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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR BULLETIN OF THE WOMEN’S BUREAU, No. 55 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES A STUDY OF HOURS, WAGES, AND WORKING CONDITIONS [Public—No. 259—66th Congress.] [H. R. 13229.] An Act To establish in the Department of Labor a bureau to be known as the Women’s Bureau Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United, States of America in Congress assembled, That there shall be established in the Department of Labor a bureau to be known as the Women’s Bureau. Sec. 2. That the said bureau shall be in charge of a director, a woman, to be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, who shall receive an annual compensation of $5,000. It shall be the duty of said bureau to formulate standards and policies which shall promote the welfare of wage-earning women, improve their working conditions, increase their efficiency, and ad vance their opportunities for profitable employment. The said bureau shall have authority to investigate and report to the said de partment upon all matters pertaining to the welfare of women in industry. The director of said bureau may from time to time publish the results of these investigations in such a manner and to such extent as the Secretary of Labor may prescribe. Sec. 3. That there shall be in said bureau an assistant director, to be appointed by the Secretary of Labor, who shall receive an annual compensation of $3,500 and shall perform such duties as shall be prescribed by the director and approved by the Secretary of Labor. Sec. 4. That thore is hereby authorized to be employed by said bureau a chief clerk and such special agents, assistants, clerks, and other employees at such rates of compensation and in such numbers as Congress may from time to time provide by appropriations. Sec. 5. That the Secretary of Labor is hereby directed to furnish sufficient quarters, office furniture, and equipment for the work of this bureau. Sec. 6. That this act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage. Approved, June 5, 1920. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR JAMES J. DAVIS, SECRETARY WOMEN’S BUREAU MARY ANDERSON, Director <4 I BULLETIN OF THE WOMEN’S BUREAU, NO. WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES A STUDY OF HOURS, WAGES, AND WORKING CONDITIONS WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1926 55 ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THI3 PUBLICATION MAY BE PROCURED FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON, D. C. AT 1* CENTS PER COPY CONTENTS Page Letter of transmittal Vi Part I. Introduction Scope and method of investigation___________ Summary of facts Conclusion II. .Wages Methods of payment Week’s earnings Earnings and time worked Earnings of full-time workers Earnings and rates_______ Weekly rates and scheduled weekly hours______________ Year’s earnings 10 Earnings of night workers 17 Earnings of negro workers IS III. Hours 21 Scheduled hours 21 Daily hours 2] Weekly hours 23 Saturday hours._ Lunch periods Hours of night workers Actual hours worked Time lost________________________________________ _____ Overtime 2S IV. Working conditions ' General plant conditions Arrangement of rooms Condition and type of floors Stairways Cleaning.-----------------Ventilation; Heating—---------------------- -------------------------------------.... Lighting.--------------------Seating: Sanitation_________________________________________________ Drinking facilities 40 Washing facilities 42 Toilet facilities 43 Service equipment 50 Lunchrooms 50 Cloakrooms SiRestrooms 52 Health equipment 63 hi 1 1 2 5 7 7 g JO l;! 14 16 25 26 27 27 2S 29 29 29 30 31 32 33 35 35 38 40 IV CONTENTS Page Part V. The workers__________________________________________________ Nativity Age Conjugal condition:________________________________________ Living condition________________________________________... Extent of schooling... Time in the trade Appendixes: General tables_______ ________ ____________...______________________ Schedule forms___________________________________________________ 55 55 56 57 57 58 58 61 85 TEXT TABLES Table 1. Number of men, women, and children employed in the estab lishments visited, by industry______ ________________________ 2. Extent of timework and piecework, by industry_______________ 3. Median earnings, by industry—1925__________________________ 4. Median earnings', by industry—1924 5. Median earnings of women for whom time worked was reported in hours, all industries—1925 6. Median earnings of women for whom time worked was reported in days, all industries—1925 __ 7. Median earnings of women who worked the firm’s scheduled week compared with those of all workers, by industry—1925. _ 8. Median rates and median earnings, by industry—1925_________ 9. Median weekly rate by scheduled weekly hours, all industries— 1925............. 10. Scheduled daily hours, by industry____________________________ 11. Scheduled weekly hours, by industry 24 12. Relation of Saturday hours to daily hours, by industry group__ 13. Time lost and overtime, by industry 28 14. Lighting of workrooms, by industry group__________________ __ 15. Type of drinking facilities provided,by industry..._____ _______ 16. Inadequacy of washing facilities, byindustry_____________________ 17. Adequacy of toilet equipment, by industry and race of women__ 18. General conditions of toilet equipment, by industry and race of women 46 19. Cleaning of toilet rooms, by industry and race of women_______ 20. Nativity and race of the women employees wTho supplied per sonal information, by industry 55 21. Age of the women employees who supplied personal informa tion, by race 56 22. Conjugal condition of the women employees who supplied per sonal information, by race 57 2 8 9 10 11 12 13 15 16 22 25 37 40 42 44 48 CONTENTS V APPENDIX TABLES Table I. II. III. IV. V. Week’s earnings, by industry—1925 Week’s earnings, by industry—1924 Week’s earnings and time worked, all industries—1925________ Week’s earnings and time worked, all industries—1924_______ Week’s earnings of women who worked the firm’s scheduled time, by industry—1925 VI. Weekly rate and actual week’s earnings, by industry—1925______ VII. Weekly rate and scheduled weekly hours, all industries— 1925 ■ 70 VIII. Year’s earnings of the women for whom 52-week pay-roll records were secured, by industry and race__________________ IX. Week’s earnings of negro women, by industry—1924 and 1925 X. Week’s earnings of negro women by time worked, all in dustries—1925____________ ________________ ___ ______ _ XI. Week’s earnings of negro women by time worked, all in dustries—1924 XII. Weekly rate and actual week’s earnings of negro women, by industry—1925;_________ _ XIII. Scheduled daily and Saturday hours, by industry group_______ XIV. Length of lunch period, by industry_______________ ____________ XV. Hours worked less than scheduled, by industry_____________ XVI. Hours worked more than scheduled, by industry_______________ XVII. Age of the women employees who supplied personal in formation, by industry and race _ gj XVIII. Conjugal condition of the women employees who supplied personal information, by industry and race.;_______ __________ XIX.Living condition of the women employees who supplied personal information, by industry and race__________________ XX. Extent of schooling of the women employees who supplied personal information, by industry and race___________ XXI.Time in the trade of women employees who supplied per sonal information, by industry and race_____________________ Page 62 63 64 66 68 69 71 72 74 70 77 78 79 so go 82' 82 83 S4 * LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL United States Department of Labor, Women’s Bureau, Washington, March 16, 1926. Sir: I am submitting herewith the report on women in Mississippi industries, a study of hours, wages, and wmrking conditions, compiled in a state-wide investigation conducted in 25 cities and towms of the State. The generous cooperation given by the State factory inspec tor and by the employers and employees of the establishments visited greatly facilitated the survey. The report was written by Ruth I. Voris, assistant editor, and the statistical material was tabulated under the supervision of Elizabeth A. Hyde. Mary Anderson, Director. Hon. James J. Davis, Secretary of Labor. VI WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES PART 1 INTRODUCTION This survey of the hours, wages, and working conditions of women in Mississippi industries was made by the Women’s Bureau of the United States Department of Labor upon the invitation of the gover nor of the State. The State factory inspector had also requested that the work be undertaken, and during the survey officials of the State, because of their acquaintance with local problems and conditions, were of considerable service. The work was facilitated also by the courtesy and generous cooperation of the employers and employees. The field work was carried on during January and February of 1925. Mississippi is not primarily an industrial State. According to census figures the majority of the people in the State who were gainfully employed in 1920 were engaged in agriculture, forestry, and animal husbandry. Only a little over one-tenth of them were in manufac turing and mechanical industries, and the total number of women reported in these industries was only OjOO?.1 SCOPE AND METHOD OF INVESTIGATION Not all Mississippi establishments that employed women were included in the survey, but a representative number of plants in the various women-employing industries were chosen. Stores, laundries, and manufacturing establishments were visited in 25 cities and towns of the State: Biloxi. Columbus. Corinth. Crystal Springs. Glancy. Greenwood. Gulfport. Hattiesburg. Hazlehurst. Jackson. Laurel. McComb. Meridian. Moss Point. Natchez. New Albany. Pascagoula. Starkville. Stonewall. Tupelo. Utica. Vicksburg. Water Valley. Winona. Yazoo City. Definite information as to numbers of employees and their hours and wages was scheduled by investigators in interviews with employ ers, managers, and foremen, and on examination of the pay rolls. 1 U. S. Bureau of Census. 14th Census, 1920: Population, v. 4, Occupations, page 75, table 15. 1 2 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES All information concerning wages was copied from pay rolls by the agents of the bureau. Records were taken for a week in January, 1925, and, wherever possible, for a week in January, 1924, also. An effort was made to secure information for a week in which no unusual situation had affected the number of hours which the women had worked. Facts as to age, nativity, experience in the trade, education, and conjugal and living condition were obtained from question naires distributed in the plants and filled in by the employees. For a limited number of women record was made of earnings for the calen dar year 1924. The number of establishments included in the survey, the industries covered, and the number of employees are given in the following table: Table 1.—Number of men, women, and children employed in the establishments visited, by industry Industry All industries-------------------Manufacturing: Boxes (wooden) and veneer___ Textiles..... ......................... ........ Number of estab lishments visited Total number Num of em ber of ployees men Num Num ber of ber of boys girls (under Negro (under 16) 10) Number of women Total White 81 6,5G2 3,621 2,853 2,314 539 39 10 4 3 11 9 10 14 14 1,492 132 323 2, 522 848 622 227 396 1,202 68 28 1,300 698 217 33 75 272 64 295 1,156 150 401 194 321 125 37 295 1,080 122 397 194 64 i 147 27 2 18 76 28 4 17 49 49 4 257 1 Exclusive of the women in one establishment who were paid off in groups, their names not appearing on the pay roll. 2 Exclusive of the boys in one establishment who were paid off in a group, their names not appearing on the pay roll. The 2,853 women included in the survey were employed in fac tories, stores, and laundries, 81 plants in all. Over two-thirds of the women were engaged in manufacturing, practically one-fifth were in stores, and the rest worked in laundries. Not far from one-fifth of the women workers surveyed were negro women. SUMMARY OF FACTS Extent of survey. Number of cities and towns visited_________________ Number of establishments visited__________________ Number of women employed in these establishments Workers. 1. Proportion of negroes___________________________ 2. Distribution of women in industry group— Manufacturing_____________________________ Mercantile_________________________________ Laundries__________________________________ 25 81 2, 853 Per cent 18. 9 67. 9 20. 9 11.3 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTBIES 3 CC O O W orkers—Continued. 3. Conjugal condition of—1,028 white women— per cent Single------------------------ ........................ ............. .......................... 60.9 Married 22. 4 Widowed, separated, or divorced 16. 7 219 negro women— Single------------------------------ -------------------------- ------------- 41.6 22. 4 Married___________ ___________________________________ Widowed, separated, or divorced________ ___________J__ 36. i 4. Age of— 1,022 white women— Under 20 years of age 31. 4 20 and under 30 years of age__ _ 38. 6 30 years of age and over 30. 0 238 negro women— Under 20 years of age 25. 6 20 and under 30 years of age 38. 7 30 years of age and over 35. 7 5. Living condition of— 1,059 white women— . Living independently H. 4 Living at home. g2 2 Living with relatives.._____________ 6. 4 233 negro women— Living independently_______________________ ___ 15 Living at home_____________________________________ 79 Living with relatives.. 5 6. Nativity was reported for 1,282 women, only 4 of whom were foreign born. Hours. Hour data for 79 factories, stores, and laundries may be summarized as follows: 1. Daily hours. A schedule of 8 hours or less for 3.1 per cent of the women. A schedule of over 10 hours for 35.8 per cent of the women. 2. Weekly hours. A schedule of less than 54 hours for only 14.9 per cent of the women. A schedule of 60 hours or more for 26.4 per cent of the women. Hours less than scheduled worked by 49.4 per cent of the women for whom time worked was reported. Hours more than scheduled worked by 6 per cent of the women for whom time worked was reported. 3. Saturday hours. No Saturday work or hours shorter than the daily schedule for 90.2 per cent of the women in factories. No Saturday work or hours shorter than the daily schedule for 51,3 per cent of the women in laundries. Saturday hours longer than the daily schedule for 89.9 per cent of the women in stores. 4. Hours of 182 night workers. A shift of more than 10 hours for all night workers. A weekly schedule of more than 55 but less than 60 hours for 76.9 per cent of the women. 4 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Wages. M age data for 81 factories, stores, and laundries may be summarized as follows: 1. Week’s earnings. Median week’s earnings for all industries— January, 1924— White women $g. 75 Negro women______________________ 5, 90 January, 1925— White women____________________________________ 8. 60 Negro women 5. 75 Median week’s earnings offull-time white workers_________ 9. 80 2. Year’s earnings (January, 1924, to January, 1925). Median year’s earnings for all industries. White women 464. 00 Negro women---------------- ------------------- ----------------- 300. 00 3. Earnings of night workers. Median week’s earnings for January, 1924, $8.40; for January, 1925, $8.85. Median year’s earnings, $434. Working conditions. For the 81 factories, stores, and laundries visited: 1. General workroom conditions were as follows— (o) 30 establishments with aisles either narrow or obstructed. (b) 16 establishments with cement floors in part or all of plant, only 4 with platforms provided. (c) Of 59 establishments with stairways, only 11 satisfactory in all respects. (d) 31 establishments with insufficient natural light for some or all of the workers and 13 establishments with glare from natural light. (e) 12 establishments with insufficient artificial light provided and 32 with glare from artificial lights. (/) 28 establishments in which no seats were provided for women w'ho stood at their work; 16 establishments in which seats without backs were furnished for women who sat at their work all the time. 2. The need for improved sanitation is shown by the following— (а) 34 establishments with no drinking cups, 19 establishments with common cups, and 14 establishments with insanitary bubblers. (б) 11 establishments with no washing facilities; 39 establishments with no towels, although equipped with washing facilities; 18 establishments with common towels. (c) 24 establishments with an inadequate number of toilet facilities for white women, 7 establishments reporting no toilet facilities for negro women. 3. The record of service facilities disclosed— (а) No lunchroom in 69 establishments. (б) No cloakroom in 45 establishments. (c) No restroom in 67 establishments. WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES 5 CONCLUSION On the whole, the investigation indicates that much remains to be done to improve the condition of the women workers in Mississippi. There is no reason to suppose that the working conditions in the establishments visited were worse than the average for all the plants in the State that employed women, for no effort was made to search out unsatisfactory conditions, and those establishments were selected, in general, in which women workers assumed most importance. Over one-third of the women employed in the plants surveyed were expected to put in a regular working day longer than 10 hours, though there is a law in the State limiting the working day of women in practically all occupations except domestic service to 10 hours. For over a fourth of the women 60 hours or more represented the normal weekly schedule. Only in one of the 13 States from which the Women’s Bureau collected hour data for the fall of 1922 and in none of the other States surveyed since that date was so large a proportion of the women reported on a schedule of 60 hours or more. The wage standards also were lower than those of the other States in which the Women’s Bureau has conducted similar surveys, when the median earnings are taken as the basis of comparison. The median earnings of the white women were only $8.60 for the pay-roll week taken in 1925, and only a little higher for the week in January, 1924. In other words, one-half of the white women employed in the establishments visited actually earned less than $8.60 during the week, while only one-half earned more than that amount. The earnings of the negro women fell even farther below what might be considered a reasonably adequate wage, for their median earnings in the two periods were $5.75 and $5.90. In respect to plant conditions, also, there was much to be desired. Too many plants were reported with no washing facilities or with equipment that was inadequate, with no towels or common towels. In not far from one-fourth of the establishments common drinking cups were found, while in others no cups were provided. Toiletroom conditions were frequently most unsatisfactory, and in a number of cases the equipment was inadequate. r PART II WAGES In studying hours there are certain definite standards, the result of legislation and of custom, which serve as a basis for comparison. The study of wages, however, is much more involved, as there is no definite standard for wages, even in the States in which there is mini mum-wage legislation, and the current practices vary from industry to industry, and from one locality to another. Wages fluctuate in any one community with such factors as changes in the cost of living, the length of experience of the wage earners, and the difference in their bargaining power. A report of the type herewith presented can consider but a few of the conditions which may affect wages. The data given in the following pages are based on a study of actual wage records of women employed in Mississippi industries. Corre lations have been made of earnings and some of the various factors which might be expected to affect them, in order to present a more complete picture of the situation of the women workers in the State. Two main types of information on earnings were obtained—a record of week’s earnings for all the women employed in the plants visited, for two different weeks approximately a year apart, and a record of year’s earnings for a limited number of women who had been with the firm during the 52 weeks previous to the late pay-roll date. Because of the marked difference in the earnings of white and of negro women the figures for these two groups have been kept separate throughout the present study, and the earnings of the negro women are discussed in a separate section. METHODS OF PAYMENT Wages are paid according to two general methods, the one basing earnings on the time worked and the other on the amount of work done. In a few cases an employee may be working under a combi nation of the two systems. Table 2 presents the figures on the meth ods of payment followed in the industries surveyed in Mississippi. 7 8 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Table 2.—Extent of timework and 'piecework, by industry Number and percent of women in each specified industry who were on— Industry of women reported Timework Both timework and piecework Piecework Number Per cent Number Per cent Number Per cent All industries Manufacturing: Boxes (wooden) and veneer. Candy_____________ Clothing, men’s____ Textiles______ _______ Miscellaneous_________ General mercantile.................. 6-and-10-cent stores..... .......... Laundries_______ 2,016 993 49.3 998 49.5 25 1.2 121 23 294 878 42 397 194 64 6 23 18 259 32 397 194 4.8 100.0 6.1 29.5 76. 2 100.0 100.0 100.0 111 89.5 7 5.6 275 602 10 03.5 68.6 23. 8 l 17 .3 1.9 i ‘ '1................ Of the 2,016 women for whom method of payment was reported, practically half were on a piece-rate and half on a time-rate basis, for only a negligible proportion were working- under a combination of the two systems. However, within the various industries there was no such even division of workers so far as method of payment was concerned. All of the women reported in stores and all in laun dries were timeworkers; the women in these groups combined com prised practically one-third of the number for whom report was made. Of the women in the candy industry for whom a definite report on method of payment was obtained, all were on a time basis, but there was one plant—not included in the table—where it was difficult to determine whether the output or the number of hours was taken as the standard. The majority of the women employed in the manufac ture of boxes, clothing, and textiles were pieceworkers, while over three-fourths of those in the miscellaneous manufacturing group were paid on the basis of time worked. WEEK’S EARNINGS The data on week’s earnings were copied from the pay rolls of the establishments visited. Figures on the actual earnings of each woman employed were taken off for a week in January, 1925, and for a cor responding week in 1924. So far as possible the records in each plant were taken for the first, pay-roll week in January.1 There is some variation from that date, however, either because the week specified was not a normal one in the plant or because the pay roll for that week was not available. Records of week’s earnings for the late pay-roll period were ob tained for 2,136 white women, and the figures on the distribution of 1 Since it was the purpose of the survey to secure data for a normal week without a shutdown or a holi day, in no case did the week selected cover the 1st of January, if that day were a holiday. WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTBIES 9 their earnings are given in Appendix Table I, a summary of which appears in Table 3. The figures on earnings relate to all the women who appeared on the pay rolls during the weeks recorded, without regard to the length of time which they had worked. As a result their earnings ranged all the way from less than $ 1 to over $40. However, the earnings of almost three-fourths of the women included fell between $5 and $15, Only one-eighth of all the women had earned as much as $15 during the week surveyed, and for only 5 per cent were earnings of $20 or more reported. Table 3.