Late Night Comments

The Lowell “Mill Girls” where considered lowest on the food chain when they went to work in the mills. In Europe, it was considered horribly dangerous to a woman’s purity and virtue to work in the mills in Lowell, Massachusetts. But, because the women wanted to send a brother to college to get an education or because it was another opportunity to leave home and work “Mill Girls” went through the harsh criticism and worked extremely long hours in tremendously horrible conditions  to make just to make some money. This was the way of the “mill girls” for the longest time. These women lived, worked, and struggled together every day for months on end. Some were immigrants looking for opportunity and some were American farm girls looking to make some money.

Basically, I’m really starting to look into this specific topic of the Lowell "Mill Girls." I find this topic of the “Mill Girls” fascinating because they really began to pave the way for women’s rights by setting up news papers, protesting through "turn-outs" and strikes, and forming the Lowell Female Labor Reform Association. Also, suddenly there were jobs open to women that weren't only cleaning or sewing. Although it wasn’t the most sought after job in town, it was still a job that many flocked to because it allowed them to have some monetary freedom, even if they sent it all away to their brothers. 

What's also interesting is that because they had their own publishings there are some books that have written accounts from women working in the mills. I know I'm going to be reading a lot, but I can't wait! 






                      
Some of the girls working at the mill could've been as young as 10 and were usually as old as 26, but there were some women who were middle aged who worked in the mill.
This is an image of the mill in Lowell on a busy work day. The mill, although, is no longer operational is still a major feature of the city today.