Introduction
What is the 1893 Columbian World's Fair and where was it held?
A world fair held in Chicago to showcase the nation's progress in all realms of scientific, manufacturing, and industrial achievements.
What was the goal of the women inventors exhibit in the Woman's building as well as having their inventions exhibited in other fair buildings?
To clear up existing misconceptions as to the originality and inventiveness of women. (pg 375)
Who are the Board of Lady Managers (BLM)?
the governing body responsible for most decisions about what and where women inventors exhibited at the fair. (pg 380)
What happened at this fair that had never been done before when it came to awarding women?
Women who either designed or produced any of the exhibits received awards from the Exposition. Previously, if a manufacturer received an award and a woman had designed or produced it, only the name of the manufacturer was recognized (pg 386)
What was the least highlighted in articles and journals about the women's exhibits?
Women's inventions (pg 391)
What is "The Great White City" and why is it called that?
It's a popular name for the Columbian World's Fair because of the more than 120,000 incandescent lights and 7,000 arc lights used to illuminate the grounds.
What were merit for a woman's invention linked to and valued based on?
Merit for a woman's invention was linked to how well it reinforced feminine ideals and valued based on domestic advancement. (pg 376)
What viewpoint did the Board of Lady Managers champion?
"Women's work was important and should be valued, but with the caveat that "all duties, paid and unpaid, were valuable as long as those tasks fulfilled women's moral responsibilities toward home and society". (pg 380)
What does awarding a woman innovator change how she's recognized?
Recognized as a wage earner, thereby giving her "value in the labor market" (pg 386)
After reading the example journals, what is the public perception of women's work?
The best of the best were those doing traditional woman's work. (pg 391)
What was one of the first world fairs that included a significant number of women inventors and how many inventions by women were on exhibit?
1876 Philadelphia Centennial and at least 79
Name the four inventors and inventions used as examples to support what merit language and values were placed on women's inventions.
A.J Hambel: cake beater, Priscilla Borns: flour sifter, Mary Everhard: kneading board, J.M Lawton's: maize grater (pg 376-377)
Although the Board of Lady Managers wielded more female power than any other world fair administration, it was constrained by? (three things)
New Woman ideology, cultural assumptions about production and consumption, and deeply held values about women's roles inside and outside of the home. (pg 382)
What are one of the "cherished ideals" of the BLM?
Remove the impression that women are doing little skilled labor or little steady and valuable work, and that they are consequently are not to be taken seriously into consideration when dealing with industrial problems. (pg 386)
For women inventors who exhibited at the fair, what did progress not include?
Did not include justice for their work or increased status as a professional inventor beyond the well-defined domestic sphere (pg 393)
What question is posed in the introduction regarding women whose inventions were exhibited?
"But did the more than the estimated 350 women who exhibited their inventions at the fair share in the illumination of American progress or did their experience reveal that progress for women in the scientific, manufacturing, and industrial sectors was simply an illusion?" (pg 374)
When women competed for awards with men, what were the women's inventions valued for and what did it reveal?
It revealed a gendered ideology of progress and their inventions were valued because it reinforced rather than challenged women's traditional gender roles. (pg 378)
The priority of feminine values over "industrial equality" and "just compensation" presented a distinct disadvantage to women because?
Men's inventions were not valued primarily on conformity to gendered assumptions about production and consumption. (pg 385)
What was decided by the end of 1892 and in June of 1893 regarding award rules?
1892- It was decided that women's exhibits were to be judged under the same set of rules as men's.
June 1983- final form of the Rules and Regulations include that there shall be one or more women judges upon all committees authorized to award prizes for exhibits which may be produced in whole or in part by female labor... (pg. 387)
What did the fair present for women?
Expanded opportunity but momentum toward inclusive recognition of women as inventors vanished the way the fair did. (pg 393)
What features did the Columbian World Fair had that made it different than other world fairs held in America?
What did May Wright Sewall note at the conclusion of the fair?
"Woman's progress was calibrated on how she advanced skills, performance, and technologies that improved her abilities to function as wife, mother, and housekeeper. This gendered attitude about progress placed women inventors in cultural limbo..." (pg 379)
Why did BLM president, Mrs. Bertha Palmer, public views suggest a conflicted leader regarding women's equality?
She attempted to satisfy all influential women and their respective groups. (pg 384)
What was a limitation of having an exhibit in the Woman's Building that differed from other buildings?
No awards were granted in the Woman's Building. Since "exhibits would be admitted only by invitation" in the Woman's Building it was considered to be "equivalent of a prize." (pg 389)
What proved to be part of the magic of "The Great White City"?
"The illuminating commentary on the illusion of progress for American women inventors" (pg 393)