—Median earnings, by industry—1925 Median Number week’s of earnings, women pay roll reported of Janu ary, 1925 Industry All industries........................... Manufacturing: Boxes (wooden) and veneer. Candy. .......................... Clothing, men’s................... Textiles___ ________ Miscellaneous. _ _ General mercantile..................... 5-and-10-cent stores.......... Laundries______ ______ 2,136 $8.60 125 37 295 902 122 397 194 64 9.05 9.30 6.95 7.85 8.75 14.90 8.40 9.25 ________________________ ___________ _ The median earnings for this group 6f 2,136 women were only $8.60; that is, one-half earned less and one-half more than that amount. Judged on the basis of a comparison of median earnings, the general mercantile establishments had higher wage standards than had any other class of establishments surveyed. Not only were the median earnings for this group of women $14.90 but nine-tenths of all the women in the survey who were reported as having earned $20 or more dm-ing the week were employed in this ndustry. No other industry had a median as high as $10. The lowest paid industry, the median again being used as the basis of comparison, was the manufacture of men’s clothing. There were almost 300 women reported in this group, and the fact of their low median is the more noteworthy because in none of the other States surveyed by the bureau has any branch of the clothing industry stood at the bottom of the list in respect to median earnings. Ordi narily the median for women in this industry has been somewhat above that found for the State as a whole. The textile mills, which employed over two-fifths of the women reported, had next to the lowest median, with one-half their women workers earning less than $7.85 and one-half more. Only 3.9 per cent of the women textile workers received as much as $15. 10 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES For the 1924 pay-roll period records were obtained for a somewhat smaller number of women, but women were reported from the same industries throughout. Table 4, which is a summary of Table II in the appendix, gives the median earnings for the various industries. There is very little difference in the wage levels of the late and early pay-roll periods. The median for the 1,772 women reported in 1924 was $8.75. On this date, as well as on the later one, the highest median earnings were those of the general mercantile workers. In 1924, however, the lowest median was found in the candy industry, and the median earnings in both textiles and 5-and-10-cent stores were lower than the median earnings of the women working in the men’s clothing industry, although the median of that industry even for the earlier date was only $7.90. Table 4.—Median earnings, by industry—1924 Industry Manufacturing: Median Number week’s of earnings, women pay roll reported of Janu ary, 1924 1,772 $8.75 93 25 229 877 24 352 131 41 10.05 7. 25 7.90 7.80 9.75 14.55 7.85 8.40 Only to a limited extent does the cheaper rent afforded by mill villages tend to offset the low earnings found in Mississippi. The textile industry was the only one iu which company houses were common, although three box and veneer plants made some provision for houses. On neither pay-roll date, however, did the textile workers have the lowest median earnings, although in each case this median was next to the lowest. The general median for the State was not reduced materially by the standard of the textile industry, for earnings were low for the women in all of the industries surveyed except for those in the general mercantile establishments. Earnings and time worked. Up to this point the discussion on earnings has not taken into consideration the length of time worked during the week by the women for whom wage data were recorded. Figures which give only the actual sums earned without regard to the length of time which it took the women workers to earn those amounts tell only part of the story. Obviously information on hours worked is not available for all of the women for whom earnings were reported. Often no 11 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES record is kept of the number of hours, or. even days, which piece workers put in, since such a record is not necessary in making up the pay roll. Even for timeworkers records are not always complete, for they frequently show only the number of days or half days on which a woman worked, rather than the number of hours of actual employment, and she may or may not have remained at work the full half day. A definite record of hours worked was found for only 557 women, and detailed distribution of their earnings may be found in Appendix Tabic IIIA. A summary of the facts relating to earnings and hours worked is given in Table 5. Table 5.—Median earnings of women for whom time worked was reported in hours, all industries—1925 Hours worked during the week Number of women re ported Total .......................................................... ......... Under 30..-................................................... . 30 and under 36.......................... ............................ 36 and under 42________ ____________ 42 and under 48 .......................................... 48 and under 54 _........................ ................ 54 and under 60 ................ ............... 60............ ........ ......................................... ........... Over 60..................... ...................................... Median week’s earnings $7.80 4. 95 8.45 15 10. 65 ... A glance at the preceding table indicates that for the women for whom complete information was available, earnings did increase in general with hours worked, although not in regular steps. The highest earnings were those of the women who had worked 60 hours during the week, with a median of $11.80. However, the women who had worked 54 but less than 60 hours had lower median earnings than had the women who had worked 48 but less than 54 hours, and the median for those who had worked over 60 hours was less than the median for the women, who had put in just 60 hours during the week reported. Not all the women who had worked long hours had earned the higher wages. There were five women reported who had worked over 60 hours during the week, and, in spite of their long week, had received less than $10 in pay. The largest group of women was made up of those who had worked 54 but less than 60 hours, and there were women even in this group who had earned less than $4 during the week reported. Earnings showed more of a tendency to increase with increase in the number of hours of employment in Mississippi than in the other States where the Women’s Bureau has considered earnings in that relation. In fact, in several States the highest median earnings were those of the women who had worked only 44 or 48 hours. In those States, however, there were enough women employed on a regular 2S72°—26f----- 2 12 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES weekly schedule of such length that many of the women actually working such a week had put in their full scheduled time. In Missis sippi, however, the number of women who had a weekly schedule of 44 or 48 hours was insignificant. Thus most of the women reported as working such hours during the week had worked less than their schedule and would certainly have earned less than the sums received by most of the women who put in a full week. Differences in the amounts of time lost affected the findings more than did differences in weekly schedules. Although the material was tabulated separately for each industry in which there were plants reporting wages and hours worked for their women employees, but little comparison can be made within industry groups because of the small number of women involved. Only 7 women were reported in the manufacture of wooden boxes, and 14 in laundries. The majority of the women for whom complete information was returned were employed in the textile mills, and this industry shows very much the same tendency for earnings to increase with increase in hours of employment as do all the industries taken together. Almost 100 women were reported in men’s clothing, but the majority of these women were in one hour group, so that no com parison of earnings on the basis of hours worked could be made. Similar material was obtained for the week in 1924 (Table IVA in the appendix), but there is no marked contrast between the figures obtained then and those for the later date. Median earnings pro gressed regularly with the increase in hours worked during the week. In the establishments visited in Mississippi record of time worked was more often kept in days and half days than in hours. On the 1925 pay rolls there were 1,155 women with earnings reported for whom time worked was given in terms of the number of days on which they had been present. The detailed figures on the distribu tion of the earnings of these women are printed in Appendix Table IIIB, while the same facts are summarized in Table 6. Table 6.—Median earnings of women for whom time worked was reported in days, all industries—1925 Number of days on which work was done Number of women re ported Total........... ........... ........... ............................................................................... 1,155 1............................................... ..................................................................................... i y2................................................ ........................ .............. ............ ................. ......... 2................ ........................................................................................................ .......... 2A________________ _______________________ __________ 3......... ........................................................................................................ ............ ...... 3 y>............................. 4....... ......................... ..................... ................................. ............................................. 4 y2-........................................... ........... ........................................................................ 5...................................................................................................................................... 5M-—............................. ................................... .........................—............................ 6.............. ............ .......................... .............. ................ ............. ................................. 7.......................... ...... 18 12 19 11 25 13 29 29 141 106 747 5 1 Not computed, owing to small number involved. Median week’s earnings $8.90 m (t) (l) L 00 2.80 3. 95 a 10 5. 75 7. 65 8. 95 9.70 13 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTHIES As is the case in most correlations of earnings and days worked, median earnings advanced with an increase in the number of days worked. Any time under 5)4 days is less than a full scheduled week, and, up to that point at least, earnings would almost certainly increase with some degree of regularity. In this case the earnings of those who worked 6 days were higher than those of the women who worked days. Similar figures were obtained for 885 women on the earlier pay roll date-, and there was no striking difference in the two sets of material. (Table IVB in the appendix.) Earnings of full-time workers. Even in Mississippi the comparison of earnings with time worked was affected to some extent by the fact that of those who had worked for the same number of hours, some had put in a full week while others had worked less than the scheduled week of the plant. As the amount earned is apt to bear more relation to the proportion of the full week for which the worker was present than to the actual number of hours in attendance, it has seemed worth while to tabulate the records of those who had worked the scheduled time of the firm. The number of full-time workers and their median earnings are given in Table 7. The detailed frequency distribution of the earnings of these women is given according to industry in Table V in the appendix. Table 7.—Median earnings of women who worked the firm’s scheduled week com pared with those of all workers, by industry—1925 Women who worked the firm’s scheduled week Industry Median earnings of— The per cent that full-time workers con Full-time Number stitute of women for workers whom time record was available All workers Per cent by which median earnings of full-time workers exceeded those of all workers All industries...................... Manufacturing: Boxes (wooden) and veneer................ Candy.......... ............ Clothing, men’s.................... . 980 57.2 $9.80 $8.60 41 J8 51 40.6 48.6 52.0 10.50 10.00 10.10 9.05 9.30 6.95 16.0 Miscellaneous..................... General mercantile.................. . 5-and-l 0-cent stores....... Laundries________ 68 263 55. 7 84.3 85.6 74.1 9.25 15. 45 8. 55 10.25 8. 75 14.90 8.40 5.7 1.8 As already stated, some of the time records of the women em ployees were given in terms of hours worked, while others were ex pressed only in terms of the number of days or half days on which the women had been present. A woman who had been present on six days in an establishment which had a six-day schedule was counted 14 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES as having worked a full week. Actually she might have left early on one day, and thus the record would have been inexact. Because it was felt that this difference in method of handling might have some effect on the final figures, the material was tabulated separately for the women reported on the two different bases. As there was no appreciable difference, however, either in medians or in the fre quency distribution, the figures for the two groups of workers have been combined in the printed table. Time records were secured in some form for 1,712 women. Of this number, 980, or 57.2 per cent, had worked the normal week of the firm in which they were employed. Only 33 women had worked longer than their scheduled week. In all cases the median for the full-time workers is compared with the,median for all of the women for whom wage records were ob tained rather than with that of the smaller number for whom a report of time worked was given in addition. When all of the industries surveyed are grouped as one unit, the median earnings for the full time workers exceed the median for all workers by 14 per cent. The industry which shows the greatest difference between the medians for the two-groups of women is the manufacture of men’s clothing. This situation is not due to the possible clement of more time lost in the industry as a whole, for in three other industries a smaller proportion of the women for whom time records were avail able had worked the full week of the establishment in which they were employed. However, attendance records were available for a much smaller proportion of the total number of women reported in this industry than in any other industry, and it appears that the firms which kept no time records had the lower wage standards. Both in the textile mills and in the 5-and-10-cent stores the median earnings of even the full-time workers were less than $9. Earnings and rates. In order to give a more complete picture of the wage situation the weekly rate—the amount which the worker could look forward to receiving if she put in a full week—also has been considered. Un fortunately data on rates could not be secured for all of the women for whom earnings were reported. Obviously, no weekly rates were obtainable for women who are paid according to output. By con verting wage rates quoted on the basis of hours, days, or months into terms of the weekly period, figures on rates of pay were made available for the majority of the timeworkers. A comparison of rates and earnings therefore was possible for only 973 women. As such data were reported for only 6 women in the manufacture of wooden boxes and veneer, that industry has been omitted in Table 8, in which is presented a comparison of median 15 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES rates and median earnings. The detailed figures on which the me dians were based may be found in Table VI in the appendix. Table 8.—■Median rates and median earnings, by industry—1925 Industry Number of women reported Median weekly rate Median week’s earnings Per cent by which actual earnings fell below (—) or exceeded (+) weekly rate i 973 $9.85 $9.35 -5.1 23 18 256 31 388 193 58 8.30 7. 65 8. 50 10.15 13. 55 8. 20 10.10 8.15 7.30 10. 85 14. 70 8. 40 10.00 —9. 6 +6.5 — 14.1 +6.9 +8.6 +2.4 -1.0 Manufacturing: Textiles__________________ ______ 1 The manufacture of wooden boxes and veneer reported rates for too small a number of women to make medians significant and does not appear separately, but the women in that industry are included in “ all industries.” The median rate for the 973 women for whom this nformation was.given was $9.85, and the median earnings for the same group of women were $9:35. It is interesting to note how little difference there was between the median rate for these women and the median earnings of (he full-time workers ($9.80), although the groups of women represented are not identical. The women for whom rates could be given were all timeworkers, while both timeworkers and pieceworkers make up the total of those who worked the firm’s sched uled week. The women for whom wage rates were available show higher median earnings than do the more inclusive group of all of those for whom earnings were reported. To some extent this may be due to the fact that the general mercantile workers form a larger pro portion of the women with rates than they do of the total number with earnings reported; thus the smaller group is weighted by the most highly paid group of women surveyed in the State. In four in dustries the median earnings exceeded the median rates of the same women, while in three they fell short of the rates. The greatest difference between earnings and rates was found in the textile in dustry where the median earnings fell short of the median rate by 14.1 per cent. Even the rates, however, were low, for one-half of the textile workers reported had weekly rates falling below $8.50, while the other half had rates above that amount. The lowest median rate was found in the men’s clothing industry, but there were only 18 women in the industry for whom this material was reported. Almost 200 women were reported in the 5-and-10-cent stores, and their median rate was only $8.20. 16 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Weekly rates and scheduled weekly hours. In Appendix Table VII figures have been compiled to discover whether in the case of the women surveyed there was any positive relation between the weekly rate of wages and the number of sched uled hours in the week. A summary of the material is presented in Table 9. Table 9.—Median weekly rate by scheduled weekly hours, all industries—1925 Scheduled weekly hours Number of women reported Median weekly rate $0.85 964 Total............. 2 Under 44___ ______ 44________________ Over 44 and under 48. 48.................. ............. 50________________ Over 50 and under 52 52________________ Over 52 and under 54. 54________________ Over 54 and under 55. 55........................ ........ Over 55 and under GO. 60. —.......................... 7 27 4 15 19 8 (*> $8. 50 0) 7. 85 7.75 86 3 C1)12.00 31 429 147 186 15.50 9.95 9. 05 8.95 1 Not computed, owing to small number involved. For the women for whom weekly rates were reported in Mississippi a long week did not necessarily mean a high weekly wage. The highest median rate ($15.50) was that of the women whose regular week was over 54 but under 55 hours, while the next highest median ($12) was that of the women with a 54-hour week. The median rate for the small group of women who had a regular week of between 44 and 48 hours was only 45 cents lower than that of the women with a 00-hour week, in spite of the fact that the latter group were expected to put in from 12 to 16 hours more of work time. The figures were too scattered to make comparison within industry groups of much value. YEAR’S EARNINGS The wage figures quoted in the foregoing discussion have repre sented the earnings for only two sample weeks. The weeks for which records were taken were ones in which there had not been an excessive amount either of overtime or lost time, with no holidays and no shutdowns. Such figures furnish a satisfactory cross-section picture of the wage condition of the women included, but seldom is a year made up of 52 normal weeks. Holidays, slack work, illness—all these may reduce the amount in the pay envelope for some weeks, but the worker has expenses throughout the year whether she work all that time or not. In addition to the week’s records, therefore, an attempt was made to obtain for about 20 per cent of the women on WOMEN IK MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES 17 each pay roll, records of earnings for the year preceding the later pay-roll date, only those women whose names appeared on the pay roll for at least 44 weeks having been included. The detailed figures on year’s earnings by industry are presented in Table VIII in the appendix. Data were obtained for only 330 white women in all. None of these women had worked less than 44 weeks and, of the 233 for whom reports on the number of weeks worked as well as on the year’s earnings w ere available, over seventenths had worked 50 weeks or more, although these weeks may or may not have been full ones. The figures on year’s earnings con tained in this report, therefore, refer to the steady workers. The median year’s earnings for the group as a whole were only $464. Actual earnings ranged from less than $200 to between $1,800 and $2,000, but only 5 women had received less than $200 and only 19 more than $1,000. In only five industries were reports obtained for enough women to make possible the computation of a median, but those five are listed below in descending order according to the median year’s earnings: General mercantile $845 Laundries 463 Men’s clothing 438 5-and-10-cent stores_________ __________________________________________ Textiles------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 431 390 The general mercantile, with a median of $845 far surpasses the other four industries listed, no one of which shows a median of year’s earnings of as much as $500. There were only three white women in the manufacture of boxes and veneer for whom year’s records could be obtained and who had worked as many as 44 weeks. For 17 others the pay record was obtained for a year, but they were employed in establishments which had been closed from 11 to 18 weeks during the year. These estab lishments closed regularly for long seasons each year, and the prob lem was particularly serious because there was no other work avail able for their employees during the time that the plants were closed. EARNINGS OP NIGHT WORKERS There were 178 white women working on night shifts in the tex tile mills visited in Mississippi in 1925, the textile industry being the only one of those surveyed in which white women were reported as working at night. In 1924 the same establishments reported 218 women on their pay rolls as night workers. The median earnings for the earlier date were $8.40 and for the later were $8.85, in both cases higher than the median for the women employed during the day in the same establishments. 