Alice Popejoy '09 (Sacramento, Calif.) has spent her summer researching the welfare state in the early 1900s and the government decision to offer pensions to single or working mothers, a choice she found uncharacteristic for the government. Popejoy described the goal of her project to be, "a full understanding of the cultural context of this movement…I am looking for a story that…will explain the human appeal of these pensions, as well as clarify the cause of change in sentiment among citizens and legislators toward pensions in the early 1900s."
During the first two decades of the 20th century, legislation was passed in every state which allowed widowed mothers with dependent children to apply for state funds. These were at first called "widows' pensions," but eventually came to be known as "mothers' pensions," since their definition broadened to include women whose husbands were incapacitated, imprisoned, or had simply fled.
The success of mothers' pensions interested Popejoy because, although the movement occurred at a time of "rising Progressive ideals," the law was somewhat contrary to the actions of the legislature, which had "recently refused to pass wider pension laws for men, stemming from pensions for war veterans."
Popejoy conducted her research mainly through an examination of 30 years worth of issues of "The Delineator," a popular fashion magazine of the time. Beginning around 1910, "The Delineator" made its goal the forwarding of mothers' pensions and joined a number of women's groups in activism.
As the third-largest woman's magazine in circulation, "The Delineator" was well-placed as a tool for lobbyists, especially lobbyists who were mostly white, middle-class, married women who were also part of respectable organizations. Popejoy explained in her proposal, "if a woman is a single mother with no breadwinner to support her family, the campaign firmly held that the government should…support them." She implied that one reason for the success of these pensions was because of the social acceptability of the women lobbying for them.
The magazine made quite an impact on Popejoy as well as the government. "As I get further into my research," she said, "I am realizing how incredibly different from now the culture was during the time period I am studying." The magazine, "provided people with entertainment, information, household goods to be purchased, and literally directions on how to appear and behave in society."
A first-time summer researcher, Popejoy enjoyed herself: "I find it easier to focus my energy on something if I am interested and self-motivated." Although she was 3,000 miles away from her project advisor, Visiting Assistant Professor of Government Brian Glenn, Popejoy praised his "particular flexibility, positive attitude and encouragement," saying that it made the distance an insignificant detail.
A rising sophomore, Popejoy has no definite plans for returning to this topic. She said, though, that she would be "thrilled to continue with it at some later point." During the year, Popejoy works at Communications and Development and is active in Greek life. After Hamilton, she plans to go to law school and study practical ethics in preparation for a "future when we will need a multitude of DNA-savvy lawyers."
Her research is funded by the Emerson Foundation Grant Program, which allows students to work closely with a faculty member researching in depth an area of the student's interest.
-- Lisbeth Redfield
