I was approached by someone from a local Scout Troop to present on a famous woman in history, they know this is one of the areas I explore in my blog. It was a very fun presentation, and the kids were great. I decided to talk about Francis Perkins, because we never really learned about her when I was a kid. She was a dedicated and tireless public servant . She was the first ever female cabinet member, she made dozens of strides for workers and labor conditions. In her time she accomplished a 40 hour work week, a federal minimum wage, unemployment compensation, injured workers compensation, abolition of child labor, social security and so much more. I can’t even fit in all of her accomplishments in this post, so I encourage you to research her even further. Also keep in mind that she accomplished all of these things within only 12 years of service as Secretary of Labor. Franklin Roosevelt broke gender stereotypes to push for her appointment, and she proved to be a wise choice for him and the country. I wanted to get the Scouts involved, so I had them do an activity where they wrote letters to State Representative Gary Day and State Senator Judy Schwank. In their letters the Scouts mentioned learning about Frances Perkins, and then they wrote about the things they’re passionate about and changes they would like to see, the kids really had a lot to say. They’re young but they know what change they want to see in the world the way Frances Perkins did, and they’re not afraid to speak out about it. It’s inspiring to see.
girlguidetohistory 