Podcast
Questions and Answers
What was the proportion of clerical workers in the US in 1870 and Canada in 1871?
What was the proportion of clerical workers in the US in 1870 and Canada in 1871?
Less than one percent
What was the percentage increase in clerical work in the US between 1900 and 1930?
What was the percentage increase in clerical work in the US between 1900 and 1930?
Over 450 percent
Who primarily performed clerical work in the early twentieth century?
Who primarily performed clerical work in the early twentieth century?
Men
What were clerical workers called by Lockwood?
What were clerical workers called by Lockwood?
What were some tasks that clerical workers in the past did that are considered managerial today?
What were some tasks that clerical workers in the past did that are considered managerial today?
Why did employers increasingly turn to hiring women for clerical work?
Why did employers increasingly turn to hiring women for clerical work?
What was one reason employers were initially reluctant to hire women for clerical work?
What was one reason employers were initially reluctant to hire women for clerical work?
What were some nineteenth-century notions that influenced attitudes towards women working?
What were some nineteenth-century notions that influenced attitudes towards women working?
Which technologies aided the expansion and re-organization of office work in the early twentieth century?
Which technologies aided the expansion and re-organization of office work in the early twentieth century?
How did mechanization impact clerical work in the early twentieth century?
How did mechanization impact clerical work in the early twentieth century?
What were some of the major economic and urban changes taking place in the US and Canada around the turn of the 20th century?
What were some of the major economic and urban changes taking place in the US and Canada around the turn of the 20th century?
What was the purpose of the earliest skyscrapers built during this era?
What was the purpose of the earliest skyscrapers built during this era?
What industries experienced significant growth during this time period and relied heavily on clerical work?
What industries experienced significant growth during this time period and relied heavily on clerical work?
What trend emerged regarding the composition of clerical workers during this period?
What trend emerged regarding the composition of clerical workers during this period?
What was the significance of the central business districts that emerged in cities during this time?
What was the significance of the central business districts that emerged in cities during this time?
How did the construction of skyscrapers contribute to the changing urban landscape during this period?
How did the construction of skyscrapers contribute to the changing urban landscape during this period?
How did the new class of clerical workers differ from the clerks of the previous century?
How did the new class of clerical workers differ from the clerks of the previous century?
How did the proportion of women in typing and stenography change between 1880 and 1910?
How did the proportion of women in typing and stenography change between 1880 and 1910?
How did Remington's advertising for the typewriter reflect the demographics of clerical workers at the time?
How did Remington's advertising for the typewriter reflect the demographics of clerical workers at the time?
What evidence is provided about the marital status of clerical workers compared to the general female workforce?
What evidence is provided about the marital status of clerical workers compared to the general female workforce?
How did the age distribution of clerical workers compare to other female workers?
How did the age distribution of clerical workers compare to other female workers?
What were some of the discriminatory practices used to justify the transitory nature of clerical work for women?
What were some of the discriminatory practices used to justify the transitory nature of clerical work for women?
How did the promotion of clerical work as transitory for women serve to calm men's concerns?
How did the promotion of clerical work as transitory for women serve to calm men's concerns?
What connection is made between clerical work and preparing women to be better wives and mothers?
What connection is made between clerical work and preparing women to be better wives and mothers?
What was the significance of the 'Miss Remington' character in the company's advertising?
What was the significance of the 'Miss Remington' character in the company's advertising?
How did the classification of clerical work as 'inferior' differ from the deskilling of men's jobs and the subsequent employment of women?
How did the classification of clerical work as 'inferior' differ from the deskilling of men's jobs and the subsequent employment of women?
How did clerical work symbolize a new form of urban womanhood in the early 20th century?
How did clerical work symbolize a new form of urban womanhood in the early 20th century?
Why did companies and women themselves consider clerical work respectable and dignified?
Why did companies and women themselves consider clerical work respectable and dignified?
How did clerical work contribute to social mobility for women in the early 20th century?
How did clerical work contribute to social mobility for women in the early 20th century?
Why was clerical work an attractive option for women in the early 20th century, regardless of their family background?
Why was clerical work an attractive option for women in the early 20th century, regardless of their family background?
How were young women clerical workers portrayed in historical accounts, and what was the reality according to Sharon Hartman Strom?
How were young women clerical workers portrayed in historical accounts, and what was the reality according to Sharon Hartman Strom?
What role did clerical workers' wages play in their families' budgets, especially among those from middle-class backgrounds?
