Summer School for Women Workers in Industry

Bryn Mawr College logo

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.

Browsing as anonymous (not verified)
210 items [showing 201 - 210]

Pages

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:
Two photographs taped to an index card. The top photograph is of sitting students, and the bottom photograph is of students at work, possibly cooking.
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:
Students sitting for a group photograph in the Cloisters. Second from the left is Milly Griffiths.
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:
Students and faculty members, some sitting and some standing, appear dressed in costume on the lawn with others in the background along with a building with ivy on it.
Date:
(approximate)1921 - (approximate)1938
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
Christmas party
Title:
Christmas party
Description:
Faculty members stand around a table with a small Christmas tree. Inscribed on back: "Christmas party at the Office of Committee for Extension of Labor Education. From left to right: Eve, Office secretary; Hilda Smith; Elizabeth, office secretary; Eve's sister; Frank Fernback (?); Ernestine Friedman."
Date:
(approximate)1921 - (approximate)1938
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
Science Group - Bryn Mawr 1930
Title:
Science Group - Bryn Mawr 1930
Description:
Photograph of students standing on the lawn with an instructor. A large telescope is placed in front of them and one of the students is holding a notepad while the others look on.
Date:
1930
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 posing for a group photograph by the front of Thomas Hall.
Date:
(approximate)1921 - (approximate)1938
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 four images labeled (clockwise from left): Bunnie (Wellesley); The Belle of the Campus - Vera Chandler, Durham, N.C.; Undergrads and guinea pigs Dottie Cross, Kay Lewis, Marian Miller, Bunnie Helen Bagenstose, Hilda Thamas, Peggy Warne; Sundry Morning - Wyndham Hall, Miss Herrman, Miss Ethel Smith, Thressa Gold, Miss Reiley, Mrs. Dee. One image of Connie from Vassar is missing.
Date:
1929
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
Rae Millman's Summer School for Women Workers attendance certificate, 1925
Title:
Rae Millman's Summer School for Women Workers attendance certificate, 1925
Description:
Certificate of completion awarded to Rae Milliman for attending the Summer School for Women Workers in Industry, Summer session in 1925, held at Bryn Mawr College. The certificate is signed by Clora Taylor, Acting Director, and Matilda Lindsay, Assistant Director.
Date:
1925
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
M. Carey Thomas on the steps of the Deanery
Title:
M. Carey Thomas on the steps of the Deanery
Description:
Photograph of M. Carey Thomas standing on the steps of the Deanery.
Date:
(approximate)1925
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Photo Archives
Rita Heller interviewed by Harry Sayen during the "Sayen at Scanticon" live radio program, July 13, 1986
Title:
Rita Heller interviewed by Harry Sayen during the "Sayen at Scanticon" live radio program, 1986
Description:
Harry Sayen interviews Rita Heller, creator the documentary film "Women of Summer, about the Bryn Mawr College Summer School for Women Workers in Industry during the live radio program Sayen at Scanticon." Heller discusses her work on the film and provides some history about the Summer School, founded on the history of settlement houses and progressive social reform. Heller also discusses her graduate work at Rutgers University in the labor archives, which originally sparked her interested in the Summer School. As a Bryn Mawr alumna, Heller says she didn’t have any knowledge of the Summer School while at Bryn Mawr and when she happened upon the archives it was like finding a buried treasure. Near the end of the interview Heller talks about the reasons for the end of such a successful program and highlights the incorporation of labor unions into the New Deal as well as a lack of money and novelty that ultimately ended the successful and inspiring program.
Date:
1986-07-13
Collection:
Bryn Mawr College Oral Histories Collection

Pages