Housewives

A series of vignettes illustrate how women’s social life impacts their domestic life, their problems with servants, the troubles neglected children get into, and how home life can be improved by curtailing their social life. The heading over the main scene states: Grand Federation of the Housewives of America for the Protection against incompetence, insolence, & dominance of the Servant Girl in the household.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Puck delivers two blows against common themes of the day: Feminism that resulted in what critics then called “The Emancipated Woman” is depicted by cartoonist Ehrhart as producing unruly children and troubled marriages, and, Puck suggests, if women returned to their household duties, the scourge of unsophisticated and domineering immigrant servants would end.

Two Irish housewives are visiting. One is sitting in a chair, holding an infant, and with a young boy standing next to her, smoking a cigar. They are discussing the boy’s desire to work for Richard Croker, a Tammany Hall boss. Caption: Mrs. Grogan. — Little Patsy siz phwhin he grows up he wants ter git a job workin’ fer Dick Croker. Mrs. Hogan. — Doin’ phwhat? Mrs. Grogan. — Either mayor or jockey; – he don’t care phwhich!

comments and context

Comments and Context

Behind the wonderful drawing by Rose O’Neill, who created the iconic Kewpie Doll a decade after this cartoon’s publication, and stagey Irish dialect is a political fact of which most readers would have been aware: “Boss” Croker of New York City’s corrupt Democratic machine Tammany Hall was also a breeder of thoroughbred race horses. Many Tammany politicians, from ward-heelers to mayors were, like Croker himself, rough Irish immigrants.

A housewife, noting a shortage of plates, asks the cook what has happened to the missing plates. Caption: Mrs. Sharpe (severely). — Norah, I can find only seven of these plates. Where are the other five? Cook (in surprise). — Sure, Mum, don’t yez make no allowances for ordinary wear an’ tear?

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1901-05-22

Theodore Roosevelt says his letters to sister Anna Roosevelt Cowles must be dull because he is so absorbed in his work. He describes all the things he must balance as Police Commissioner. Wife Edith is totally consumed with taking care of the children. They do not go out very much and Edith misses Washington.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1896-02-16