Showing papers in "Journal of Social History in 1983"

Social and Political History

Abstract: The Manchester Guardian Archive is a major source for studies of the political, military, economic, social and technological developments of the twentieth century. It contains correspondence with a large number of politicians and statesmen, and almost every major political event and social trend is documented in the correspondence and despatches. The papers of W.P. Crozier, former editor of the Manchester Guardian, contain interviews with leading politicians and statesmen, while the manuscript collection of A.P. Wadsworth, another former editor, is important for the

Fallen women: The inmates of the magdalen society asylum of Philadelphia, 1836-1908

Abstract: This paper is a case study of the records of 2000 inmates of the Magdalen Society Asylum of Philadelphia between 1836 and 1908. It describes long-term changes in the characteristics of the inmates, the methods of reforming them, the effectiveness of those methods, and official asylum policies. The goals are twofold: first, to test historical theories regarding the evolution of asylums in the nineteenth century, and second, to evaluate the effects on the Magdalen Society of changes in Victorian attitudes to sexuality and prostitution and of changes in the social and institutional environment of Philadelphia. The Magdalen Society Asylum of Philadelphia was the first association in America devoted to the reform of prostitutes. By isolating fallen women from their former associations and exposing them to a strict regimen of prayer and pieceworks the subscribers hoped \"to be instrumental in recovering to honest rank in life those unhappy females, who, in an unguarded hour, have been robbed of their innocence, and sunk into wretchedness and guilt.''1 The records of the asylum are particularly appropriate for the present purpose, since they provide data over a broad period (1836-1908) and highly detailed information-including some on the fate of the inmates after they left the asylum-for the period of greatest change, 1878-1908.2 In addition, the records are remarkably complete and readily quantifiable. A recurring theme in the recent literature on nineteenth century asylums is the shift from rehabilitation in the first half of the century to purely custodial functions after the Civil War. In the process, asylums became increasingly regimented, enforcing an exacting daily routine, strict discipline and uniform procedures for all inmates.3 For the most part, historical investigations of asylums have relied on statements made by their supporters and administrators. However, the statements of reformers may bear little relation to the actual operation of the asylums. In some cases, spokesmen for asylums were actually ignorant of conditions in their institutions, and they frequently indulged in wishful thinking. Furthermore, there were often conscious attempts to conceal the real operation of institutions, for the sake of public approval and funding. If we wish to go beyond an intellectual history of the ideology of asylums, we must look at what asylums actually did rather than just what they said they were doing. The differences between the theory and practice of asylums can lend insight into the constraints under which they labored. In order to test whether …

Labor statistics in the American and English census: making some invidious comparisons.

Abstract: This essay examines the development of the occupational or labor force data in the [U.S.] census and compares that development with the efforts of English census-takers during the same period. The two resulting labor force statistical series look rather different and thus can be compared to assess both the adequacy of the statistics and the assumptions about the nature of social class in the two countries. The author suggests that the methods developed in the United States for classifying data on social class and socioeconomic status have led to significant problems in the interpretation of these data. (EXCERPT)