What role did clerical workers' wages play in their families' budgets, especially among those from middle-class backgrounds?
What type of work was considered white-collar in the early twentieth century?
What type of work was considered white-collar in the early twentieth century?
What were the main types of jobs women from poorer families worked in during the late nineteenth century?
What were the main types of jobs women from poorer families worked in during the late nineteenth century?
What type of work was desirable and 'appropriate' for young women from 'respectable' families in the early twentieth century?
What type of work was desirable and 'appropriate' for young women from 'respectable' families in the early twentieth century?
What percentage of fathers of women clerical workers held professional or white-collar occupations?
What percentage of fathers of women clerical workers held professional or white-collar occupations?
What was a critical aspect of the feminization of clerical work in the early twentieth century?
What was a critical aspect of the feminization of clerical work in the early twentieth century?
What were some advantages of clerical work for women in the early twentieth century?
What were some advantages of clerical work for women in the early twentieth century?
How did women entering clerical work view it compared to other available jobs at the time?
How did women entering clerical work view it compared to other available jobs at the time?
What types of working conditions were associated with clerical work in the early twentieth century?
What types of working conditions were associated with clerical work in the early twentieth century?
What was a distinctive feature of clerical work compared to 'female professions' like social work?
What was a distinctive feature of clerical work compared to 'female professions' like social work?
How did the working conditions in clerical work differ from domestic or factory work?
How did the working conditions in clerical work differ from domestic or factory work?
What were the two key factors that shaped discourses about race and racism differently in the US compared to Canada?
What were the two key factors that shaped discourses about race and racism differently in the US compared to Canada?
What groups were racial and ethnic differences more likely to be cast between in early 20th century Canada?
What groups were racial and ethnic differences more likely to be cast between in early 20th century Canada?
Why did clerical employers prefer hiring white, educated women workers beyond just their lower cost?
Why did clerical employers prefer hiring white, educated women workers beyond just their lower cost?
What factors made the potential supply of white, educated women substantial for clerical work?
What factors made the potential supply of white, educated women substantial for clerical work?
Besides teaching and nursing, what other new field did college-educated women join to claim professional status?
Besides teaching and nursing, what other new field did college-educated women join to claim professional status?
What example is given of the discrimination faced by women of color in seeking clerical work?
What example is given of the discrimination faced by women of color in seeking clerical work?
What qualities beyond education made white middle-class women preferable clerical hires over educated working-class men?
What qualities beyond education made white middle-class women preferable clerical hires over educated working-class men?
What criteria did employers use to assess the 'breeding' and respectability of potential female clerical hires?
What criteria did employers use to assess the 'breeding' and respectability of potential female clerical hires?
According to the Bank of Nova Scotia's employee handbook, what behavior was required of all officers outside the workplace?
According to the Bank of Nova Scotia's employee handbook, what behavior was required of all officers outside the workplace?
What does the passage argue that clerical work represented in this period?
What does the passage argue that clerical work represented in this period?
What was one reason given by employers for the high turnover rate of women clerical workers?
What was one reason given by employers for the high turnover rate of women clerical workers?
How does the author challenge the narrative that women left clerical jobs primarily to get married?
How does the author challenge the narrative that women left clerical jobs primarily to get married?
What educational requirements made it difficult for working-class women and women of color to obtain clerical jobs initially?
What educational requirements made it difficult for working-class women and women of color to obtain clerical jobs initially?
When did sizable numbers of working-class women begin moving into clerical work, according to the passage?
When did sizable numbers of working-class women begin moving into clerical work, according to the passage?
What additional barrier did women of color face in obtaining clerical jobs, beyond education requirements?
What additional barrier did women of color face in obtaining clerical jobs, beyond education requirements?
What percentage of women clerical workers in the US were women of color between 1890 and 1930, according to the text?
What percentage of women clerical workers in the US were women of color between 1890 and 1930, according to the text?
When did African-American women begin to gain more access to clerical jobs, according to the passage?
When did African-American women begin to gain more access to clerical jobs, according to the passage?
What types of organizations did employ African-American women in clerical roles prior to the 1960s?
What types of organizations did employ African-American women in clerical roles prior to the 1960s?
According to the passage, what should the data and studies on clerical work be viewed in light of?
According to the passage, what should the data and studies on clerical work be viewed in light of?
What does the author acknowledge about addressing racial and ethnic differences in clerical work across countries?
What does the author acknowledge about addressing racial and ethnic differences in clerical work across countries?
