I found the Museum of Work and Culture in Woonsocket, Rhode island, a fascinating place. Very little of it was my history but it felt like it was because it was such a submersive experience.
The story is primarily about the French Canadians who came to Woonsocket to work in the mills. These people had been mostly agrarian, working at home with the work day based on the sun rising and setting and the seasons.
When they moved to Rhode Island, a few were able to continue working at home.
But most went to work at the mills where life was very different.
They no longer had control over when they would work.
They no longer had control over how they would work.
They didn’t even have control over the results of their work.
Being a proud people, many rebelled. Some in small ways, others in larger ways.
But much of their culture was against them. They went to church and the priest told them to look to Heaven for their reward.
Their children went to school where the nuns and priests reinforced that idea for the children to take home to their parents.
Those few who met with management were told how things were being done for their own good.
Only the Unions said things need to change.
So people met on neighbor’s porches and in neighbor’s parlors and talked about all these ideas.
And decided to strike.
But the timing was bad, management was broke, and the mills closed. No longer was there money to invest in the credit union.
But, somehow the people and their culture survived. The woman working the desk, who was about our age, told us that when she went to school the nuns still taught half the day’s lessons in French.
And today you can host your own event here.
Is that success?
TTYL,
Linda
Great post.