18 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES A record of hours worked during the week was obtained for 105 of these night workers in 1925, but the figures were too scattered to make possible any comparison of medians for the hour groups. How ever, the range in earnings for some of the highest hour groups is interesting. For example, there were three women who had put in 60 hours of night work in one week and yet had earned only between $5 and $6. Year’s earnings were recorded for only 21 white women working at night, and the median for these women was $434. All of these women had lost some time during the year through the closing of the establishment or the department. EARNINGS OF NEGRO WORKERS The negro women formed a considerable proportion of the women employed in the Mississippi establishments included in the survey. For the late pay roll, records of earnings were obtained for 535 negro women employed in all of the industries in which white women were reported except 5-and-10-cent stores and the manufacture of men’s clothing. The data on their earnings are presented in Table IX in the appendix. The median week’s earnings for the negro women as a whole were only $5.75. There was less difference between the various industries, so far as earnings were concerned, for the negro than for the white women. The highest median ($7.45) was that of the women in the miscellaneous manufacturing group. The medians for each of the other four groups fell between $5 and $6. Because it was felt that difference in occupation might have some effect on earnings, the material was tabulated separately for the negro women employed as sweepers and cleaners and for those in all other occupations. There were 32 women reported as sweepers and clean ers, the majority of whom were in textile plants. The median for this small group was $4.90, while the median for the other textile workers was $5.40. There were so few women employed as sweepers and cleaners, however, that separate tables for the two groups of workers have not been printed. Therefore the figures for the sweepers and cleaners are included with those for other workers in all further discussion of the wages of negro women. The median for the 420 negro women reported in 1924 was $5.90, a slightly higher sum than that for 1925, as at the later date textiles had the lowest median and miscellaneous manufacturing the highest. The figures on earnings and time worked for the two pay-roll dates are given in Table X and XI in the appendix. Although the earnings were lower than those of the white women, the same general tendency was found and the same factors entered in. In the 1924 pay-roll WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTKIES 19 figures there was more regular progression of earnings with hours worked than in the 1925 figures, the median for the women who had worked more than 60 hours at the later period falling below that of the women who had worked an even 60 hours. The median earnings of the 54-to-60-hour group were also lower than the median for the women who had worked 48 but less than 54 hours. The median earnings ($5.60) of the negro women workers fell short of their median rate ($6) by only 6.6 per cent. (Table XII in the appendix.) There were 314 women for whom information on rates and earnings were available, and their weekly rates of pay ranged from less than $5 to between $14 and $15. In this group of women were included all women whatever their occupation, but among the number were 29 sweepers and cleaners, and their median rate ($5.40) was somewhat lower than that for all the negro women. The rates— the maximum amounts which the workers could expect for their week’s work—of as many as four-fifths of all the negro women reported, however, were less than $7 a week. Records of year’s earnings were obtained for only 58 negro women. According to the unpublished figures, practically the same proportion of the negro as of the white women had worked 50 weeks or more dur ing the year. Their median earnings for the year, however, were only $300, some earning less than $200 and only one earning more than $500. (Table VIII.) PART III HOURS In a consideration of hours of work attention should be given to three phases of the problem: The standard established by the law of the State, the scheduled hours of the plants studied, and the number of hours actually worked by the employees of these plants during a definite period of time. So far as the legal hours for women workers are concerned Missis sippi has not set a high standard. Although practically all occupa tions in which women are engaged except domestic service are covered by the law, the 10-hour day is permitted with a weekly limit of 60 hours. No longer is a work day of that length looked upon as a step forward. SCHEDULED HOURS Data in regard to the number of working hours for women, obtained from managers of the various establishments included in this study form the basis for the tables on scheduled hours. The hours tabu lated are those for which the women were employed under normal working conditions, irrespective of variations due to overtime, under time, and slack periods. Hours actually worked obviously do not always tally with scheduled hours. Daily hours. The hours scheduled for the normal working-day, Saturday or other shortened days not being included under this term, are shown in Table 10. 21 1 Table 10.—Scheduled daily hours, by industry bO Number of establishments and number of women whose scheduled daily hours were— is umoer reported 7 Over 8 and under 9 8 Industry Over 9 and under 10 9 Over 10 and under 11 10 11 All industries ........... Per cent distribution......... 79 100.0 2,613 100.0 1 1.3 14 0.5 3 3.8 67 2.6 10 4 270 64 295 976 1 14 1 1 27 34 1 6 Manufacturing: Boxes (wooden) and 11 9 14 12 401 194 263 i 3 3.8 52 2.0 2 16 1 36 • 39 49.4 777 29.7 3 3.8 1 1 14 13 3 16 14 4 93 401 194 i 62 1 203 7.8 18 22.8 564 21.6 10 12.7 880 33.7 2 2.5 56 2.1 1 15 209 10 80 92 8 26 1 6 181 6 1 1 2 1 1 1 8 1 834 20 1 50 7 2 165 1 Includes 9 women in one establishment having a 5-hour day on Monday. 2 Includes 11 women in one establishment having a 5-hour day on Monday, 18 in one establishment having a 7-hour day on Friday, and 22 in one establishment having an 8-hour day on Friday. ¥ 4 * < WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES EstabEstabEstabEstabEstabEstabEstabEstabEstablisb- W omen lish- W omen lish- Women lish- Women lish- Women lish- ■Women lish- Women lish- Women lish- Women ments ments ments ments ments ments ments ments ments WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES 23 There were 79 establishments, employing 2,613 women, for whom information on scheduled daily hours was available. The length of the working-day in these establishments ranged from 7 to 11 hours, but the largest single group of women consisted of those who regularly worked more than 10 but less than 11 hours a day. One-third of the total number of women reported had a day of such length. There were more establishments on a 9-hour schedule than on any other, although less than three-tenths of the women included in the survey were employed in these establishments. Only 133 women of the 2,613 for whom information on daily hours was available had a working-day of less than 9 hours, while 56 were expected to work regularly 11 hours a day. The only establishments in w'hieh a day of 8 hours or less was re ported were the candy factories, the clothing factories, and some of the plants in the miscellaneous group. Even in the men’s clothing industry, which ordinarily has short hours, there was only one plant with an 8-hour day while the other factories visited had daily sched ules of over 9 but less than 10 hours, and of 10 hours. Of the candy establishments, two had a regular day of 8 hours or less, one a day of 9, and the other of 10 hours. All of the stores visited, both general mercantile establishments and 5-and-10-cent stores, had a 9-hour day. The 10-hour day was the standard for the majority of the box and veneer plants, and over three-fourths of the women reported in the industry had a regular day of that length, although one establish ment had a daily schedule as short as 9 hours, and another employed its women operatives 11 hours a day. In laundries, also, the 10-hour day was the practice of the majority of the firms reporting scheduled hours, and these firms employed 62.7 per cent of the women included in the industry. All the other laundries, however, had a day shorter than 10 hours, and three of the 10-hour plants regularly worked less than 10 hours on Monday or Friday. In two of the laundries visited the hours of work were too irregular to tabulate. The industry with the worst record for long hours was the manu facture of textiles, and more women were reported in this than in any other industry surveyed. Of the 11 plants visited, none had a day of less than 10 hours and only 2 employed their women operatives for a day as short as that. A day of over 10 but under 11 hours was the regular schedule of 85.5 per cent of the women in the industry, and 5.1 per cent were expected to work 11 hours daily. Weekly hours. The report on daily hour schedules tells only part of the story. The grind of long hours day after day has its cumulative effect in fatigue and decreased energy. Consequently, in conjunction with a consideration of daily hours an analysis of weekly schedules is sig nificant. The accompanying table shows the number of women and of establishments in each industry with the specified weekly hours. Table 11.—Scheduled weekly hours, by industry Number of establishments and number of women whose scheduled weekly hours were— Under 44 Over 44 and under 48 44 Over 48 and under 50 48 Over 50 and under 52 50 Over 52 and under 54 52 . Over 54 and under 55 M Over 55 and under 60 55 Over 60 60 W G a © s © £ 2<3 CO d 5 o 6 2 b d © S £o 2<3 CO b G © a O £ % a S m 3 CO so d ©d d ©g o co Tr b 12 a ©S G G © a c > .CO 23 b © a o 3 © a G G a o £ to 23 B fl a o £ © o £ 12 G © 1 g £ © co 12 G © a 12 G © a G a o G G cs to B ? a £© 23 So B © I Establishments 2 d ©fi g j B d 5 6 s ©B g to Establishments co © B G G 2Cv 12d 12d | co d ©B All industries___ ‘79 2. 613 14 684 1 4 1 36 1 7 1 3 3 31 2 23 3 33 2 183 25 719 13 563 3 67 3 33 1 11 221 Per cent distribution___ 100.0 100.0 2.5 0.9 3.8 2.6 3.8 1.3 1.3 0.2 1.3 1.4 3.8 1.3 2.5 7.0 1.3 0.3 1.3 0.1 13.9 8.5 3.8 1.2 31.6 27.5 16.5 21.5 17.7 26.2 1.3 Manufacturing: Boxes (wooden) and 10 4 11 9 116 14 1 12 270 64 295 976 150 401 194 203 1 1 14 9 1 1 27 34 1 ..6. .... 1 12 2 21 1 4 1 36 1 1 18 4 1 11 1 181 1 1 2 7 1 3 1 1 14 13 2 4 89 57 3 48 .... __ 3 3 128 "T SO 74 3 1 83 10 2 39 2 365 7 6 243 12 1 178 2 I 16 1 4 2 1 67 16 22 519 28 31 1 Details aggregate more than total because some establishments appear in more than one hour group. ft * 2 3 • 98 1 G © E © ps 6 0.2 6 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES & c © 1 Establishments Industry Establishments | Number reported 25 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Only a small proportion of the women reported had a scheduled week of less than 55 hours. The majority of all the women employed in the plants surveyed were working on schedules of 55 to 60 hours, inclusive. Only one establishment regularly employed its women workers more than 60 hours a week, and only five establishments employing 3.5 per cent of the total number of women, had a week of 44 hours or less. The only industries in which any plants reported a schedule of 44 hours or less were laundries, the manufacture of candy, and of men’s clothing, and one industry in the miscellaneous group. This does not mean, however, that these industries as a whole had progressive hour standards. One candy factory had a 54-hour week and one a week of over 55 but less than 60 hours. One of the men’s clothing factories had a 55-hour week, and weekly hours in the miscellaneous manufacturing group ranged as high as 60. There were three laun dries, also, with a week of 60 hours, and more women laundry workers were employed on such a schedule than on any other. In the other industries surveyed, however, long weekly hours were found more frequently than in the industries discussed in the preceding paragraph. None of the box and veneer mills had a week shorter than 54 hours, and in one plant the women worked 66 hours a week. While one small textile mill had a 50-hour week, over onehalf of the women in that industry had a scheduled week of 60 hours, and approximately three-eighths were expected to work more than 55 but less than 60 hours in a week. Weekly hours in the general mer cantile establishments ranged from between 52 and 54 to between 55 and 60 hours, with the majority of the women in these stores (60.6 per cent) on a 55-hour weekly schedule. None of the 5-and-10-cent stores expected less than 55 hours a week of their employees, but in only two were the women on a schedule longer than that. Saturday hours. The number of hours regularly worked on Saturday often differs from the schedule for the rest of the week. The figures on Saturday hours are presented in Table XIII in the appendix. Table 12.—Relation of Saturday hours to daily hours, by industry group 1,755 595 263 . 1 Manufacturing.......... . Mercantile.___ Laundries........... .................... Number of women whose Satur day, in relation to regular daily Number of hours, was— women with no Saturday work “ Shorter Same Longer ' Industry group Number of women reported 172 57 128 535 18 30 26 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES In the majority of the factories visited in Mississippi Saturday working hours were shorter than those for the rest of the week. Nine-tenths of the women in the manufacturing industries had a short Saturday. Over one-half of those with a short Saturday were expected to be at work 5 but less than 6 hours on the last day of the week, but another large group, 28.9 per cent of those whose Satur day was shorter than the other days of the week, were required to work over 8 but less than 9 hours even on Saturday, their hours on this day being only about 2 hours less than on the other days of the week. Unpublished material shows that the manufacture of men’s clothing was the only industry in which no establishment had a Saturday as long as 6 hours. None of the textile mills had a Satur day as long as the other days of the week, but almost one-half of the women in the mills were expected to work 8 but less than 9 hours. One textile mill did not operate at all on Saturday. Two laundries were not open regularly on Saturday, some had a shorter schedule on that day, but almost one-half of the women working in laundries had a full-length day on Saturday. In the stores the situation is ordinarily the reverse of that in fac tories or laundries, and the question here is whether the women have a regular day on Saturday or one of more than normal length. For the most part the stores in Mississippi stayed open on Saturday evenings. Two establishments remained open only until 7 o’clock and one closed at 6.30 on Saturday, but the rest were open later than 7 for Saturday-evening shoppers. In most stores the hours of the women were staggered on Saturday, so that the day was not much longer than for the rest of the week. In fact, 57 of the mercantile workers had no longer hours on Saturday, and for three women the hours were slightly shorter on Saturday. The majority of the women employed in stores had a 10-hour Saturday, although practically onetenth of the mercantile employees regularly worked 11 hours on the last day of the week. Lunch periods. A study of Table XIV in the appendix shows that the 1-hour lunch period was more common than any other, 52 of the establish ments visited having such a lunch period, while 12 allowed 30 minutes and 13 between 30 minutes and 1 hour. In no plants was there a lunch period of less than 30 minutes, although two plants allowed no definite time for lunch. In one establishment the time allowed was longer than 1 hour. In general, the length of the lunch period may be adjusted.to the convenience of managers and employees, but no arrangement is satisfactory which does not allow some definite time off for lunch. WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES 27 For the most part, however, the establishments visited in Mississippi made adequate provision for a break in the middle of the day. In certain stores a different arrangement was made on Saturday in order to make an adjustment of hours because of the evening work, some stores allowing periods of 2 or 3 hours to shorten the day’s work. Such an arrangement does not obviate all the disadvantages to the workers of the long over-all period. Hours of night workers. There were 182 women in the establishments visited who worked on night shifts—178 white and 4 negro women. They were employed in five textile mills and one veneer factory. The women in the textile mills worked on only five nights a week, while the two in the veneer plant worked six nights. The shifts were very long, ranging ill length from over 10 but less than 11 hours to 13 hours. The two women in the veneer factory went on the job at 6 o’clock in the evening; and their shift ended at 7 in the morning with no break allowed for meals. The majority of the night workers in the textile mills were on a schedule of over 11 but less than 12 hours. Night shifts in this industry began from 5.15 p. m. to 6.30 p. m. and the workers went off duty at various times, from 4.15 a. m. to 6 a. in. For the majority of the women on night shifts the regular weekly hours totaled to more than 55 but less than 60. Of the two women in the veneer factory, however, an extremely long weekly schedule was required, one of 78 hours. ACTUAL HOURS WORKED In many cases the hours which the women actually worked were not the scheduled hours of the firm. Variations in the running of the plant or personal reasons of the workers themselves served to bring about such differences. Information concerning actual hours worked was not available for all of the women for whom wage data were supplied, since many firms using the piecework basis of payment did not report the number ol hours worked by their employees but kept a record only of the days on which they worked. Even in establish ments where women were employed on a time-basis record was some times kept in terms of days rather than of hours. As a result figures on time lost and overtime are available for only a limited number of the women included in the survey. So far as such material is available it is assembled in Tables XV and XVI in the appendix, while facts from those two tables are summarized in Table 13. 2572°—26t—3 28 WOMEN- IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Table 13.—Time lost and overtime, by industry Women for whom hours worked were reported who- Industry All industries............ Num ber of women for whom hours worked were report ed Worked overtime Per Per cent of those who cent of lost— all for whom hours 5 10 15 worked Un and and hours der under under and were 10 15 report hours ed hours hours over Per Per cent of those who cent; of worked overtime— all for whom hours 10 5 15 worked Un and and hours der under under were 5 and report hours 10 15 ed hours hours over 551 49.4 11.0 30.1 16.9 41.9 6.0 57.6 27.3 7 98 408 23 7 8 (l) 38.8 10.5 52.9 7.9 30.4 . 0) (l) 15.8 34.3 (0 5.3 19.4 0) 68.4 38.4 C1) - (l) 9.2 3.7 34.8 « 60.0 « 33.3 (>) Manu factu rin g: Boxes (wooden) and Clothing, moil's Textiles ......................... Miscellaneous........... . General mercantile.............. Laundries................ ............. Lost time - (>) (0 (■) 9.1 6. 1 6.7 "ci" 0) 100.0 1 Not computed, owing to small number involved. Time lost. Hours worked were reported for 551 women in the State, and the majority of these were employed in the manufacture of men’s clothing and of textiles. Practically one-half of the women reported had worked less than their scheduled hours during the week for which records were taken. The amount of time lost was quite considerable as well, for only a little over a tenth of those who fell short of a full week had lost less than 5 hours, while over two-fifths of those who had lost time had lost 15 hours or more. Records were available for only 7 women in the box and veneer industry, but of these, 3 had lost time to the extent of 30 hours or more during the week. Less than two-fifths of the women employed in the manufacture of men’s clothing for whom figures were given had fallen short of their weekly schedule, but of those who had, over two-thirds had lost 15 hours or more. Of the textile employees reported, over one-half had lost time and of these, 38.4 per cent had lost 15 hours or over. Lost time assumed somewhat less importance for the 23 women reported in the miscellaneous manufacturing group. Only 7 had worked less than the normal week, and 3 of these had lost less than 5 hours. Data on this subject were available for only 8 laundry workers, and, while 6 of these lost some time, none lost as much as 5 hours. Overtime. Only a small proportion (6 per cent) of the Mississippi women workers for whom information on hours worked was avai able had worked any time in excess of their scheduled hours during the week of the survey. The majority of those who had worked more than the regular week had exceeded it by less than five hours. One textile worker and one woman in the miscellaneous manufacturing group had worked as much as 15 hours in excess of their scheduled hours. PART IV WORKING CONDITIONS In every factory, store, or laundry, groups of men and of women are spending half or more of their waking hours, day in and day out. The minimum that should be expected of plant management is that all possible protection should be afforded against hazards to life or health. Consideration of the workers’ health and convenience should go further than that and should look to the elimination of such unnecessary causes of fatigue as poor lighting and ill-adjusted working conditions. Too frequently less thought is given to the comfort of the workers than to the care of the mechanical parts of a plant. Sections of the country in which industrial life has developed least are often unprogres sive in regal’d to equipment that affects the workers, because the man agers are out of touch with what can be done and with what others are doing, even though they may have fewer handicaps in other respects to overcome than have those located in large industrial centers. The agents of the bureau, in visiting the establishments of various types in Mississippi, made a general survey of plant conditions so far as they affected directly the women employed. Unfortunately the standards of conditions of employment were not high throughout the State as a whole. GENERAL PLANT CONDITIONS Arrangement of rooms. Efficient routing of work and management of production is made more difficult when workrooms are crowded and poorly arranged. If narrow aisles are combined with poorly guarded machinery, the danger of accidents is greatly increased. Aisles obstructed by piles of material or of refuse are an extra hazard in case of fire. Of the 80 1 factories, stores, and laundries visited £here were 24, or threetenths of the total number, in which the aisles were too narrow in either some of or all the workrooms. In these plants rooms would have been too crowded even if the workrooms had been kept in perfect order, but in some instances the aisles were obstructed by piles of material or refuse or by continuous shaftings. Of the 11 1 One factory visited has been excluded in description of workroom conditions because all of work was done out of doors. 