Frances Perkins, First Woman Cabinet Member, Page 35 "March 25, 1911, was 'a fine, bright spring afternoon,' Perkins remembered. It was also a day that would live forever in American labor history. She later described what she saw as a fire consumed the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory and killed almost 150 workers: 'We heard the fire engines and rushed into the Square to see what was going on. We saw the smoke pouring out of the building. We got there just as they started to jump. I shall never forget the frozen horror which came over us as we stood with our hands on our throats watching that horrible sight, knowing that there was no help. They came down in twos and threes, jumping together in a kind of desperate hope. The life nets were broken. The firemen kept shouting for them not to jump. But they had no choice; the flames were right behind them for by this time the fire was far gone.' The women, engulfed in flames, hurled themselves out of the eighth and ninth floors. Some hung from windowsills until their fingers gave way. Bodies cracked on the sidewalks; none who fell or jumped survived. Blood splattered on the fire horses whinnying in terror as they strained in their harnesses, trying to escape the flames, the screams and the sounds of bodies slamming the pavement. The carnage lasted almost an hour. Perkins, although sick to her stomach, refused to turn away. She wanted to sear the images in her mind and on her heart as a reminder of why she had to fight to stop such tragedies from happening again." Perkins, on a committee, succeeded in pressuring the New York State legislature to create the Factory Investigating Commission, established on June 30, 1911. Perkins was Chief Investigator. Robert F. Wagner and Al Smith, majority leaders in the New York State Senate and Assembly, were chairman and vice-chairman of the commission. |
Frances Perkins, First Woman Cabinet Member From The Buffalo News: ...fascinating but little-known story of Frances Perkins, who took on powerful interests in her lifelong battle for social justice and workers' rights... Perkins served as Labor Secretary for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and was instrumental in creating the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Works Progress Administration, the federal unemployment insurance system and later, Social Security. Keller offers interesting details about Perkins' private life, including her difficult marriage to a man with bi-polar disorder. From Tri-State Young Adult Book Review Committee Summary: For women's rights collections and government collections, this biography shows the influence of Perkins on providing for the common worker through New Deal legislation of FDR to her efforts to settle labor disagreements between union and labor in an amicable manner. Great history for h. s. students. Keller provides a detailed look at Frances Perkins, her rise to power in New York state government on through her tenure as Secretary of Labor under F. D. Roosevelt. Perkins' personality as a private person regarding her husband and daughter show her concern for family. Her belief in fighting for the common man by providing good working conditions, adequate pay, and pensions shows a person who walked the talk of her profession as a social reformer. Her ability to cajole labor leaders into settling contentious labor agreements by use of her wit and knowledge made her the perfect person in difficult negotiations. She was respected by political figures in state and national government. She never allowed the mores of the time to keep her from her work. After marrying, she became a volunteer in organizations that focused on social reform. She first worked in New York state government and then went on to work for many years alongside F. D. Roosevelt as the first female cabinet member. Her hand print can be seen on national legislation such as the CCC, PWA, and Social Security. A typical work day for her is described as is her life after leaving government positions. Her thirst for knowledge, enjoyment of a good stimulating argument, and her love of her family all are presented. Through criticism of her ideals and her personality, she showed herself as a woman of principle and staunch determination. Colorful posters related to her actions and beliefs show the changing times of the 1930s and 1940s. Other illustrations and photographs make the text come to life. Background knowledge of the 1930s and 1940s allow the high school student to see Perkins through the lens of the times in which she lived. A timeline, sources of information cited including primary quotes, bibliography, web sites of interest, and index help the student researcher looking for information on Roosevelt's New Deal program or information on women's rights and the life of Frances Perkins. Rating for this book: VG Very Good (Outstanding) Tri State Young Adult Book Review Committee, Ludington Library, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 |
|
