of a woman in a bonnet wearing a long dress surrounded by a black circle.
Date:
(approximate)1921 - (approximate)1938
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
Reunion of the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Title:
Reunion of the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Description:
Photograph of reunion attendees sitting on metal folding chairs on the lawn. One of them is holding a camera with another attendee looking on and a handbag is placed on the grass.
Date:
1984
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
Scrapbook page showing students from the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Title:
Scrapbook page showing students from the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Description:
Scrapbook page features five images labeled (clockwise from left): In the cloisters, Sallie and Skipper; Polly, Sallie, Skipper; July 4th a.m. Polly and Sallie; Sunning ourselves on the Library Steps; In the Dean's Garden, Sallie and Polly.
Date:
1929
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
Students from the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Title:
Students from the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Description:
Students and faculty pose for a group photograph on the lawn. Back row: Mildred Calkins, Dorothy Stohr, Rachel Grebl, Elizabeth Matt, Polly Lochner(?). Front row: Bessie Goran, Mary Joffe, Bessie Zach
Date:
(approximate)1921 - (approximate)1938
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Title:
Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Description:
Photo of woman in bathing suit standing in front of a door. Inscribed on back: "To the nicest and best friend, may I see her often in the future and if I don't God Bless you Mary. Lovingly, Caroline."
Date:
1934
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
Reunion of the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Title:
Reunion of the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Description:
Photograph of a reunion attendee talking with a younger woman (possibly a staff member) who is holding what appears to be a glass of wine. Both are standing on the lawn.
Date:
1984
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
Faculty and students from the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Title:
Faculty and students from the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry
Description:
Faculty member Helen Herman teaching students outside. The students are seated in a semicircle on the lawn.
Date:
(approximate)1921 - (approximate)1938
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
Poetry Hour on the Campus
Title:
Poetry Hour on the Campus
Description:
Students from the Summer School for Women Workers in Industry, seated on the green in front of Thomas Great Hall, reading poetry. The Summer School was a residential summer school program for industry workers (who were often low-income, immigrants, and women of more diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds compared to the traditional undergraduates) between 1921 and 1938.
Date:
1930
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
Science Class
Title:
Science Class
Description:
Photograph of students looking on as one student looks through a large telescope placed on the lawn. These students were part of the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry, which was a residential summer school program for industry workers (who were often low-income, immigrants, and women of more diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds compared to the traditional undergraduates) between 1921 and 1938.
Date:
1930
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
International Festival
Title:
International Festival
Description:
Photo of two students dressed in traditional folk costume. Inscribed on back: "Mary and Florence from New Haven, Conn."
Date:
1934-02
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives

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