29 30 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES. plants in which the aisles were too narrow throughout, there were 5 in which the aisles of all the workrooms were obstructed as well. In the majority of the plants visited the aisles were adequate in width and unobstructed, although in 6 establishments in which the placing of machinery or worktables gave sufficient room for passage ways, the aisles had not been left open. In one plant, not only was machinery crowded into the room so closely that there was scarcely space to turn, but the entrance to the firsUfloor workroom was obstructed by rows of small steam pipes which formed a barrier about 4 inches high in the doorway. In another case the workroom was large for the number of people working there, but the product was piled about unsystematically, giving the room a generally cluttered and crowded appearance. Two workrooms in a textile mill were described as follows on the schedule: Aisles were narrow, caused by crowding of machinery. In addition aisles were obstructed by belts from looms going to floor below. The belts were not guarded, and it was necessary to watch one’s step and keep in the center of the aisle so as not to trip on them. When a business has expanded too rapidly for its physical equip ment, there is some reason for a temporarily crowded condition, but when lack of clearly defined and open aisles is due only to poor man agement, there is no excuse. Condition and type of floors. The character of a workroom floor means a good deal to the man or woman who is standing on it all or most of the working day. Con crete floors often are used because of their substantial character and the ease with which they can be kept clean, but they are very trying to stand on continuously. Often this difficulty is recognized, and wooden platforms are placed in front of worktables or machines. Wooden floors were found more commonly than those of any other material in the Mississippi establishments; in 56 cases the floors were of wood throughout the plant; in 7 stores there were plain wooden floors in some of the salesrooms and floors covered with carpet, linoleum, or straw matting in the others; in one factory the ground formed the only floor in one workroom, while wood was used in the others. In 11 establishments there were cement floors throughout and in 5 more some of the floors were of cement and some of wood. None of the 5 plants with cement floors in part provided any sort of platform for the employees who worked on such floors and only 4 of the other establishments with cement floors furnished wooden platforms for the women to stand on as they worked. Both wooden and concrete floors can become unsatisfactory after years of wear if they are not kept in repair. In one-fifth of the plants WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES 31 visited floors were out of repair either in part of or all the plant. As the public comes in direct contact with store salesrooms, floors in such establishments seldom are allowed to get in poor condition. The records show that when this group is eliminated from the total and only factories and laundries are considered, floors were in poor repair in at least some of the workrooms in nearly one-third of the establishments. The following reports were given of floor conditions in two plants: The floors in all workrooms were in very bad condition, very much worn, dirty, and uneven. They had been repaired, but very poorly, and were worn to the point where there was danger from slipping or stumbling. The floor near the spoolers had never been repaired during the mill’s existence and was extremely hard on workers’ feet. Plant had the worst floors I have ever seen. They were almost in shreds, and their safety seemed questionable. New pieces of wood flooring had been put down several times in parts of the plant. Although a negro man swept continuously, the floors were in such terrible condition that it was hard to keep them decent. Stairways. There were 28 factories, 27 stores, and 4 laundries, a total of 59 establishments, in which there were stairways used by .the women employees either in going to their place of work or in going from workroom to cloakroom or toilet room. Of these, there were only 2 factories and 9 stores in which all stairways in the establishment were satisfactory in all essentials; that is, the stairways were not too steep, too narrow, winding, inadequately lighted, unprotected from the weather, lacking in suitable handrails, nor out of repair. There were 30 establishments, over one-half of those reported, in which some or all of the stairways in the plant were too narrow. In 20 cases there were stairways that were too steep and in 8 plants the situation was particularly bad because the stairways were also inadequately lighted. In the majority of the establishments the stairs were kept in repair, and in only 8 cases were any of the stairways in poor repair. A stairway in poor repair is obviously more dangerous when not adequately lighted and in 5 of the plants visited these two conditions were found for the same stairways. There were 3 estab lishments with winding stairways, and in addition 1 of these had no artificial light. In 20 establishments handrails were either lacking or unsatisfactory throughout the plant or in part. In 10 there were stairways which were outside the building and unprotected from the weather. Lighting has already been referred to in connection with other factors. Stairways were considered adequately lighted only when artificial lighting was satisfactory, because natural lighting alone could not be depended upon at all hours of the day and under all 32 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES weather conditions. There were 7 establishments in which all stairways were inadequately lighted, and 10 others in which some of the stairways lacked sufficient light. Frequently one stairway combined many bad features, as in the following report for a factory: No artificial light; handrail only part way, stairs narrow and steep, open risers. Stairway used regularly by 15 girls. Almost as bad are two stairways—the first in a mill and the second in a wooden-box plant—described as follows: The stairway was so steep and treads so narrow, with open risers, as to ba precipitous. The treads were so worn and sagging that it was hard to get down. Fortunately this stairway was used by only a few workers. Stairway gets some natural light, but not enough. Handrail was rough and worn and so near the wall as to be of little practical use. Risers were high. Just at the landing the ceiling was low and one had to duck one’s head in order not to get bumped as one started up from landing or reached landing from upper part of stairway. Cleaning. Standards of workroom cleanliness varied considerably from plant to plant, both in the results achieved and in the type of arrangements which were made for keeping plants clean. There were 80 estab lishments for which report was made, and of these, 05 were scheduled as having floors satisfactorily clean throughout the plant. In 11 the floors in all the workrooms were dirty and in 4 some of the floors were so described. Floors were clean in all the stores and in 12 of the 14 laundries. Of the manufacturing establishments visited, however, less than two-thirds were reported as having floors clean through out. In 9 factories all the workrooms and in 4 others some of the workrooms were unsatisfactory in this respect. The frequency with which workrooms were swept ranged from continuously to once a week or irregularly. Obviously sweeping was more essential in some types of plants than in others, and it is sur prising how little direct relation there seemed to be between the condition of the floors and the frequency with which they were scheduled for sweeping. There were 10 establishments which were swept more than once a day, and yet of these 16 there were 4 in which the floors were dirty in at least some of the workrooms. The ma jority of the establishments visited, or 52, were swept once a day, and in only 5 of these did any of the workrooms have floors that were dirty. Also, several plants which reported irregular or infrequent cleaning were in satisfactory condition at the time of the inspection, probably because of a recent cleaning. In 58 establishments the sweeping was done by persons engaged primarily for that kind of work, while in the other 22 establishments the men or women employed for the regular work of the industry WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES 33 were expected to look after the sweeping as well. Although it might seem that plants in which definitely assigned persons were responsible for sweeping would stand more chance of being kept clean, the reports did not bear this out, for the work of charwomen or janitors was as apt to prove inadequate as was the cleaning of workers employed primarily for other jobs. Of the 80 establishments visited, there were 30 in which the work room floors were scrubbed with more or less regularity, 22 in which floors were oiled but never scrubbed, and 28 in which there was no cleaning other than sweeping, being neither scrubbed nor oiled. All of the establishments in which floors were oiled were stores, and this arrangement was found in the majority of the stores visited. As would be expected, floors were scrubbed in practically all of the laundries, although one was reported without such system. Of the 36 factories included, only 11 reported that floors were scrubbed, either frequently or infrequently. One-half of the establishments reported as being scrubbed with some degree of frequency were scrubbed once a week. In 3 cases scrubbing was done once a day, in 1 once a year, and in 3 at irregular intervals. In 19 of the 30 establishments in which the floors were scrubbed some one employed specifically for such work was respon sible, but in the other 11 cases it was done by men or women regularly employed for other work. • Ventilation. To keep the air always fresh in a room where a number of people are working all day and where the industrial processes carried on tend to heighten the need takes special thought and attention. Methods that may be adequate under some weather conditions may fall short during other seasons. In 58 of the establishments visited the ventilation appeared to be satisfactory at the time the inspection was made, so far as the change of air was concerned. In 14 of these, however, toilet rooms were ventilated through the workrooms, making the air of the workrooms less satisfactory. In one-half of the establishments with sufficient air movement there was some form of artificial aid in all of the work rooms, while in 10 others artificial means of ventilation supplemented the natural in part of the plant. In 8 of the establishments reported only some of the workrooms were satisfactorily ventilated in spite of the fact that in half of them there was some form of artificial ventilation throughout the plant. In one establishment, however, there was a workroom with no natural ventilation except that which came through other rooms and without artificial means of ventilation. The air was unsatisfactory in all the workrooms of 14 establishments, although there was some 34 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES form of artificial in addition to natural ventilation throughout 8 of these plants, and in no instance were there any rooms with no natural air supply. There were 5 cases in which the air of the workroom not only was stuffy but was made even more undesirable because of a toilet room with no other means of ventilation except through the workroom. Some type of artificial ventilation was found in some of or all the rooms of practically two-thirds of the establishments visited. In most cases, however, there were no elaborate general systems. In the majority of the establishments with artificial ventilation (38 out of 53) the only type provided was either a large ceiling fan or small fans on walls or tables. Exhaust fans, ranging from the small window type to one 8 feet in diameter, were found in 11 establishments, and in 3 of these the exhaust fans were supplemented by vents or hoods or both. In 3 establishments sawdust and fumes from a paint sprayer were carried ofF by local devices. In 3 textile mills there were humidifiers, but these have not been included among artificial means of ventilation. It is true that they may be of some value in regulating temperature and in keeping down lint, but they are used primarily for the sake of the product rather than of the worker, more often creating an atmospheric problem than solving it. In practically three-fifths of the establishments there was some special atmospheric problem, 'rtie most usual trouble was excessive heat, and there were 14 establishments in which it was sufficient to be oppressive. Steam or excessive humidity made workrooms unsatis factory in 8 establishments, and cold was a problem in 7 instances. Dust in 1 case and lint in 2 others created bad air conditions. Poor atmospheric conditions found in 3 textile plants are de scribed below: Steam from sizing machine very heavy, and no hood or exhaust over it. Walls were sweating, and the superintendent himself said, “The ceiling is rotting; I just can’t keep a ceiling.” Ventilation was inadequate. There were large windows with transom-like openings at the top, but the operators complained of lack of air. There wras steam from the sizing machine in spite of hood. In one room there were many humidifiers, and the air vras heavy and dank on the day of the visit. In the other room there was lint over everything—ceilings, walls, floors, rafters, and lights. The lights and rafters were brushed down once a week. In one laundry visited the washing was done in the same room with the rest of the operations. In that part of the room where the washing was done the ceiling was lower, and although there were many small flat skylights, these served only to furnish light; as there was no form of artificial ventilation, the room was full of steam. In some instances, however, a naturally difficult situation had been overcome by means of artificial devices. For example, in one estab WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES 35 lishment blowers attached to each machine took care of all sawdust so that there was very little dust in the room. Suction fans were connected with the paint sprayer so as to render it unobjectionable. Heating. In a State with a climate as mild as Mississippi’s the heating of establishments might seem to offer no problem at all. But often in regions where there is no severe weather provision for heating is inadequate, largely because of the mild climate. In the box and veneer plants especially, too little attention had been given to the question of heating, since only 2 were reported as being satisfactorily provided for in this respect. In 1 case there were no work sheds nor rooms, and the women worked out of doors all day, rain or shine, and if it rained too hard, they stopped work and went home. Some of the other plants were semioutdoor, and while work under these con ditions would be pleasant in good weather, it would be unpleasant at other times. In two plants where there were neither stoves nor other source of heat, the manager reported that the women simply went home when it got too cold. The heating was adequate in all the plants visited in the manufacture of candy, of men’s clothing, and of textiles. In the miscellaneous manufacturing groups there were more establishments with inadequate than with adequate methods of heating. In some cases there was no stove and the girls wore sweat ers; in other cases the stoves were inadequate and only the people working near them were warm enough, often too warm. The stoves in one plant were supplemented by an unsatisfactory gas heater which added to the ventilation problem. The heating was satisfac tory in the majority of the stores, although in 3 cases the number of radiators installed was insufficient, and in 4, stoves were unsatisfac tory. Reliance on oil stoves was usually unwarranted. Lighting. The limitations of a general survey do not permit of a detailed dis cussion of such a technical subject as lighting. There should be ade quate natural lighting wherever possible, but this should always be supplemented by carefully planned artificial lighting. In planning the scheme of lighting, either natural or artificial, attention must be given both to adequacy and to avoidance of glare. Obviously the satisfactoriness of any one type of light is dependent largely upon the work at which it is to be used and upon its arrangement in relation to the work place. There.was sufficient natural light under normal conditions through out 49 of the establishments visited, employing almost two-thirds of the women reported in the survey exclusive of those on night shifts. In 9 plants natural light was inadequate for some of the workers, and in 22 establishments reporting almost one-fourth of the women none 36 tVOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES of the workrooms had sufficient natural light. This condition was more common in stores than in factories, since the former were more inclined to rely upon artificial light. The majority of the establish ments in which the natural light was inadequate had sufficient arti ficial light, although one establishment visited was inadequately lighted by either means and 3 others with too little natural light for some of the workers also had failed to provide for them adequate artificial lighting. In 13 establishments, or practically one-sixt’n of the total number, there was glare from natural light for at least some of the women employed. In 4 of these there were shades or awnings, but they had not been so installed as to prevent all glare, while in the others no attempt had been made to avoid glare from windows or skylights. The majority of those establishments with no glare reported from natural lighting had neither shades nor awnings, but workers were so placed in relation to the source of light that there was no undesirable glare in their eyes. There were 42 establishments in which the natural lighting was satisfactory in both respects throughout the whole plant; that is, it was adequate and there was no glare. One establishment with satisfactory conditions as to natural light was described as follows: Natural light on three sides in three of the workrooms, and on one side in the other, with large windows of opaque glass. There were canvas curtains on the sunny sides. The natural light was good throughout. In another plant where there was plenty of light the situation could have been made satisfactory: Large sash windows on four sides of all rooms; glare from windows where girls faced light. Otherwise the natural lighting wTas good, but curtains were needed. In one establishment there were only open spaces instead of windows in the wall, and these were boarded up in bad weather, an arrangement which cut off light from out of doors. Whether natural lighting is adequate or not, careful attention should be given to artificial lighting. On cloudy days and on winter afternoons when it begins to get dark early, artificial light has to be resorted to even with the best planned rooms. Where the arrangement of the room or the type of work is such that artificial light has to be used most of the time, it is even more essential that it be satisfactory. Considerable attention has been given to the problems of industrial lighting, and there is very little excuse for not providing artificial lighting satisfactory for most work. There were 42 establishments in which the artificial lighting was satisfactory. In these establishments there was a sufficient amount of light for the work to be done, and there was no glare in the workers’ 37 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES eyes. Two establishments had failed to supply any artificial light at all, although in both cases the natural light was ordinarily satis factory. In one it was said that artificial light was seldom needed, but when it was, “they have to make out as best they can.” Although there was artificial light in 10 establishments, it was insufficient for the work. In one plant where the artificial light was inadequate, the machine operators had no lights near their ma chines. In another the fixtures were far apart, high and dirty, so that they furnished an insufficient amount of light. For the most part, however, the artificial lighting in the plants inspected was unsatisfactory because of glare rather than because of inadequacy. In 32 establishments there was glare from the artifical lighting, and of these, 6 had too little light as well as glare from such sources as there were. In the majority of the cases glare was from general lighting rather than from lights provided for each worker. Individual lights were not commonly used in Mississippi industries, for in only 19 establishments were such lights provided, and in only 6 of those were they adjustable and shaded. In 7 instances lack of shades or poor placing caused glare for the workers. Table 14 summarizes some of the outstanding facts concerning lighting. Table 14.—Lighting of workrooms, by industry group NATURAL LIGHTING Number of establishments in which lighting was— Number of estab lishments Satisfac reporting tory through out Industry group All industries.........-...................................... Mercantile___________________ _________ Laundries................................................... i 80 30 14 42 Uusat sfactory d ie to— Inade quacy 25 Both In adequacy and glare Glare 7 6 6 9 3 1 1 ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING All industries........................................................ 180 42 26 26 6 M anufacturing......................................... ..................... Mercantile...... ............................................................ Laundries-..................................................................... i 36 30 14 12 24 6 25 14 6 6 5 1 1 > Excludes 1 establishment in which the women all worked out of doors and there were no workrooms. 