1931 ALS from a woman working in a Gary, Indiana garment factory to a former coworker, who married and moved to Tennessee.
[4]p letter in original postmarked cover, 1931. The envelope is addressed to Mrs. Neal Midgett, 1503 Bryan St., Old Hickory, Tennessee; postmarked July 30, 1931.
A warm and casual letter updating her on “the old place”—idle gossip and chatter that isn’t particularly intimate, but reflects a nuanced bond between women who have shared a work experience rather than a traditional friendship. She uses a code name for a coworker (“Angelic Voice”), pokes fun at the incompetence of managers (“you should see the things he cuts…”) and shows an understanding of workplace politics, noting one worker who she supposed was fired for “getting too good to the girls.” Eleanor comes across as bubbly but smart and independent—she can’t imagine getting married anytime soon, she’s chopped off her hair, and she even uses cool slang like “Eh wot”! There is no mention of family or weather or other typical epistolary fodder. Instead, the letter is remarkable for the detail about the machinery and factory setup, and her documentation of working conditions and labor activity (“A lot of of the binders got canned Monday because they stayed home Saturday on account of having hard work.”)
Eleanor Kennedy was born in Gary in 1912, and, true to the timeline of her letter, didn’t marry until 1940. Her husband was Joseph Francis Sheets; in 1950, he was working as an auto parts salesman and she worked as a secretary. The recipient of the letter, Bertha Jones, had married farmer Neal Midgett on Christmas, 1929. Neal was employed for a time as a doffer at the DuPont plant in Old Hickory. In her letter, Eleanor writes, “I hope you have a job and are not so lonesome now,” though Bertha does not appear to have worked after getting married. The comment, as well as Eleanor’s staying in the workforce after her own marriage, tells us more about her values and positive associations with work.
737 Georgia Street Gary Indiana
July 29, 1931
Dear Bertha,
Eleanor is still there but Anna isn't – she quit a week ago Friday so I never hear “Who’s Eleanor” any more.
No, I'm not married & don't expect to be for a good many years yet. Anyhow, I don't know that about the note you put in bed.
Steffie's mechanic with the cookie duster has left us and we have two new ones now. The one Steffie likes is married so I guess that settles that. Eh wot?
Angelic Voice is floor walking on Estelle's table now. Estelle quit right after you left.
You wouldn't recognize the old place anymore. There is only room for two more shafts now and there were binders all over the shop, but they've got them all on the second shaft now. The Third shaft has Merrow machines on one side & pinkers on the other & the Fifth shaft is all two needle machines. Had Queenan & Rose been fired when you left? If not, they were fired right afterwards. I guess Queenan was getting too good to the girls.
Ila has complete charge now & Muir is Gen. Manager. He’s been in the cutting room the last couple of days and you should see some of the things he cuts.
A lot of of the binders got canned Monday because they stayed home Saturday on account of having hard work.
Verna, Steffie, Mary, Anna and I are binding now because we have no piping and probably won't have for another week at least. We've got lots of crepe pajamas, and you know what that means.
Well, I don't know whether Mary has written to you yet or not but I know the other girls haven't so maybe there will be a little bit of new news here. I hope you have a job and are not so lonesome now. Oh yes, I forgot to tell you I had all my hair chopped off the Saturday after you left. I'll send you a new picture the next time I write don't forget to write soon
Love,
Eleanor