3 Includes 2 establishments in which no means of artificial lighting was provided. The following descriptions of artificial lighting taken from the schedules may serve to give a more concrete picture of the kinds of situations which existed: Every variety of shaded drop lights found throughout the plant—metal, opaque glass, flat reflectors. All were hung just above the eye level. There 38 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES were no good lights. There were individual adjustable lights at some machines, but the bulbs were unshaded The girls had pinned paper shades around them. Rags were tied onto some of the drop lights also to lessen glare. This type of equipment was in a clothing establishment where good light is more essential than in most industries. There was excellent daylight, however, in this case, so that artificial light was not needed regularly. In one room in the laundry there were ceiling lights with reflectors; in the other there were ceiling lights and drop lights, neither with shades. The light was fair in some places, but it was not satisfactory on account of low-hung, unshaded bulbs. Also there was not enough light in the section of the room where the starchers were at work. In one textile mill there were unshaded bulbs hung on the eye level at the drawing-in machine and in the finishing room. Except for these two cases the artificial lighting in the plant was good. Seating. Satisfactory seating of industrial workers can not be achieved without study of what good posture is and of how the seat and the work can be adjusted to each other so as to make possible a normal and healthy position. The arrangement is most desirable when the work place and the seating equipment are so adjusted that the worker can either sit or stand to work. Often, however, the factory manager accepts the idea that workers must stand to do certain jobs and sit to perform others, without realizing that the poor arrangement of material and machine or the lack of a seat may be the only factors responsible for such accepted posture. For the sake of summing up the facts in regard to seating in Mississippi the women workers have been classified according to whether they sat or stood to operate or whether they could work in either position. In determining in which class any one occupation should be put the practice within the plant was taken as the cri terion. If the women who did a certain job in one factory always stood at their work, they have been classed as working on a standing job even though women employed on the same job in another plant stood part of the time and sat part of the time as they worked. There were 41 establishments visited in Mississippi with women employees who regularly sat at their work. In one-half of these plants there were ordinary chairs of normal height either with wooden, cane, leather, or split-bottom scats. Of these 41 establish ments, 16 had provided seats without backs for some of or all the workers. Stools, boxes, and benches were made use of even for women who sat at their work all day. In some of the box and veneer plants there was a type of seat that served as a rack for material and product as well. The whole was much like a good-sized but very low table with a square hole cut in the top on one side, and a WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES 39 heavy canvas webbing fastened over the opening to form a seat. Material was piled on this seat at one side of the worker, while the finished product was piled on the other side and behind her. The seat seemed moderately comfortable but afforded no support for the back. In one establishment there was only one woman who sat at her work, and she was provided with no regular seat but used the corner of a truck for lack of anything else. In the Mississippi establishments surveyed very little attempt had been made to adjust the scat to either the work or the worker even for those women who spent their whole day at a sitting job. In 74 establishments of the 81 inspected women were employed at jobs where they had to stand when they worked. Ordinarily, however, the, standing worker has some time when she can sit down for at least a few minutes, provided there is a seat available. In 28 establishments, however, there were women employed for whom no seats at all were furnished. In 16 others although seats were provided for standing workers the number was insufficient. In the majority of cases the seats supplied were without backs. Sometimes the lack of seats in a plant is due to thoughtlessness on the part of the management, but in one plant visited there was a definite policy against the use of seats. The owner of this establish ment told the agent, “The nigger women are paid to work, not to sit down,” and the foreman’s statement confirmed the policy, “If I catch them sitting down I will teach them to sit down.” A few examples of inadequate and unsatisfactory seating provision are cited below: Girls were sitting around on trucks. There were long waits between the putting of veneer on the driers, and the women could have sat down part of the time if they had had any chairs. No seats of any kind for standing workers. The piles of veneer were not usable as seats because the sheets of veneer were too fragile. All workers but one stood at their work, and there was not a seat to be seen. There were no platforms of any kind for the workers to stand on, and the floors were of concrete. Girls sat on large tables in leisure moments. laundry. There were no chairs in the In the majority of the 5-and-10-cent stores there were sliding-shelf or hinged seats for the salespeople. In the other stores the women employed there often made use of seats primarily provided for other purposes. Shoe departments seemed to offer convenient seats. Store was small with a shoe department on the first floor, The saleswomen sat there or dragged the shoe salesmen’s stools over near the stove and sat there when not busy. Also there was a 6-inch shelf projecting beyond the wall-shelves, and the girls leaned on this. 40 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Girls were not tied down to any department but went all over the. store. Consequently, they stayed near the front of the store, sitting in the shoe depart ment and on drawers for merchandise. There were no seats behind the counters. Ordinarily the women employed in the stores visited were permitted to sit down when they were not busy, but on one schedule there was this note: There were sliding-shelf seats, but the girls were not allowed to use them they were not even permitted to lean against the counter. There were only 9 establishments in which women were so employed that they could sit for part of the time as they worked and stand for part. In one establishment this was accomplished by having the women change jobs. SANITATION The general conditions of plant sanitation are of tremendous importance in maintaining the health of employees. The standards of drinking, washing, and toilet facilities mean much in any place where people are spending regularly a large proportion of their work ing hours. Not only should such facilities be suitable in type, adequate in number, and conveniently located, but they should bo kept clean and in repair. Drinking facilities. The following table gives information concerning types of drinking equipment provided: Table 15.—Type of drinking facilities provided, by industry Number of establishments which provided— Industry All industries........................... Manufacturing: Num Drinking fountain— ber of estabPart lishinents Sani In sanitary and part tary sani tary insani tary 81 10 4 3 11 9 10 14 14 4 10 31 1 2 4 2 35 i2 3 Pump or pail, with— Indi Indi Com vid No vid Com No ual mon cup ual mon cup cup cup cup cup 9 I 1 1 Tank, cooler, or faucet with— 1 2 4 *1 17 »5 1 3 4 4 32 1 3 1 36 8 2 2 1 2 1 1 6 8 1 Includes 3 establishments in which other equipment was supplemented by pail and dipper for some of the workers. * Ircludes 1 establishment with faucet and no cup for some of the workers. 3 Ircludes 1 establishment with pail for some of the workers. * Includes 1 establishment with cooler (no cup) in addition. * Establishment has pail in addition. WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES 41 The type of drinking arrangements provided in a large proportion of the Mississippi establishments visited allowed opportunity for the spread of disease. There were 34 establishments in which the only water supply was from faucet, cooler, tank, or pump with no cup provided, and the workers either brought their own or drank directly from the faucet. Two suc.h cases were described on the schedules as follows: There was a faucet from flowing artesian well in the yard. No cups were provided, and the workers simply put their mouths over the faucet, which was turned up part way. There was a pipe from an artesian well. It was outside the plant and not convenient for anyone, even for the women who were working out of doors at stacking. The faucet was used by men and women, white and negro, and they put their mouths over the faucet in drinking. It is not possible to say in how many of the 34 plants providing no cups this method of drinking was common. In three other estab lishments which had bubble fountains in part, some of the employees relied upon a faucet or cooler, for which cups were not supplied in all cases. The common drinking cup was found in 19 establishments, and in 3 of these the cup was used not only by the employees but by the public as well. In only 10 establishments were individual drinking cups provided. In 18 establishments where more attention had been given to mak ing a satisfactory supply of water available, there were drinking fountains either throughout the plant or in part. In only 8 of these were there any drinking fountains of the sanitary type, fountains from which the water emerges at an angle of from 15° to GO0 so that it can not fall back upon the orifice. As the sanitary fountain sup plied only part of the drinking water in 6 of these establishments, there were only 2 plants providing sanitary drinking fountains for all of their women employees. Thus, out of 81 establishments visited in Mississippi, there were only 12 in which sanitary drinking facilities were provided for all the women employed. In the majority of the establishments visited the drinking water was cooled for at least part of the year. In 9 cases the water came from deep wells and was always cool. In 14 other establishments the water was cooled throughout the year, while iu 41 it was cooled during the summer months only. Of the 41 establishments supply ing cooled water during the summer, there were 19 in which the regular faucet was used during the rest of the year, and coolers or tanks were put into operation during the summer. The practice of putting the ice directly into the container as a means of cooling the water is undesirable from a sanitary point of view, and yet that was the method used in 30 of the 64 establish 42 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES ments which supplied cool water at least part of the time. For the 14 establishments in which the water from drinking fountains was cooled it is not reported whether ice surrounded the water coils or whether the water flowed through a tank containing ice. In cases where pails of water were kept filled from deep wells, ice was some times put in the pails to keep the water cool on hot days. Washing facilities. The standards of the Mississippi establishments visited were low so far as the provision of washing equipment was concerned. Of 81 establishments visited, 11 provided no washing facilities for any of the women employees. Of the 70 establishments where the workers had some opportunity to wash, only 7 had hot water for all the women, and 4 others furnished it for some of the women. In 59 cases only cold water was available for personal use. Approxi mately two-fifths of the establishments giving some attention to washing facilities supplied no soap. In 39 of the establishments with some washing facilities there were no towels, and in 3 others towels were furnished for only some of the women. The spread of disease was made possible in 18 establishments by the use of the common towel. Individual towels were supplied for some of or all the women employed in only 13 establishments. Table 16.—Inadequacy of washing facilities, by industry Number of establishments providing— Industry All industries—................. Manufacturing: Washing facilities with— Number of estab Common lishments No towels— reported washing No hot water— facilities No soap For For For For all all part part 81 11 10 4 3 11 9 16 14 14 4 4 1 4 1 1 2 2 59 29 5 3 3 7 7 16 14 4 6 1 2 7 5 2 2 4 1 No towels 17 1 1 1 5 10 39 6 2 2 7 5 3 3 i 11 i In 6 of these establishments workers used articles being laundered, in 1 the net sacks used in washing, and in 4 they had nothing. In the manufacture of wooden boxes only 6 of the 10 establish ments afforded any opportunity for the workers to wash at the plant. None of these 6 supplied either soap or towels and in only 1 case was there any hot water. An equally bad situation was found in WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES 43 the textile mills. Of 11 establishments, only 7 provided any wash ing facilities, and none of these 7 supplied hot water, soap, or towels. Even in the candy establishments visited washing facilities were un satisfactory. While all 4 of the plants provided an opportunity for the workers to wash, hot water was available for only some of the workers in 1 establishment. A common towel served in 1 case, and in 2 establishments no towels were provided. Although in all 3 of the men’s clothing plants there was a place for the women to wash, none furnished either hot water or individual towels and only 1 provided soap. In all of the stores, both 5-and-lO-cent stores and general mer cantile establishments, there was some place for the women to wash, but in 11 of the general mercantile establ shments and in 1 of the 5-and-10-cent stores the equipment was shared with the public. However, in none of the stores was there any hot water. In 3 of the general mercantile establishments there were no towels and in 5 others there were common towels. In 3 cases where common towels were supplied, they were used by the public as well as by the women employed in the stores. Individual towels were provided in 8 of the general mercantile establishments, paper towels in a public washroom being the only ones supplied in 7 of these stores. Three 5-and-10cent stores provided no towels at all, and 10 furnished only common towels. Although there are plenty of sources of water in laundries, never theless in 2 of those visited there was no basin at which the workers could wash their hands. In 11 of the 14 laundries there were no regular towels. In 6 of these the workers used the clothes to be laundered and in one the net sacks provided to hold the clothes. In the majority of all the establishments reporting on the subject the wash basins or troughs were satisfactorily clean, although some of or all such facilities n 10 plants were reported as dirty. Unfortu nately 2 of these establishments were candy factories where clean liness was of direct importance to the public as well as to the workers. The basin in 1 candy establishment was reported black with dirt, looking as though it had never been cleaned. Toilet facilities. > In too large a proportion of the establishments visited in Mississippi the toilet facilities provided were below standard. For the most part managers had failed even more in their responsibility toward the negro than toward the white women. Because of the conspicu ous difference in the provision made for these two groups of employees the material has been tabulated separately. 2572°—26t----- 1 44 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Table 17;—-Adequacy of toilet equipment, by industry and race of women WHITE WOMEN Number of establishments and number of toilet rooms in which the number of women per toilet seat was— Number reported Industry 15 and under 16 and under 21 21 and under 26 26 and under 30 30 and over Estab Toilet Estab Toilet Estab Toilet Estab Toilet Estab Toilet Estab lish lishlish lish lish lish Toilet ments rooms ments rooms ments rooms ments rooms ments rooms ments rooms All industries.. i 73 103 54 72 10 8 3 3 11 8 3 3 37 8 20 14 10 6 2 1 9 7 11 9 9 6 2 1 23 7 15 9 9 2 1 Manufacturing: Boxes (wooden) and veneer....... Candy Textiles._____ Miscellaneous___ General mercantile... 5-and-10-cent stores... 1 8 *16 3 14 10 4 3 17 7 7 3 3 2 1 2 1 2 2 4 4 2 1 ii 3 4 2 1 4 2 1 5 5 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 3 3 1 1 NEGRO WOMEN All industries.. 24 26 11 12 6 t *2 2 « 13 6 1 2 3 14 4 4 3 4 Manufacturing: Boxes (wooden) Miscellaneous___ 2 g 3 3 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 Details aggregate more than total because conditions in some establishments were not uniform. * In 14 of these establishments the toilet room was used also by the public. 3 In 3 of these establishments the toilet room was used also by the public. * In 4 textile establishments, as in 3 general mercantile establishments, negro women were employed but no toilet facilities were provided for them. 6 In 2 establishments negro women used same toilet as white women. There were 73 establishments employing white women and furnish ing 103 toilet rooms for the use of these employees. So far as pos sible reports on adequacy of the equipment were based on the number of women working in the portion of the plant served by one toilet room rather than on the average number per toilet room for the plant as a whole. Equipment has been considered adequate when the number of women per seat did not exceed 15. In seven-tenths of the toilet rooms provided for white women the number of seats was adequate for the number of women. On the other hand, how ever. there were 4 establishments with 4 toilet rooms in which the number of women per seat was 30 or more. In one of these there was only one facility for 45 women. In one of the establishments the number of women employees per seat was 32 and the toilet room was used by the public as well. Of the 16 general mercantile es tablishments, only 2 provided toilet rooms for the exclusive use of the women employed therein, a fact to be borne in mind in noting the figures on adequacy of toilet equipment in stores. The 5-and-10 WOMEN IN' MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES 45 cent stores were not so bad in this respect, for in only 3 of them was the toilet room provided for the employees designed to serve the public as well. There were 32 establishments in which negro women were em ployed, in 7 of which no toilet facilities were reported for them. The employer in one case said that the negro women went outside the establishment somewhere, but he seemed a little vague as to where. In 2 other plants the negro women used the same toilet room as did the white women working there, but in the majority of cases where negro women were employed, separate toilet facilities were provided for them. There were 24 establishments with 26 toilet rooms for negro women for which information was available on the number of women using the equipment. In one plant no record could be obtained of the exact number of women employed. A considerably larger proportion of the toilet rooms provided for the negro women than of those for the white women were inadequate for the number of women using them. Only a little over a third of the toilet rooms reported for the negro women were equipped with an adequate num ber of seats in relation to the number of women served. In 3 out of 26 toilet rooms there were 30 women or more to each seat, in one case as many as 48 women to one facility. The failure to provide an adequate number of toilet seats not only inconveniences the workers by keeping them from the job longer but makes it much more difficult to maintain the toilet room and equipment in a sanitary condition. Table 18.—General conditions of toilet equipment, by industry and race of women 4^ 05 WHITE WOMEN Number of establishments having toilet rooms as specified and number of toilet rooms— Number reported Not desig nated Not ceiled Not screened Window only Artificial light only Ventilated— Both nat ural and artificial light Neither nat ural nor By outside artificial window light By artificial means Through other room EsEsEsEsEsEsEsEsEsEsEs tab- Toi tab- Toi tab- Toi tab- Toi tab- Toi tab- Toi tab- Toi tab- Toi tab- Toi tab- Toi tab Toi let let let let let let let let let let let lishlishlis'hlishlishlishlishlishlishlishlishments rooms ments rooms ments rooms ments rooms ments rooms ments rooms ments rooms ments rooms ments rooms ments rooms ments rooms All industries Manufacturing: Boses (wooden) and veneer_ Candy..................... Clothing, men’s......... Textiles_____ ______ Miscellaneous General mercantile 5-and-lC-cent stores......... Laundries.............. ...... 73 * 103 8 3 3 11 8 lfi 14 10 8 3 3 37 8 20 14 10 42 49 6 2 3 8 5 7 3 8 6 2 3 14 5 8 3 8 15 20 1 1 3 • 2 4 3 3 7 4 3 2 2 19 23 1 4 2 5 4 3 1 8 2 5 4 3 9 11 1 1 14 19 1 1 2 1 5 3 2 2 2 2 3 1 3 1 2 2 44 03 7 1 5 3 2 4 2 3 8 3 11 11 2 2 3 26 3 12 11 2 7 7 4 4 1 2 1 3 1 2 1 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 6 6 51 72 2 3 27 2 2 2 3 8 6 12 3 3 4 14fi 11 * 3 3 6 6 2 2 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 17 24 1 1 5 i 5 5 5 10 10 2 1 6 6 NEGRO WOMEN All industries 25 3 27 19 20 Manufacturing: Boxes (wooden) and veneer ____ Candy................ ...... Textiles....... ............... Miscellaneous Laundries.......................... 7 1 2 2 13 7 1 2 3 14 7 7 1 1 10 1 1 11 9 10 14 14 1 1 1 6 1 1 2 6 3 1 1 1 8 3 1 1 1 8 2 2 3 3 ......... 1 1 Includes 4 privies which are not included in report on lighting and ventilation. 3 Includes 6 privies and 5 other outdoor toilets which are not included in report on lighting and ventilation. 4 1 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Industry Lighted by— WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTBIES 47 In regard to the general character of the toilet room provided, conditions were unsatisfactory for a larger proportion of the negro than of the white women. That is not meant to suggest, however, that the toilet rooms for white women were in all cases satisfactory. Of the 103 toilet rooms reported for white women, 4 were privies. Approximately one-half of the rooms were not designated, practically one-fifth were not ceiled, and over one-fifth were not screened from either a workroom or a hall. As neither lighting nor ventilation was reported for privies or other outdoor toilets, there were only 99 toilet rooms for which this information was available. Of these the majority (63.6 per cent) had both natural and artificial lighting. However, there were 11 rooms which had no artificial lighting to supplement the natural on dark afternoons and 6 had no light at all, either artificial or from windows. Almost three-fourths of the rooms were ventilated by an outside window, but not far from one-fourth were ventilated only through some other room—workroom, cloak room, or stockroom. There were 27 toilet rooms reported for negro women, of which 6 were privies and 5 were outdoor toilets with plumbing. Of this small group (27), 20 were not designated, 10 were not ceiled, and 14 were not screened. Only one-fourth of the 16 for which lighting was reported had both natural and artificial lighting. In 3 cases there was neither natural nor artificial light, except when the door was open. Ten of the toilet rooms were ventilated only through other rooms in the plant. Table 19.—Cleaning of toilet rooms, by industry and race of women 00 WHITE WOMEN Number of establishments having toilet rooms as specified ana number of toilet rooms— Scrubbed by— Swept by— Number reported WTomen em ployed for other work Men em ployed for other work Persons specially employed for such work No one Women em ployed for other work and 173 103 13 14 ,55 85 >8 3 3 11 8 16 14 10 8 3 3 37 8 20 14 10 2 2 1 3 3 1 1 4 3 1 3 3 3 1 3 11 5 15 12 5 3 1 3 37 5 19 12 5 8 8 5 5 4 4 55 84 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 3 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1C 0 15 14 4 35 5 19 14 4 ___ 5 5 2 5 2 5 5 5 No one Toilet rooms a All industries................ Manufacturing: Boxes (wooden) iijja EsEsEsEsEsEsEs Estab Toilet tab- Toilet tab- Toilet tab- Toilet tab- Toilet tab- Toilet tab- Toilet tab- Toilet lish rooms lish- rooms iish- rooms lish- rooms lish- rooms lis’n- rooms lish- rooms lish- rooms ments ments ments ments ments ments ments ments Men em ployed for other work ES' tab- Toilet lish- rooms ments 2 2 1C 11 1 1 1 1 3 1 3 1 1 3 1 2 3 1 1 1 7 9 1 1 1 2 3 1 3 4 ........... NEGRO WOMEN All industries Manufacturing: Boxes (wooden) Textiles. . and 27 1 21 2 13 27 12 13 10 11 9 10 7 1 2 3 14 3 1 2 1 6 3 1 2 2 0 2 2 1 1 1 1 6 1 2 6 1 1 8 1 1 1 1 2 2 7 7 7 7 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 4 4 1 1 1 Includes 1 establishment in which condition was reported, but sweeping and scrubbing schedule was not reported. 1 Includes 3 establishments in which condition was reported, but sweeping and scrubbing schedule was not reported. 4 ___ 6 6 1 1 1 1 I WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDTTSTF.TES Persons specially em ployed for such work Dirty Industry WOMEN 1ST MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES 49 Also in the plans for sweeping and scrubbing, managers had given less attention to the toilet rooms for the negro women than to those provided for the white women, although even for the latter the arrangements were not altogether satisfactory. • In approximately three-fourths of the establishments employing white women the sweeping and scrubbing were done by some one especially employed for such jobs—a janitor, porter, or scrubwoman. In 8 cases, however, the women regularly employed for other work were expected to assume the responsibility for this cleaning as well, and in some of these instances the cleaning consisted of only sweeping. In 10 plants, as no one was responsible for scrubbing toilet-room floors, they were never scrubbed, while in 4 they were not even swept. There were 14 rooms which were reported by the agents as definitely dirty. In the majority of the establishments visited the toilet rooms were swept daily; in 10 cases they were swept less frequently; and in 10 others more than once a day. Eight of the 14 toilet rooms reported as dirty were supposed to be swept daily by some person especially assigned to that job, while some for which the system seemed less adequate were in better condition. Twenty-one establishments with 32 toilet rooms reported that the floors of these rooms were scrubbed once a day, but once a week was the frequency most com monly found. There were 22 plants employing negro women for which the clean ing arrangements were reported, and in less than one-half of these were the toilet rooms swept by persons employed as janitors or scrubwomen. In 9 cases the women employed for other work were responsible for sweeping and in 7 cases for scrubbing. In 2 plants no provision was made for sweeping and in 7 none for scrubbing. There were 13 toilet rooms in 14 plants which were described as dirty. In 9 of the plants where negro women worked, their toilet rooms were swept once a day, but in 5 there was no schedule for cleaning, and they were swept at irregular intervals. The majority making any provision for scrubbing had it done once a week. In 12 of the 103 toilet rooms for white women the toilet seat or plumbing was out of repair, in 13 the seat or bowl was reported as dirty. Of the 27 toilet rooms provided for negro women employees, the toilet seat or plumbing was out of repair in 12 cases, while in 14 the seat or bowl was dirty. Hand-flush toilets predominated in the toilet rooms provided for both groups of women, although there were 18 toilet rooms serving the white women which were flushed automatically at intervals varying from less than 10 minutes to 30 minutes. In an enumeration of the number of establishments or of rooms in which specific evils existed, the picture of any room as a whole is apt 50 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES to be lost. Only when one realizes that in many cases one toilet room combined all or several of the bad features can one appreciate the situation in its fullest relation to the workers. The descriptions which follow are taken from the schedules of the bureau’s agents and represent some of the outstanding cases. Apparently no one looked after the privy. The woman who took the agent around said, “It is terrible, and no one cleans it out. It is nearly full, and sinee the Italian women came to work here it is filthy, because they use the floor.” An outdoor privy, in absolutely indescribable condition. Vault was filled to the brim. The girls did not use it but waited until no one was looking to run down near the river. Privy itself very neat, but rain was relied upon to wash away the waste, which ran into a large ditch. Service facilities located on first floor of building which was used as huge store room. It was dark, dirty, and dismal, with dirty sawdust on floor. Three little toilet rooms, one for white men, one for negro men, and one for negro women, were adjoining. Toilet room of women wan filthy and full of papers. Floor of toilet room sagged in the middle like a bed. There was no drain, and floor was swimming in water. No -wooden seat on one toilet. In weave depart ment toilet seats were filthy, and wood was slimy and rotten from moisture. There was an outside side light, but there wore no bulbs in the electric-light fixtures. As a contrast to the foregoing is the following: Toilets well kept and cleaned systematically. Room swept twice daily and scrubbed twice daily. All toilet rooms in plant were designated and ceiled from W'orkroom, with light and ventilation satisfactory as well. SERVICE EQUIPMENT The majority of the firms visited in Mississippi made but slight provision for the workers’ comfort and convenience, especially m regard to service facilities for use during intervals, such as a lunch or rest period, when the women were not at their job and yet at the plant. Lunchroom. The majority of the plants visited had given no attention to the convenience of their employees during the lunch period, for in 68 of the 81 establishments visited, no provision whatsoever had been made. In fact, only 12 plants had provided any place other than the workroom where the women employees might eat their lunch. Only one manufacturing establishment had any lunchroom, and that one was a cafeteria, located in a textile mill which employed about 450 people. The other 11 lunchrooms were found in stores, and with one exception they were rooms equipped merely with chairs and tables, neither cooking conveniences nor hot food being supplied. WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTBIES 5] In one of the stores there was a lunchroom in which food was served; although this convenience was provided primarily for the public,' the women employed in the store made extensive use of it. The lunchrooms provided in ten 5-and-10-cent stores served in each case more than one purpose. Six of these rooms combined the functions of lunchroom, cloakroom, and restroom, 2 were used for lunch and for wraps, and 2 as lunchroom and restroom. However, in all cases but one, the rooms were clean, and that one exception is described as follows on the schedide: the combination lunch, rest, and cloak room was very dirty; papers, left-over lunches, old shoes, dirty aprons, powder puffs, empty boxes, and all sorts of litter were on floor and table. Girls were supposed to take care of room, but did not have time or did not care to do so. Frequently in 5-and-10-cent stores this sort of situation is avoided by making one girl responsible each week for the orderliness of the room, and several of the other establishments in Mississippi had such an arrangement. Where responsibility is not defined, conditions such as that described are very likely to exist. . the lunchrooms which existed the majority had outside ventilation, but the public lunchroom in the general mercantile establishment was without such ventilation as were also those in two of the five 5-and-10-cent stores which had provided a special lunchroom for employees. In one case the situation was made even less desirable because the toilet room was ventilated through this room. Cloakrooms. Ihe provision of an adequate place for keeping wraps and lunches seems an obvious necessity in an industrial establishment, but ap parently many of the managers of the plants visited in Mississippi were not of such opinion. There were 31 establishments in which cloakrooms were provided for the use of all women workers, but in only 2 of these were there lockers. In 5 establishments cloakrooms were available for only some of the women working there, and in 45 there were no cloakrooms. Nails or hooks in the walls of the work rooms were the only places provided for wraps in 32 of the establish ments visited, while in 4 establishments there was no definite place for workers’ coats or hats. The cloakroom provisions were entirely inadequate in a larger proportion of the wooden box and veneer plants and in the textile mills than in any other industries. Of 10 establishments in the first gioup, 8 had no cloakrooms for any of the women employed. In 3 of these the women threw their wraps on any convenient pile of lumber, and in the other 5 nails in the wall were the only provision for wraps. One establishment in this group had a cloakroom with 52 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES lockers for all of the women employed. Another one provided a cloakroom with wall hooks for the white women working there, but the negro women in the plant either worked with their wraps on or left them lying on piles of veneer. Nails might almost be said to represent the standard equipment for wraps in the textile mills visited. Although 2 of the 11 mills had cloakrooms for some of or all their workers, rows of nails furnished the only means for hanging up wraps. In 9 establishments there were no cloakrooms, and in 7 of these nails driven into workroom walls were the only equipment. Lockers and hooks were provided in the other 2. Although there were cloakrooms in 6 of the 16 general mercantile establishments, in others the workers relied on makeshifts. In or.e instance the women had to fold up their wraps and put them under counters. In all but one of' the 5-and-tO-cent stores visited there were cloakrooms for the women employees, but none of these rooms were equipped with lockers. The mere fact that a cloakroom is provided does not indicate necessarily that the women’s possessions are taken care of satisfac torily during the workday or that the women have an adequate place for changing from street to work clothing or back again. There were cloakrooms in 36 of the establishments visited, and 13 of these had no windows but relied entirely on artificial light; in one there was neither artificial nor natural light, except when the door was open. The following description of a thoroughly unsatisfactory cloak room applied to conditions in a candy factory: Room filthy; floor caked with everything and littered with dirty papers. Room was scarcely used as a cloakroom because the girls were afraid to leave their possessions so far away from them. As suggested in this description, the women often do hestitate to leave their clothes in an unsupervised cloakroom with no lockers. One store had taken care of this side of the problem by providing a place behind the cashier’s desk wdiere wraps could be hung, so that the cashier could be in charge of them. Restrooms. It would seem that Mississippi employers had failed to realize the importance of having a place in which workers might rest. In most cases the worker who was sick or exhausted had to go home and lose the rest of her day’s work. In only 14 of the 81 establishments visited was there a cot where anyone could lie down to rest, although one other establishment had a restroom without any cot. In one instance the only provision was a couch in the office of an absentee president which was used only in case of real emergency. In eight WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES 53 establishments where cots were provided, the function of restroom was combined with either lunchroom or cloakroom or both. Even the provision of a cot does not mean necessarily that the problem was adequately or efficiently met. The plain wicker couch with no pad which was reported in one store was scarcely a comfortable place for resting. Of the 14 plants in which restrooms were reported, all but one were stores, either 5-and-10-cent stores or general mercantile establish ments. One textile mill did provide a regular restroom which was used for that purpose alone and was equipped with a cot. In two of the stores the restrooms provided were shared with the public and consequently were of less use to the workers. In the words of an employee in one of the stores: “ This cot is of no use to the women workers, because it’s too public. You wouldn’t get any rest here if you needed it. If you have to lie down, the only thing to do is to go home.” Health equipment. Greater effort should be directed toward the prevention of accidents, but even with care, injuries are likely to occur, and there is always the possibility of minor illnesses wherever any considerable group ol people is located. In the Mississippi establishments visited, however, but scant attention had been given to emergency equip ment. Only 1 establishment of the 81 had a hospital room. In this plant a trained nurse was in charge regularly, and a doctor was in attendance one hour each day. First-aid equipment of some sort was provided in 42 establish- • merits, and in most cases some one person was assigned to be in charge of it, but frequently the first aid equipment was extremely limited. Much less than half—18—of these 42 establishments furnished what might have been called a complete kit. Iodine and gauze formed the backbone of much of the first-aid equipment and sometimes ointment and gauze for burns were the only things in the first-aid cabinet. There were 38 establishments, however, which did not provide even these limited supplies and had no equip ment whatsoever. In a number of the plants visited the workers paid a certain amount toward the support of a physician who, in some instances, came to the plant regularly, and in others was on call. In such cases the doctor gave his services in the workers’ homes as well as at the factory. In six plants with first-aid equipment and in six plants without any, the workers contributed to a fund which provided this form of medical care. PART V THE WORKERS Attention has been given to the earnings of women employed in Mississippi industries, to the length of the day and the week for which they were employed, and to the physical conditions under which they worked. Thus far, however, there has been no discussion of personal factors which characterize the group. Were the majority of the workers young girls or middle-aged women? Were they married or single? With what educational preparation had they come to their work? Did they show a tendency to remain at the same kind of work or did they shift? In order to obtain a better understanding of the human side of the problems concerning women in industry in Mississippi, the women employed in the plants visited were given questionnaires on which they were asked to furnish information concerning age, conjugal con dition, living condition, schooling, and time in the trade. Somewhat less then one-half of both the white and negro women returned the cards, although in some cases they were filled out incompletely, so that the number of women reporting on the different subjects varied slightly. Nativity. . There were 1,282 women who returned information on race and nativity. Table 20. Nativity arid race of the women employees who supplied personal information, by industry Number of women who were— Industry Number of women reporting Native born Foreign born 1 White i Negro All industries....................... Per cent distribution......... Manufacturing: Boxes (wooden) and veneer........ Gandy,.............. . ........... Clothing, men’s............................. Textiles................. M iscel laneous.......... .............. General mercantile.......... 6-and-10-cent stores............... Laundries..................... 1,282 100.0 1,039 81.0 128 44 125 461 41 207 112 164 54 21 125 461 23 204 112 39 ’ 239 18.6 4 0.3 73 23 1 3 125 1................ 55 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES 56 Foreign-born women did not constitute a factor in the industrial life of Mississippi, sinco only four women of the total number reporting had been born outside the United States. Even the negro women assumed less importance than might have been expected, for less than one-fifth of the workers returning personal history cards were negroes. The pay-roll records for all women employed showed practically the same proportion of negro women as did the smaller group which sup plied personal information. (See Table 1, p. 2.) The majority of the negro women reporting were employed in laundries, and they formed over three-fourths of the women workers in that industry. The next largest group worked in the box and veneer plants, constituting not far from three-fifths of the total num ber of women in the establishments visited in that industry. IS one of the negro women supplying personal information were employed in stores or in the manufacture of men’s clothing or textiles. Age. Information on age was supplied by 1,022 white women and 238 negro Vomen. The details by industry are given in Table XVII in the appendix, while a summary of the material on age is given in Table 21. Table 21.—Age of the women employees who supplied personal information, by race White women Ago Total....................................................................................... Negro women Number Per cent Number Per cent 1,022 100.0 238 100.0 321 394 159 97 41 10 31.4 38.6 15.6 9.5 4.0 1.0 61 92 41 31 11 2 25.6 38.7 17.2 13.0 4.6 .8 - There was but slight difference between the age distribution of the white women and that of the negro. In both cases the largest group of women were those between 20 and 30 years of age. A somewhat larger proportion of the white women than of the negro were less than 20 years of age, and larger proportions of the negro than of the white women fell in the 30-and-under-40 and 40-and-under-50 year groups. _ . There was considerable variation among the different industries in respect to the age of the women employed. While only a small number of candy workers reported age, those who did were young workers, whether white or negro. One-half of the negro girls and not far from that proportion of the white girls reporting in this industry were less than 20 years old, while the 20-and-under-30-year group WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES 57 claimed most of the others. In the box and veneer plants almost three-fourths of the women, whether white or negro, were less than 30 years old, while over three-tenths were under 20. Only white women were reported in the 5-and-10-cent stores. Practically onehalf of them were under 20, and the majority of the others were between 20 and 30 years of age. The general mercantile establishments offer a contrast to the 5-and-10-cent stores in this respect, with only one-tenth of the women reporting their age, less than 20. Almost one-half were between 20 and 30, and over four-tenths were 30 years or more of age. Of the negro women employed in laundries a larger proportion (44 per cent) were at least 30 years old than in most of the industries, but only 28.9 per cent of the white laundry workers reporting were as much as 30 years of age. A considerable proportion of the women employed in the men’s clothing industry were mature workers; 44.0 per cent of them were 30 years of age or more, while over a tenth were at least 50 years old. Conjugal condition. There were 1,028 white women and 219 negroes who reported on conjugal condition. The figures are given by industry in Table XVIII in the appendix and are summarized in Table 22. Table 22. Conjugal condition of the women employees who supplied personal information, by race White women Negro women Conjugal condition Number Per cent Number Per cent Total............. . Single............. Married........... _ Widowed, separated, or divorced... ' 626 172 91 41.6 1(1.7 A much larger proportion of the white women than of the negro women were unmarried, three-fifths of the former as compared with two-fifths of the latter. The proportion of the women who were married and living with their husbands was identical for the two groups, but over a third of the negro women were widowed, separated, or divorced, while only a sixth of the white women reported such marital status. Living condition. Report on living arrangements was made by 1,059 white and 233 negro women, and the facts are presented in Table XIX in the appendix. The majority of all those reporting, 82.2 per cent of the white and 79 per cent of the negro workers, were living at home. 58 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Those women were counted as living “at home” who lived with parents, husband, brother or sister, or children. Only 6.4 per cent of the white and 5.6 per cent of the negro women lived with other relatives. A slightly larger proportion of the negro women than of the white were living independently. Figures on living arrangements, however, are not to be taken as in any way indicative of the amount of financial responsibility assumed by the women workers. It should not be assumed that the woman reported as living at home has only personal expenditures to make demands on her pay envelope. Often there would be no home for the other members of her family and herself if she did not maintain it. Often the financial burden of the woman who lives at home is greater than that of the woman who lives independently, and the fact that she is living with her family is no justification for a low wage Extent of schooling. There were 967 white women and 225 negro women who reported on the extent of their schooling. (Table XX in the appendix.) All of the white women reported some school attendance, while only 6. of the negro women had never attended school. Of the white women, 56.8 per cent had at least completed the eighth grade, and 36.8 per cent had done some work beyond that grade. Only 4 women had gone to business or commercial school. Almost one-fourth of the negro women had attended school through the eighth grade or beyond, and practically two-fifths of these had attended high school or college. The largest proportion of white women who had continued in school after finishing the eighth grade were found among the general mer cantile and 5-and-10-cent store workers, with four-fifths of the women in general mercantile establishments and three-fifths of those in 5-and-10-cent stores reporting some education beyond that afforded in the grammar grades. In. fact, over three-fifths of all the white women who bad attended high school or college were in these indus tries. The majority of the white workers who had quit school before the fifth grade were employed in the textile mills, and only among the negro women working in laundries and in box and veneer factories was there a larger proportion of women with only four years or less of schooling. Time in the trade. Records of 997 white women and 212 negro women who reported the number of years spent in the trade may be found in Table XXI in the appendix. Among neither group was the proportion of new workers largo, for only 16.9 per cent of the white women and 19.8 pei' cent of the negro women had had less than 1 year of experience in the industry in which employed at the time of the survey. Fig ures for both groups of workers indicate that there was no great ten WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES 59 dency for the women to shift from one trade to another or to remain at work for only short periods of time. Of the white women report ing, over one-fifth had had 5 but less than 10 years of experience and 6.4 per cent 10 but less than 15 years, while over a tenth had been in the same line of work for 15 years or longer. The negro women showed somewhat less tendency to remain in the same trade over a period of years, but over one-fourth of them reported 5 years or more of experience in the industry in which they were working at the time of the investigation. The two mercantile groups present an interesting contrast in length of experience. Only 10.3 per cent of the general mercantile em ployees reporting, as contrasted with 43.7 per cent of the women in the 5-and-10-cent stores, had been employed in such establishments for less than one year. Of the former group, 56.9 per cent had been in stores 5 years or more, while only 5.8 per cent of the 5-and-10cent store employees had been employed at such work for that period of time. 2572°—26f-----5 APPENDIXES Appendix A—General Tables Appendix B—Schedule Forms APPENDIX A Table 1.—Week’s earnings, by industry—1925 Number of women earning each specified amount in— The manufacture of— Total ....................................................-............... ........... Median earnings.................... -.............................................................. $9 and under $10_______________________________ ------- --------$11 and under $12........................ ........... -........ -..........-..........-........... $30 and under $35.................................................................................... $35 and under $40_....... ............................................................. .......... All indus tries Boxes (wooden) and veneer 2,136 $8.60 125 $9.05 22 34 61 70 118 144 198 258 262 206 158 132 116 56 40 56 26 33 23 13 17 17 8 19 5 16 17 2 7 6 4 4 4 11 13 11 16 12 12 13 2 2 2 3 1 4 Clothing, men’s Candy 37 $9.30 295 $6.95 902 $7.85 4 9 13 18 26 35 45 40 29 15 19 13 5 7 6 3 4 14 12 27 40 71 84 96 129 104 79 73 63 45 16 14 6 9 6 5 4 3 1 1 ■ 2 7 1 3 4 5 5 4 4 2 Textiles 1 1 2 Miscella neous 122 $8.75 2 6 3 6 6 11 10 23 32 6 5 6 2 2 2 General mercantile 397 $14.90 1 1 4 2 3 f 17 14 9 22 24 29 37 22 14 39 10 26 14 8 i? 16 6 19 5 15 16 4 5-and10-cent stores Laundries 194 $8.40 64 $9.25 3 3 3 2 2 13 42 74 33 3 6 3 1 4 5 4 8 4 4 2 4 I 1 J l WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Week’s earnings * 4 Table II.—Week’s earnings, by industry—1924 Number of women earning each specified amount in— The manufacture of— Week’s earnings Boxes (wooden) and veneer 1,772 $8.75 93 $10.05 Median earnings—.............. -................................... ........................... So 86 $7 $8 $9 and under and under and under and under and under $6------------- ----------- ----------------------- ---------------$7..... .............................. ............. ..................................... $8.......... ..................................... ...................................... $9.. ......... .........._........... --- - -........... ...... ........... ........ $10---------------------- ---------------------------- ------- ' 26 29 .50 74 74 132 142 233 173 147 126 131 95 57 49 26 30 17 20 25 7 3 ii 4 15 13 4 4 2 3 3 4 2 9 11 3 9 14 8 5 6 3 2 5 I 2 1 Clothing, men’s Candy 25 $7.25 1 i 8 2 2 8 3 229 $7.90 6 12 14 12 23 17 34 25 24 15 14 11 9 4 6 1 1 I 1 Textiles 877 $7.80 25 21 29 .50 56 80 77 127 74 72 66 69 43 26 22 14 5 6 3 4 6 2 Miscella neous 24 $9.75 General mercantile 352 $14.55 5-and10-cent stores Laundries 131 $7.85 41 $8.40 1 5 1 1 5 17 43 34 10 4 5 4 3 7 2 6 9 3 4 2 2 1 2 2 2 3 4 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 5 16 8 17 22 20 30 29 13 19 31 15 22 14 14 14 3 3 11 4 15 13 4 4 2 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES All indus tries 2 05 CO Table III.—Week’s earnings and time worked, all industries—1925 A. WOMEN WHOSE TIME WORKED WAS REPORTED IN HOURS Number of women earning each specified amount who worked— Number of women reported Week’s earnings 30 and under 36 hours 557 $7.80 44 $2.00 23 $4. 95 10 14 15 22 40 61 66 65 50 34 45 44 28 9 18 6 9 3 4 4 4 l l 3 10 12 13 2 6 l l l 3 7 4 5 2 42 and under 48 hours 3G and under 42 hours 38 $6.15 l 6 8 3 6 6 l 3 l 2 l 73 $6. 55 54 and under 60 hours 48 and under 54 hours 93 $8.75 204 $8.45 67 $11.80 4 7 27 25 31 18 17 27 15 10 l 8 3 2 I l ............ 2 4 3 8 ll 14 IS 10 10 ll 14 9 2 6 ll l 5 2 3 ll 3 3 2 2 2 3 3 l l • 1 4 Over 60 hours 60 hours 4 15 $10.65 I 1 1 2 5 6 4 1 17 4 4 6 1 2 4 3 1 1 7 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 i WOMEN' IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Total............................................................................................. Median earnings............................................... .................................... Under 30 hours ft. » ♦ B. WOMEN WHOSE TIME WORKED WAS REPORTED IN DAYS Week’s earnings Number of women reported Number of women earning each specified amount who worked on— 1 day 1M days 1,155 $8. 90 18 $1.00 Under $1...................................... ................. . $1 and under $2______ ______ ______ ___ $2 and under $3__....... .................. ............... S3 and under $4________ _______ ______ S4 and under $5.............. ............................. . $5 and unde; $0...................... .................. $6 and under $7___ _____ _____________ $7 and under $8............................................ $8 and under $9.......... ............................ ...... $9 and under $10_________ ___________ _ $10 and under $11...................... ................... $11 and under $12.......................................... $12 and under $13........................................... $13 and under $14....... ..................... ............. $14 and under $15....... ...... ............................ $15.and under $16____ ___________ _____ $16 and under $17................. ......................... $17 and under $18____ ______ ______ ___ $18 and under $19.............. __....................... $19 and under $20......... ................................. $20 and under $21........................................... $2l and under $22____ ______ ______ $22 and under $23_____ __________ _ $23 and under $24................................ ......... $24 and under $25........................................... $25 and under $30.................. ...................... $30 and under $35....... ........ $35 and under $40.......... ..................... . $40 and over________ ______ _______ 10 14 27 29 48 48 91 154 177 142 80 59 67 29 18 33 10 25 16 4 10 12 7 10 3 11 13 5 3 9 8 1 (*) 12 19 $2.80 1 3 6 2 12 3 3 1 2}/% days (0 11 1 2 6 1 1 3 days 25 $3. 95 2 3 8 7 3 2 3 lA days (■) 13 4 days 29 $fi. 10 4 A days 29 $5. 75 5 days 141 $7.65 5 A days 6 days 106 $8.95 747 $9.70 | 1 1 3 2 1 4 1 9 5 5 5 4 1 2 11 5 1 2 ...i. 3 10 1 7 days o 5 WOMBS' IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Total.................................................... Median earnings........... ................ ............... 2 days 1 ___1 Not computed, _ _______ ______ _ . involved. owing to small number C7>k O Table IV.—Week’s earnings and time worked, all industries—1924 A. WOMEN WHOSE TIME WORKED WAS REPORTED IN HOURS Number of women earning each specified amount who worked— Week’s earnings Number of women reported Under 30 hours 30 and under 36 hours 490 $8.10 61 $1.95 21 $4. 70 16 15 12 12 4 1 i 1 6 5 4 3 2 $17 and under $18................................................ -............................... 16 16 16 28 25 49 36 56 37 43 39 44 25 19 13 16 2 5 $19 and under $20.............................. ........................................ ........... $20 and under $21.......... ........................................ ................................ 2 1 1 $25 and under $30.......... .................. ..................................................... 1 26 $6. 45 63 $6.75 1 1 1 4 3 7 3 1 2 2 1 1 4 2 20 6 9 6 8 2 3 1 5)0. ro | 1 2 1 2 5 13 6 6 5 2 2 1 2 1 1 1 223 5>y. yu ' 3 9 17 15 25 21 24 27 30 18 14 3 10 2 1 Over 60 hours 60 hours 34 $12.00 0) 12 2 2 2 3 2 6 2 2 7 3 3 1 1 1 2 3 2 2 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Median earnings........ ............................................................................ 54 and under 60 hours 48 and under 54 hours 42 and under 48 hours 36 and under 42 hours 4 t * B. WOMEN WHOSE TIME WORKED WAS REPORTED IN DAYS Week’s earnings Total..................................................................... Median earnings------------------------ ------- --------------- Number of women reported 885 $8.70 $15 and under $16................................................ ........... IK days 1 day 0) 12 9 1 2 (>) 7 4 3 2 days « 7 6 1 2H days (•> 3 days 7 (o 3 2 2 56 51 44 25 24 30 16 20 13 10 14 4 3 4 12 10 3 3 3H days 4 days i'A days 5 days 14 19 $4. 90 33 $o. 30 58 $6.35 71 $7.60 7 3 2 1 4 2 4 4 3 1 1 2 6 6 9 1 3 1 4 8 12 11 7 8 1 3 2 2 10 14 16 11 8 3 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 152 $8. 80 4 7 3 17 31 18 21 8 10 9 6 3 6 6 1 1 1 1 | I 6 days 505 $10.45 31 3 12 31 77 70 37 39 37 34 17 20 24 10 19 12 10 1 l. 5M days 13 2 3 4 11 10 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES 9 5 19 30 35 54 78 135 108 Number of women earning each specified amount who worked on— 3 3 * Not computed, owing to small number involved. O * f Table V.— Week's earnings of women who worked the firm's scheduled time} by industry—1925 Number of women earning each specified amount who worked the firm’s scheduled days1 or hours in— . The manufacture of— Week’s earnings Total.. ... ________________________________ Median earnings________ ________ _______ . _____ ____ ___ 980 $9.80 Under $4__................................... ..................................................... $4 and under *5_________ _____ ________ ______________ ____ $5 and under $6......................... .......... ........... ............................... $6 and under $7.________ ___________________________________ 87 and under $8.............. ........... ................................................... ...... $8 and under $9..... ..................................................................... ........... *9 and under *10 $10 and under $11 $11 and under $12_____ _______________ $12 and under $13..................................... $13 and under $14..................... $14 and under $15.......................... ............... $15 and under $1G_............................................ ........ $16 and under $17__________________ $17 and under $18.............. ................. ......... $18 and under $19.___ ___________ $19 and under $20__________________________ $20 and under $21____ ___________________ ________ $21 and under $22.......................................................... $22 and under $23..................... ........ . $23 and under $24..................................................... $24 and under $25................... ............... .......... $25 and under $30.................. $30 and under $35..................... $35 and under $40................. ........ $40 and over__________ _______ 6 15 31 47 129 161 124 80 82 69 26 26 35 17 26 19 8 13 13 7 13 3 11 13 4 2 Boses (wooden) and veneer 41 $10.50 I 6 5 7 3 5 5 1 2 2 3 1 Clothing, men’s Candy Textiles 18 $10.00 51 $10.10 330 $8.95 2 4 3 5 3 3 1 2 5 7 2 5 6 6 2 1 4 2 2 3 14 28 22 56 44 34 32 41 20 8 10 1 7 2 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 Miscella neous 5-and-10General mercantile cent stores Laundries 68 $9.25 263 $15.45 1 3 23 31 3 1 3 11 11 4 9 13 21 29 12 10 26 5 23 13 5 10 12 5 13 3 10 12 4 2 1 2 166 $8.55 i For the purpose of tabulation, if a woman’s name appeared on the pay roll on each working day she has been classified as working the firm’s scheduled time. 4 i 5 37 72 331 7 3 6 3 43 $10.25 1 2 7 7 2 11 2 4 3 1 1 1 WOMEN IN M ISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES All industries # 4 * Table VI.—Weekly rate and actual week’s earnings, by industry—1925 Number of women for whom amount specified was weekly rate and number for whom it was actual week’s earnings in— The manufacture of— Amount All industries Clothing, men’s Miscellaneous Textiles General mer cantile 5-and-10-cent stores Laundries Earn Rate Earn Rate ings ings Earn ings Rate Earn ings Rate Earn ings Rate Earn ings Rate Earn ings Rate Earn ings Rate 23 $8.30 23 $7.50 18 $7.65 18 $8.15 256 $8.50 256 $7.30 31 $10.15 31 $10. 85 388 $13. 55 388 $14. 70 193 $8.20 193 $8.40 58 $10.10 58 $10.00 2 4 4 5 1 7 2 7 1 3 4 1 5 2 1 1 2 3 1 7 9 2 2 13 42 74 33 6 3 6 3 2 2 6 7 7 4 13 3 4 1 1 3 3 3 7 8 4 12 3 4 2 4 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 973 $9.85 973 $9.35 9 25 65 166 148 88 76 66 87 35 11 50 13 37 14 9 8 6 C 20 2 12 13 4 3 49 39 45 70 130 123 83 59 60 60 27 23 44 11 27 18 7 12 15 7 17 4 15 17 7 4 m 6 6 o 4 1 5 » Not computed, owing to small number involved* Candy 2 n 3 1 1 i l l 7 18 20 60 48 30 20 4 31 3 2 8 3 2 26 26 30 30 57 19 21 9 19 9 1 6 1 1 1 2 2 3 2 8 4 3 5 1 1 2 1 6 2 2 3 5 4 2 2 2 . 22 6 14 22 21 .50 43 29 9 37 10 36 9 9 8 6 5 20 2 11 12 4 3 8 3 1 17 14 9 22 24 29 37 20 14 38 10 26 14 7 12 15 6 17 4 14 16 7 4 6 75 72 23 8 6 3 Earn ings WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Rate Boxes (wooden) and veneer ....... Cl) Table VII.— Weekly rate and scheduled weekly hours, all industries—1925 O Number of women receiving each specified rate whose scheduled weekly hours were— Weekly rate 964 $9.85 9 25 63 166 148 86 75 65 86 35 o 2 44 w 7 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 Over 44 and under 48 48 27 $8.50 (>) 1 5 5 5 1 6 1 4 15 $7.85 19 $7.75 i 2 4 3 4 1 I 1 1 1 10 4 2 1 Over 52 and under 54 52 8 w 0 3 I 1 1 9 8 1 6 1 1 13 4 3 86 $12. 00 2 10 9 17 4 6 5 2 5 1 1 1 1 4 4 1 1 3 2 3 1 1 3 3 1 2 1 1 1 3 2 1 1 1 ■ Not computed, owing to small number involved. 4 « Over 55 and under 60 55 31 $15. 50 9 4 2 o Over 54 and under 55 54 1 1 3 1 2 37 Over 50 and under 52 50 i 429 $9. 95 147 $9. 05 i 33 74 73 36 19 44 40 24 5 19 4 20 5 5 2 2 1 10 2 4 6 19 9 22 23 11 6 6 5 1 2 10 4 4 2 3 5 4 5 4 2 60 186 $8.95 7 11 45 31 26 20 4 23 2 1 8 3 1 3 1 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Total................................... Median rate................................ Number of women reported Under 44 « 4 4 Table VIII.—Year’s earnings of the women for whom 52-week 'pay-roll records were secured, by industry and race Number of women earning each specified amount in— The manufacture of— Year’s earnings All industries Total....... ............................................................. Median earnings.......................................................... 330 $464 58 $300 5 9 21 34 47 41 28 30 14 23 15 10 5 7 13 9 6 4 6 2 2 9 18 19 3 4 2 1 JNot computed, owing to small number involved. White Negro (0 3 1 1 1 1 16 $300 2 6 5 1 1 1 Cloth ing, men’s Candy Textiles White Negro White White Negro (>) 6 m 5 5 2 2 2 38 $438 3 8 5 4 4 2 3 1 1 ____ _____ General 5-andmercan 10-cent tile stores Miscellaneous 145 $390 5 8 17 21 27 15 11 13 6 12 5 1 1 1 2 0) 6 White (>) 12 Negro White 3 73 $845 0) White White Negro 34 $431 19 $463 28 $308 9 13 7 4 1 1 1 3 1 3 2 2 3 1 1 2 10 12 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 5 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 5 2 2 8 7 4 5 10 8 5 4 6 2 1 Laundries 1 3 1 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES White Negro Boxes (wooden) and veneer Table IX,—Week’s earnings of negro women, by industry—1924 and 1925 1925 Number of women earning each specified amc unt in— The manufacture of— Week's earnings Total..-............................................................................................................... .... —. Median earnings ............................................................................................................ ................. $8 and under $9.................................................... .................................................... ........ ............ * C 535 $5.75 1 9 14 39 96 148 115 48 28 24 7 5 2 1 1 Boxes (wooden) and veneer 145 $5.60 2 7 15 26 38 17 14 9 7 4 5 1 Candy Textiles 27 $5.65 1 20 6 Miscel laneous 74 $5.20 28 $7.45 5 2 6 19 23 10 6 3 1 1 1 5 2 9 2 5 General Launndries mercantile 4 2 1 I 257 $5.95 1 1 4 14 50 62 84 19 7 12 2 2 1 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES All industries 4 4 4 1924 Total..______ __________ ________ Median earnings _________________ 1 Not computed, owing to small number involved. ■> 140 $6. 05 5 7 18 24 2 4 2 2 g 8 109 110 31 34 38 8 20 10 i i 1 1 i 23 $5. 50 57 $5. 20 24 $7.45 o 2 9 6 ■ i 1 174 $5.85 9 3 1 7 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Under $1_______________ _______________________ $1 and under $2________ ___________ $2 and under $3___________ $3 and under $4.................................. ...... ........ ............... $4 and under $5_____ _______ :_______ . $5 and under $6___ ____ ______ •____ $6 and under $7................................ ............. $7 and under $8________________ $8 and under $y__................... ................................... $9 and under $10..... ......................... $10 and under $11............................... ......... . $11 and under $12......................................... . $12 and under $13_____________ $13 and under $14____ ______________ $15 and under $16................................................. 420 $5.90 \ 03 *<r Table X.— Week’s earnings of negro women by time worked, all industries—1925 A. WOMEN WHOSE TIME WORKED WAS REPORTED IN HOURS Number of women earning each specified amount who worked— Number of women reported Week’s earnings 214 $5.30 7 7 21 52 65 26 21 8 5 2 0) 13 7 6 30 and under 36 hours 0) 6 1 3 1 1 36 and under 42 hours 0) 42 and under 48 hours 48 and under 54 hours 54 and under 60 hours 13 25 $5.05 53 $5.25 78 $5.40 6 4 1 1 1 6 6 9 4 6 16 18 4 8 1 25 33 13 4 3 * «• 22 $7.75 <l) 4 ■ „ „, ■ i Not computed, owing to small number involved. Over 60 hoi^s 60 hours 4 2 3 8 2 5 2 1 1 2 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Median earnings...........-................................... ........... ........ ............... Under 30 hours » 4 B. WOMEN WHOSE TIME WORKED WAS REPORTED IN DAYS 2572°— 26t Total____ Median earnings. Under $1_______ $1 and under $2.. $2 and under $3 . $3 and under $4 _ _ $4 and under $5. _ $5 and under $6._ $6 and under $7 _ _ $7 and under $8.. $S and under $9.. $9 and under $10. $10 and under $11 $11 and under $12 $!3 and under $14 $14 and under $15. 1 Not computed, owing to small number involved. Number of women reported 270 LOO I Number of women earning each specified amount who worked on— 2 days 1 day (>) 2 1 0) 3} 2 days 3 days 1 1 0) 5 4 1 w 4 days 3 1 1 1 <*> 4h days 9 3 2 3 1 5lA days 5 days 7 23 $5. .30 2 2 2 1 6 3 9 1 4 48 $6.60 6 days 172 $6.25 ......... ............................... 1 23 5 46 16 67 5 12 5 \ 12 6 7 3 2 i 3 5 i. 1 ! ....................11 1 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES i Week’s earnings Oi Table XT.—Week's earnings of negro women by time worked, all industries—1924 o* A. WOMEN WHOSE TIME WORKED WAS REPORTED IN HOURS Number of women earning each specified amount who worked— Week’s earnings of women reported Under $1...................................................... ................... .................... $i and under $2.................................. .................... ................ ...... $3 and under $4_____ _________ _________ ________ ___________ $4 and under $5.............................. ................. .................... . . __ 170. $6. 05 17 *2.45 2 2 13 11 18 37 45 20 15 2 2 10 3 36 and under 42 hours 7 o) pi 42 and under 48 hours 10 1 3 2 1 1 4 2 3 48 and under 54 hours Over 54 and under 60 hours 31 $6. 35 49 $6.00 4 4 13 5 2 10 15 *5. 10 Over 60 hours 60 hours 16 $8. 00 25 $6.65 __ 1 6 3 19 B. WOMEN WHOSE TIME WORKED WAS REPORTED IN DAYS T » CC* 3 Wti uiugc Total...... ................................................................ Median earnings............................................................. Under $1. ......... ............. ........................................... . $9 and under $10.______ ________ _______________ Number of women reported 243 $5. 80 3 5 5 12 39 70 64 11 10 13 Number of women earning each specified amount who worked— 1 day o 1H days 5 3 2 o 1 1 2 days <0 2H days 1 1 (■) 2 1 1 3 days <■) 3 1 2 3J4 days 0) 5 2 1 4 days (>) 4 1 1 iH days (•) 5 days 5 33 * $5.15 5 7 7 18 1 4 5}4 days 6 days 40 $6.85 144 $6.20 6 2 7 6 7 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Total................................................................................. .......... Median earnings................................................. ................... .............. 30 and under 36 hours Under 30 hours fc $10 and under $11.................... ...... ............................. $11 and under $12................................. -........ ................ $12 and under $13................................................ —r--$13 and under $14--- ------------------------------------------ 7 1 1 1 $15 and 1 under $16................................. ..................... ......... ! 2j 1 4 i;.............. . i | .......... I > Not computed, owing to small number involved. Table XII.— Weekly rate and actual week’s earnings of negro women, by industry—1925 The manufacture of— Amount All industries Earnings Rate Rate 314 . $6.00 314 $5. 60 81 $5.45 Under $4.......... .................... ................... .............. ........ $4 and under $5—......... .....................-------- ----------- ...........-62 96 96 $G and under $7................. ............. ........-...................... 20 $7 and under $8------------------------ ---------- -------------$8 and under $9________________________ ______ M $9 and under $10--------------- ------ -------------------------S10 and under $11----------------- ---------------- ----------4 41 64 85 70 23 11 14 3 20 44 10 1 5 1 2 2 1 1 Median____ ____________ ________ ___________ $12 and under $13.--....................................................... General mercantile Boxes (wooden) and veneer Earnings 81 $5.05 20 19 29 7 4 2 Textiles Rate (0 11 10 1 Laundries Miscellaneous Earnings (>) 11 3 2 6 Earnings Rate 28 $7. SO 28 $7.45 1 5 9 5 6 2 1 5 2 9 2 5 Earnings Rate (0 4 (0 4 2 2 1 1 1 i Rate i Earnings 190 $6.15 190 $5.80 42 41 78 10 6 9 3 16 42 45 59 10 6 9 2 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Number of women for whom amount specified was weekly rate and number for whom it was actual week s earnings in ■ Not computed, owing to small number involved. “■J Table XIII.—Scheduled daily and Saturday hours, by industry group -a oo MANUFACTURING Numbin' of establishments and number of women whose Saturday hours were— Number reported None 4 and 5 and 6 and 7 and under 5 under 6 under 7 under 8 Over 9 and under 10 9 Over 10 and under 11 10 11 Scheduled daily hours (Monday to Friday) a 1 x: 3 5 w © 1 37 1,755 7_________________________ ___________________ _____ _ S_______________ _________________ __________ Over 8 and under 9.................................................................. 9___ __________________ _______________ ______ _ Over 9 and under 10_______ ________ ______ _____ 10_________________ ________________ ____________ Over 10 and under 11.. ____ _____ ... 11___ ___________________ _________________ _ 1 3 _ 2 5 3 n 10 2 14 07 16 120 203 399 880 56 3 <3 tb a i a © 18 co EA a© g .2 3 33 to w a co 4-3 a© S 3 tt ©3 © £ XI 3 5 83 11 889 3 2 l $ 1 3 67 16 4 1 2 188 282 5 2 365 1 50 18 $ a © a © P l 17 co co a© a © a 3 .2 3 © W s o P' 3 o2 WCO © S © £ o 40 1 34 1 14 1 34 ca ©S X 3 03 co w CO a© a .a .2 s © £ 5 452 co a U l .... 1 26 5 452 g 3 o £ 3 3 s 6 160 2 35 2 21 2 21 ce wCO S 2 44 1 15 1 20 3 31 C3 CO a © 3 a© a © a o 4 116 .. -2 a © g a a© 3 a S s 3 gJ CO w ss .a .2 £ a 5 o o W £ 1 6 1 6 4 60 Mercantile 130 595 ■ ' I .... 1 3 4 57 18 421 2 23 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Over 8 and under 9 8 * LAUNDRIES Total......... -..................................................................... U2 263 1 14 7 36 62 165 2 2 2 30 30 2 27 27 2 38 1 36 2 1 18 1 22 - 1 18 1 22 ;___ 2 30 2 30 3 98 3 98 i Details aggregate more than total because some establishments appear in more than one hour group. XIV.—Length of lunch period, by industry Number of establishments and number of women whose lunch period was— Number reported No definite period Over 30 minutes and under 1 hour 30 minutes Industry Per cent distribution...................................................... Manufacturing: Over 1 hour 1 hour Estab lish ments Women Estab lish ments Women Estab lish ments Women Estab lish ments Women Estab lish ments Women 80 100.0 2,643 100.0 2 2.5 33 1.2 12 15.0 355 13.4 13 16.3 914 34.6 52 65.0 1.323 50.1 10 4 3 11 9 16 14 13 279 1 1 6 27 4 1 173 14 2 27 2 68 2 7 1 261 594 20 1 12 3 2 1 2 8 15 14 7 64 23 34 314 130 383 194 181 295 976 150 401 194 293 . ................ 100 Estab lish ments Women \ 1.3 18 0.7 i 18 1 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Table O Table XV.—Hours worked less than scheduled, by industry Industry Manufacturing: Boxes (wooden) and veneer. Clothing, men's..................... Textiles____________ _____ Miscellaneous....... ................. General mercantile....................... Laundries_________ _____ ___ 551 98 408 23 272 Number of women who worked less than scheduled hours to the extent of— I 2 hours 2 and under 3 hours 3 and under 4 hours 4 and under 5 hours U£J into 5 and j 10 and under under 10 hours 15 hours 15 and under 20 hours 20 and 25 and 30 hours under under 25 hours 30 hours and over 49.4 1 14 8 5 2 82 46 36 23 15 40 100.0 _______ 0.4 5.1 2.9 1.8 0.7 30.1 16.9 13.2 8.5 5.5 14.7 5 38 216 (l) 3 38.8 52.9 30.4 8 29 <*) 1 Not computed, owing to small number involved. Table XVI.—Hours worked more thorn scheduled, by industry Industry All industries_____ _____________ Per cent distribution of women who worked over time............................. Number of women for whom time worked was reported in hours 551 Number and per cent of women who worked more than scheduled hours Number 33 100.0 Per cent 6.0 Number of women who worked more than Scheduled hours to the extent of— 1 and under 2 hours Under 1 hour 2 and under 3 hours 3 and under 4 hours 3 5 4 9.1 15.2 12.1 9.1 4 and imder 5 hours 12.1 5 and under 10 hours 10 and under 15 hours 27.3 9.1 15 and under 20 hours 6.1 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Per cent distribution of women who worked less than sched uled hours............................... Number Number and per of wom cent of women en for w ho worked less whom than scheduled time hours worked was re ported in hours Number Per cent 06 O ft * Manufacturing: Boxes (wooden) and veneer. Clothing, men’s__________ Textiles_________________ Miscellaneous.... .................. General mercantile.......... .......... Laundries......... ........ .................. * i! 7 98 408 23 7 (>) 9 15 | 8 ; 9.2 3.7 34.8 8 1 Not computed, owing to small number involved. Table XYII.—Age of the women employees who supplied personal information, by industry and race 16 and under 18 years White Negro W hite Negro 18 and under 20 years 20 and under 25 years 25 and under 30 years 30 and under 40 years 40 and under 50 years 50 and under 60 years 60 years and over White Negro White Negro White Negro White Negro White Negro White Negro White Negro All industries Per cent distribution____ 1,022 100.0 238 100.0 135 13.2 15 6.3 186 18.2 46 19.3 269 26.3 54 22. 7 125 12.2 38 16.0 Manufacturing: Boxes (wooden) and veneer.... .............. Candy___ ... _____ Clothing, men’s Textiles____ M iscellaneous General mercantile 5-and-10-eent stores Laundries...................... . 55 21 121 469 23 181 114 38 73 22 4 5 9 87 2 2 24 2 5 1 14 5 19 88 6 16 32 6 18 10 17 9 29 103 19 8 5 1 10 54 3 29 12 11 11 1 18 125 9 1 17 40 8 4 23 5 21 159 15.6 41 17.2 97 9. 5 31 13.0 10 9 2 3 1 14 38 2 32 4 3 9 27 76 3 34 2 7 5 25 3 19 41 4.0 11 4.6 10 1.0 2 0.8 1 6 10 1 10 1 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Number of women whose age wasNumber of women reporting 00 82 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Table XVIII.-—Conjugal condition of the women employees who supplied personal information, by industry and race Number of women who were— Number of w omen re porting Industry Per cent distribution............-........--....... Manufacturing: Boxes (wooden) and veneer............... . Candy----- ---------------------------Miscellaneous....... ........ ............. ..... Laundries_____ ___ _-................... ..... Widowed, separated, or divorced Married Single White Negro White Negro White Negro White Negro 1,028 100.0 219 100.0 626 60.9 91 41.6 230 22.4 49 22.4 172 16.7 79 36.1 55 21 127 452 23 202 110 38 61 22 36 18 63 260 16 114 96 23 31 9 16 2 40 109 1 47 9 7 9 8 4 1 24 83 6 41 5 8 21 5 18 118 7 44 2 30 9 44 Table XIX.— -Living condition of the women employees who supplied personal information, by industry and race Number of women who were livin g— Industry All industries...................................... . Per cent distribution..................................... Manufacturing: Boxes (wooden) and veneer................... Miscellaneous......................................... Laundries......................................... ...... ........ Number of women re porting At home (with imme diate family) With other relatives Indep endent y White Negro White Negro White Negro White Negro 1,059 100.0 233 100.0 870 82.2 184 79.0 68 6.4 13 5.6 121 11.4 36 15.5 55 21 130 469 23 207 115 39 72 22 43 16 105 407 18 161 90 30 59 21 3 2 10 29 1 7 9 7 5 9 3 15 33 4 39 16 2 8 1 16 123 12 92 1 7 3 24 ft J Table XX.—Extent of schooling of the women employees who supplied, personal information, by industry and race Number of women reporting specified grade as the highest completed who were employed in— All industries Extent of schooling White Per cent Boxes (wooden) and veneer Negro Num ber Per cent Cloth ing, men’s Candy 1 Tex tiles, General 5-andmercan 10-cent tile stores Miscellaneous White Negro White Negro White White White Negro 54 67 20 22 81 453 23 17 White White Laundries White Negro _ Number of women reporting on schooling. _________________ No schooling.................................................... First grade--................ .................................. Second grade. .................................................. Third grade.__.......................... ........ ............ Fourth Grade.................................................. Sixth grade..................................................... Seventh grade................................................ Eighth grade............ ....................................... Ninth grade or first year of high school Tenth grade or second year of high school._ Eleventh grade or third year of high school. Twelfth grade or fourth year of high school. College or other higher education_______ Business or commercial school.................... Indefinite.. . ___________________ 967 4 6 18 47 80 102 154 196 135 97 54 58 18 4 4 100.0 0.4 .6 1.9 4.9 8. 3 10. 5 15.9 20.3 14.0 10.0 5.6 6.0 .8 .4 .4 225 100.0 6 4 8 16 26 2.7 1.8 3.6 7. 1 11.6 39 27 30 11 10 1 12.0 13.3 4.9 4.4 .4 1 .4 1 2 10 14 14 1 1 1 1 4 1 1 7 115 35 4 2 7 3 3 2 2 9 1 1 18 25 20 3 1 93 94 43 17 2 119 7 1 16 7 5 1 5 186 1 10 4 5 2 3 g -------■■ 7 19 17 20 31 17 35 27 44 7 11 4 9 3 2 16 13 9 4 WOMEN IN M ISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Num ber The manufacture of— 1 Includes all those who attended college, whether graduated or not. 00 CO F I Table XXI.—-Time in the trade of women employees who supplied personal information, by industry and race Number of women who had been in the trade— Industry All industries....................................... Per cent distribution.................................... Manufacturing: Boxes (wooden) and veneer-------------Candy------------ --------------- ------ -----Miscellaneous____________________ Laundries....................................................... Under 1 year 1 and under 2 years 2 and under 3 years 3 and under 4 years 4 and under 5 years Negro 997 100.0 212 100.0 168 16.9 42 19.8 151 15.1 36 17.0 141 14.1 37 17.5 105 10.5 23 10.8 56 5.6 19 9.0 50 16 125 454 19 195 103 35 65 22 13 5 22 53 5 20 45 5 13 4 5 4 28 59 5 21 25 4 9 8 10 4 12 73 3 21 12 6 15 6 8 2 9 62 1 11 8 4 9 1 4 1 3 24 1 11 7 5 7 2 * 108 10 and under 15 years 15 years and over White Negro White Negro White Negro White Negro White Negro White Negro White Negro White Negro White 17 5 and under 10 years 4 21 2 17 3 13 3 10 2 8 106 10.6 13 6.1 3 1 1 8 31 1 18 1 2 18 50 206 2a 7 37 17.5 64 6.4 6 11 1 25 102 3 58 5 7 3 22 5 2.4 35 5 2 12 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES - .. Number of women reporting WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES 85 APPENDIX B SCHEDULE FORMS Schedule I This schedule was used for recording the firms’ scheduled hours, and the num ber of employees. f * i Factory Schedule Sheet I. U. S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau 3. Name of factory................................. 2. Product.................................... ......... 3. Person inter............................... Pos Person inter___ _____ _____ Pos 4. Number employed: Day.............. . WThite Col. 372 Address ........................ City............................. —..................... Agent. ........ ................. Date . -------- ---------- Night Total W'hite Men.......................................... Women... . Girls. Boys______ ... Total. _ ___ Col. Total Men______ _ Girls.. —---------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ 5. Firm’s scheduled hours: Begin End Lunch Rest Total Begin Lunch Rest Total ■ Day__________ Sat.___ _ Sat. Eeg. wk. days------------; reg. wk. hrs.-----------6. Seasonal or overtime_______________ 7. H. W. given out................. . Keg. wk. days_______ ; reg. wk. hrs. Same work done in shop Identical rates 8. Wages: Length pay period ...................... t End Vac. without pay_______ _____ W'itli pay . Deductions_ .......................................................... ......... Bonus or commission.......................................... ...... ........ Overtime pay.... .................................................... .. 0. Employment policy: Empl. mgr.------------------ ------ oth. eentr. method................................. Records kept___ ______ __ __________ _____ 10. Stairways: Location Mat. Wind. Light Hand 0. K. rl.O. K. 11. Employees allowed to use elevators Nar. Stp. Rpr. Other Other Notes 86 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES WORKROOMS Code Workroom 14. Aisles 13. Floors 12. Rooms Mat. Rpr. Cln. Other Obst. Nar. FI. 16. Other 15. Ventilation Nat. Artif. Special problem Problem ' Notes: 17. Cleaning: Sweep______________________________ Freq. By whom: Scrub............................................. -........... Freq. 18. Natural light.... ........ ............................................................. . Shades or awnings In roof__________ Glare__ ________ General statement 19. Art. light: Gen. light. Indiv. hang, or adj. _ Glare______ ______ General statement .. Footrests Seats Notes 20. Occupations Sit Kind No.O.K. Kind Need .......................... . i 21. Heating. 23. Washing facilities 22. Drinking facilities Towels Share with— Floor Kind P. N. - ... - 1 Notes: Cln. Hot water Soap Individual Common Kind Freq. No. Freq. WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES 24. Toilets: Kind........... ................... Paper...............Instrt. Seatrpi........ Clean................. Handfl........ Seatfl. PIbg. rpr---- Clean.................. Autofl Freq.. No. using— Room cleaned by— Sweep-......... Freq Scrub............ Freq. Ventilation Fir. Room No. No. Seat Room Women— of per encl. deg. Scrn. non- ceil. abs. Out. M. P. seats seat wnd. Art. W. Oth. FI. 87 Light Room cln. Oth. Out Art. rm. wnd. — ....... — ..... .... ..... .... .... ....... - — ...... —— :::::: -....... — ...... ...... ....... - — 25. Service facilities: Lunch FI. Comb. with Cln. i Artif. Out Toilet Ck. light wnd. ventii. Supr. Caf. Tab. Seat I*!?1 Hot D. conv. into [■ • ......... ...... Rest Cot ..............-.............. .... ...... - ...... ......... Chaii s Bench ........ — ........ — — :::::::: Cloak ............... . .............................. — ........ ... ”T"‘ .... Comf. ch. ----- ---- - Lokr. Shiv. Racks Wall hk. ............ Seats __ —----- ......... ............ -....... ............ ......... 26. Uniforms req.byflrm.................. . Kind.....................Supplied by firm by firm---------------Free.................... Cost to girl....... ............... . 27. Health service: IIosp-------- ------- - First aid........................ Chg. of Dr. full time... Other........ .................Noresp............................ Med. exam............... — Laundered Dr. part time____ Other welfare......... 88 WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Schedule II Pay-roll information was copied onto the card, one card being used for each woman employee: U. S. Department Employee's No. Establishment or Labor, Women’s Bureau Department. Male Name Female Age Conjugal condition Address NR M Occupation Hour Piece Rate of pay Days worked I Regular weekly hours Week Day $ $0. Overtime ELours worked hours this period $ $ % Earnings Under time hours This period Computed for regular time $ Began work j Time at work I Age _....I _ Board At home Month Yi month $ Additions $ Deductions * ! Fay-roll period |___Days ending Schedule III This schedule was distributed in the factory to be filled out by each woman employee: U. S. jo, Department of Labor, Women’s Bureau Establishment......................................... -..........Employee’s No.__ Department.................................... -or female....................... . Name......................................................... .................................. ___________Male Single, married, widowed, separated, or Address: ___ divorced................ ................................ ...................... ...Age........................................ Country of birth................... --...................................... How old were you when you began to work for wages How long have you been in this trade or business---How long have you been working for this firm.------What is your regular work here. ................................... Do vou live with your family----------------------------------------------with other relatives. Do you board or room with persons not relatives---------------------------- -----------------Schedule IV This schedule was used for the information secured during home visits to the women employed in the establishments surveyed: U. S. Department or La><or, Women's Bureau, Washington HOME VISIT SCHEDULE Name of worker.............................................. Address__________-________________ -- Age left school______________ _____ ........ Reasons for leaving school------------Length of time between school and first job First job--------------------------------------- ----How secured.---..-....... ............................. Kinds of work done since.................. ..........Reason for leaving last job. First job with present firm. .Firm................. Occupation........ Grade completed. Pay. WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIES Begin wage-------------------- --------------- ---------Job preferences (reasons)____ _________________ D . 89 ' General comments, working conditions'"accidents,"etc.’:"....... ................. Agent. Date. Schedule V This schedule was used to record earnings for each week in the year: t U. a. Department of Labor, Women’s Bureau Firm.. Empl. Occ__ City. ---W-N................................................................ .. W. N-: -T. P. B. ............................................... ......... ...............T. P. B, Date Wage 1 Remark Wage 2 Remark Wage 3 | Remark Wage 4 Remark l._.____ ______ 2_______ ______ ...... ....... ..... — .......... . .......... ........... ............. .........— ............. ....... -........... ............. 4.... .......... . ............. ............. ............. ............. ............. 5......... ....... . 6____ ____ —Li"!...... ............. — .......... . ............. in:....:: — ............. ............. ............. ............. 8___________ 9______ ......... .........- - ............ ............. .......... —-....... —:::: ............. 10...... ............ ---------— ---------- __ 12--..-.......... 13............... .......' ............. ............- ......... .......... - — ....... .. ............. ---------15.......... . " :::::::::: —...... — 16____ ___ " ----- ------ -------------- — -........ 17_____ --------— — ______ 19_____ --------:: :::::::::: _ :::::: 20______ :::::::::: ---I: 21-.-_...... -----...... 22______ 24______ "" — ............. in:::::;: —:::: 25_____ 26________I _____ 11 .......... —-...... ....... ..... J ■.......... ............. ............. ............. -............ ............. 28_____ 29_____ ............. ...... ....... -.......... - -...... ..... ______ 30______ ----- ___ _ — ----31_____ ........ — .......... - -----— ------33_______ EE ■.......... :::::::::: - - ------ ----34.......... ........ ----35___ 36-..-....... ............. ........... — 37_____ ___ .......... ............. 38______ I"....... ............. — ............. —-......... ............. IIIIIIIZII 39___ ............. ---- ----- ............. ■ .......... .......... . ............. —...... . 41___ I"~ . ............. ............. ............. ............. ............. ............. 42_____ — ............. .......... ............. ............. ............. 43 44.......... —......... .......... — .........—- ............- ....... —- .........— ------45...... ............ ---....... . ............... . —......... ............. — ............. ______ 46______ 47_____ :::::::::: ............. 48............I............ ......... ............. — ............. 49...................... ---------- --------- so............... :.......... ....... ..... ............ _____ ............. ............. ............. ............. ............. ______ 51_____ ___ __ 52........................... ............ ............. ........... ............. --------------------- -1 -------- .......... .......... . Amt____ Wks. clsd. Wks. wrkd. Wks. lost . .......................... .— Wks. wrkcL. Wks. clsd........................ Wks. lost... O PUBLICATIONS OF THE WOMEN’S BUREAU Any of these bulletins still available will be sent free of charge upon request: No. 1. Proposed Employment of Women During the War in tho Industries of Niagara Falls, N. Y. - . . 16pp. 1918. . - , - ; ■ • ■ ■: ■ :: ' . " No. 2. Labor Laws for Women in Industries in Indiana. 29 pp. 1918. No. 3. Standards for the Employment of Women in Industry. 7 pp. 1919, No. 4. Wages of Candy Makers in Philadelphia in 1819, 46 pp. 1919. No. 6. The Eight-Hour Day in Federal and State Legislation. 19 pp. 1919. (Out of print.) No. 6. The Employment of Women in Hazardous Industries in the United States, 8 pp. 1919. No. 7. Night Work Laws in the United States. 4 pp. 1919. No. 8. Women in tho Government Service. 37 pp. 1920. (Out of print.) No. 9. Home Work in Bridgeport, Conn. 36 pp. 1920. No. 10. Honrs and Conditions of Work for Women in Industry in Virginia. 32 pp. 1920. No. 11. Women Street Car Conductors and Ticket Agents. 90 pp. 1920. No. 12. The New Position of Women in American Industry. 168 pp. 1920. No. 13. Industrial Opportunities and Training for Women and Girls. 48 pp. 1920. No. 14. A Physiological Basis for the Shorter Working Day for Women. 20 pp. 1921. No. 15. Some Effects of Legislation Limiting Hours of Work for Women. 26 pp. 1921. No. 16. See Bulletin 40. No. 17. Women’s Wages in Kansas. 104 pp. 1921. No. 18. Health Problems of Women in Industry. (Reprint of paper published in the Nation’s Health, May, 1921.) 11pp. 192t. No. 19. Iowa Women in Industry. 73 pp. 1922. No. 20. Out of print. No. 21. Women in Rhode Island Industries. 73 pp. 1922. No. 22. Women in Georgia Industries. 89 pp. 1922. (Out of print.) No. 23. The Family Status of Breadwinning Women. 43 pp. 1922. No. 24. Women iii Maryland Industries. 96 pp. 1922. No. 26. Women in the Candy Industries in Chicago and St. Louis. 72 pp. 1923. No. 26. Women in Arkansas Industry. 86 pp. 1923. No. 27, The Occupational Progress ol Women. 37 pp. 1922. No. 28. Women's Contributions in the Field of Invention. 61 pp. 1923. No. 29. Women In Kentucky Industries. 114 pp. 1923. No. 30. The Share of Wage-Earning Women in Family Support. 170 pp. 1923. No. 31. What Industry Means to Women Workers. 10 pp. 1923. No. 32. Women in South Carolina Industries. 128 pp. 1923. No. 33. Proceedings of the Women's Industrial Conference. 190 pp. 1923. No. 34. Women iu Alabama Industries. 86 pp. 1924. No. 35. Women in Missouri Industries. 127 pp. 1924. No. 36. Radio Talks on Women in Industry. .34 pp. 1924. No. 37. Women in New Jersey Industries. 99 pp. 1924. No. 38. Married Women in Industry. 8 pp. 1924. No. 39. Domestic Workers and Their Employment Relations. 87 pp. 1924. No. 40. State Laws Affecting Working Women. 65 pp. 1924. (Revision of Bulletin 16.) No. 41. Tho Family Status of Breadwinning Women in Four Selected Cities. 144 pp. 1926. No. 42. List of References on Minimum Wage for Women in the United States and Canada. 42 pp. 1926. No. 43. Standard and Scheduled Hours of Work for Women in Industry. 68 pp. 1925. No. 44. Women In Ohio Industries. 136 pp. 1924. No. 45. Home Environment and Employment Opportunities of Women in Coal-Mine Workers’ Families 61pp. 1925. No. 40. Facts About Working Women—A Graphic Presentation Based on Census Statistics. 64 pp. '- . 1926. ■ ■ ' ' ■ ’ ‘ ■ ■ ’ ■ ' ’ No. 47. Women in the Fruit-Growing and Canning Industries in the State of Washington. 223 pp. 1928. No. 48. Women iu Oklahoma Industries. 118 pp. 1926. No. 49. Women Workers and Family Support. 10 pp. 1926. No. 60. Effects of Applied Research Upon the Employment Opportunities of American Women. 64 pp. 1926. No. 61. Women in Illinois Industries. 108 pp. 1926, No. 52. Lost Time and Labor Turnover in Cotton Mills. 203 pp. 1926. No. 53. The Status of Women in the Government Service in 1925. 103 pp. 1926. No. 64. Changing Jobs. . 12 pp. 1926. No. 65. Women in Mississippi Industries. 89 pp. 1926. No. 56. Women in Tennessee Industries. (In press.) No. 67. Women Workers and Industrial Poisons. (In press.) Annual Reports of the Director, 1919,1920. (Out of print.) Annual Reports of tho Director, 1921,1922,1923, 1924,1925, 1926. A. . ■ ' .
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