Mary W. Dewson Papers, 1898-1961 | Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum
Collection Overview
Title: Mary W. Dewson Papers, 1898-1961
Primary Creator: Dewson, Mary W. (1874-1962)
Extent: 12.61 Cubic Feet
Arrangement: The Dewson Papers have been arranged in four series.
Languages: English
Scope and Contents of the Materials
Collection Historical Note
Mary Williams Dewson, usually known as "Molly," was born in Quincy, Massachusetts on February 18, 1874. At 17, she startled her New England Republican family by supporting Grover Cleveland for President. She continued to display her independence by seeking a college education at a time when this was a rare goal for a woman.
After graduation from Wellesley College in 1897, she did research for the Women's Educational and Industrial Union in Boston. She compiled statistics on women's wages and hours and also wrote a "Family Budget Book." From 1900 to 1912 she served as Superintendent of the Girls' Parole Department of Massachusetts. Her statistical studies were widely published and she became a nationally recognized reformer in the field of social work research.
In 1911, she accepted an assignment as Secretary of the Committee on Minimum Wage Legislation for the State of Massachusetts. This committee's report contained recommendations for what became the first minimum wage law and later served as a model for other states.
Both Molly Dewson and her partner, social worker Mary ("Polly") Porter, were activists in the Boston area women’s suffrage movement. Through this activist network they met and worked with several major figures who later became influential in the New Deal. After departing from the Parole Department where they both worked, Dewson and Porter spent five years running a dairy farm in Berlin, Massachusetts and then in 1917 went to France to serve as administrators with the American Red Cross.
When World War I ended, Dewson returned to the United States, sold the farm and took a job as a Research Secretary for the National Consumers League. There she continued her activities for minimum wage legislation. She wrote the factual parts of the briefs on minimum wage legislation for the Supreme Court and the State of California. She resigned from the position in 1924 but maintained her interest in the League for the rest of her life.
From 1924 to 1927, she worked with a number of social reform organizations including the New York Women’s City Club. At some point during this period she met Eleanor Roosevelt and the two became friends and frequent collaborators. It was Mrs. Roosevelt who asked her to help with the Democratic Campaign in 1928 starting Dewson’s political career. Ms. Dewson worked for Franklin D. Roosevelt during his second gubernatorial campaign in 1930. She was Chair of the Women's Division of the Democratic National Campaign Committee in 1932, Director of the Women's Division, 1933-34; Director of the General Advisory Committee of the Women's Division, 1934-36 and Vice Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, 1936-37.
During this time Dewson worked alongside many labor reform leaders including Frances Perkins, whom she eventually recommended to FDR as Secretary of Labor. Dewson, herself, was asked by President Roosevelt to serve on the Advisory Council of the President's Committee on Economic Security. The recommendations of this committee were later incorporated in the Social Security Act.
Molly Dewson’s leadership in the DNC proved crucial to FDR’s successful reelection as President in 1936. Dewson devised what she named the “Reporter Plan,” an information campaign designed to build local networks of women across the nation who would act as informed citizens to educate their neighbors, clubs, churches, and even households about the benefits of New Deal programs. The plan leveraged personal networks and trusted relationships among women, demystified complex and even experimental government information, and effectively mobilized whole communities to vote.
Molly Dewson was always interested in the role of women in government and industry. She firmly believed that at least one woman should be appointed to the Social Security Board but the members of the first Board were all men. In 1937, Molly Dewson, herself, became the first woman to serve on the Social Security Board. She was concerned with improving the image of Social Security and in expanding coverage to include domestic workers and farm laborers and also widows and dependent children. Not all of these goals were accomplished during her tenure on the Board, however.
Due to health concerns, in 1938, Molly Dewson retired from government service and, with Mary Porter, went to live in what had previously been their summer home in Castine, Maine. Even in retirement, she kept in touch with former colleagues. She served as Director of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial Fund and as Vice President of the National Consumers League. She died in October 1962, in Castine.
Administrative Information
Repository: Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum
Access Restrictions: This collection is available for use by the general public.
Use Restrictions: Literary Property Rights in these papers have not been donated to the United States Government.
Acquisition Source: Mary W. Dewson
Acquisition Method: The papers were donated to the FDR Library by Mary W. Dewson.
Related Materials: Files in the President's Papers including PPF 5689 (Mary W. Dewson) , OF 300 (Democratic National Committee), OF 1710 (Social Security Board), and OF 1086 (Committee on Economic Security), Papers of Eleanor Roosevelt, Democratic National Committee Papers, Papers of the Democratic National Committee - Women's Division and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial Foundation Papers.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: General Correspondence Files, 1924-1961],
[Series 2: Subject Files],
[Series 3: Speech, Article and Miscellaneous Files, 1912-1956],
[Series 4: Letter Books, Scrapbooks, Mauscript Materials],
[All]
-
Series 3: Speech, Article and Miscellaneous Files, 1912-1956 - Contains speeches, articles and reports by Miss Dewson and her colleagues. When the person involved was someone other than Miss Dewson, this fact is indicated in the shelf list. This series also contains newspaper clippings roughly arranged by year . The bulk of the clippings are from 1936. In addition, there are campaign materials from 1932 and 1936; a chart on Social Security, apparently used for publicity; and a copy of Jim Farley's Story.
-
Box 9 -
"Pay Rolls and Profits" The Survey, November 9, 1912 -
"What Campaign Issues Mean to Women", 1928 -
"Working for Labor Standards", 1933 -
Speech to the Cuyahoga Women's Democratic Club, May 25, 1933 -
Speech to the Young Democrats in Convention at Kansas City, August 17, 1933 -
"Women Voters of Pennsylvania it's Up to You" Pennsylvania Survey, November 1933 -
Untitled Talk on the Election, 1934 -
"The Human Aspects of the New Deal" The Christian Register, March 1, 1934 -
Untitled Speech on Democratic Women, 1935? -
Speech at First Regional Conference at Richmond, Virginia, January 28, 1935 -
Introduction to series of Broadcasts sponsored by Women's Division-Mrs. James F. Wolfe, September 10, 1935 -
Radio Address-Mrs. Ellen Woodward, September 10, 1935 -
Introduction to Radio Broadcast-Mrs. James F. Wolfe, September 17, 1935 -
Radio Address-MRs. Emily Blair, September 17, 1935 -
Discussion on AAA-Mrs. C. Nelson Beck and Mrs. James F. Wolfe, September 24, 1935 -
Discussion on Credit Agenices-Mrs. Basil Manly and Mrs. J. F. Wolfe, Ocotber 3, 1935 -
Radio Address on Taxation-Mrs. Blair Banister, October 10, 1935 -
Radio Address on the U.S. Employment Service-Miss Mary LaDame, October 17, 1935 -
Address on Crime Prevention-Miss Stella Akin, October 31, 1935 -
Speech to Beekman Neighbors on the New Deal, November 5, 1935 -
Radio Speech on the Social Security Act, November 7, 1935 -
"The Reporter Plan" - Station WMAQ, Chicago, Illinois and at Newton, New Jersey, November 16, 1935 -
"Campaign of 1936 - Work of the Women's Division", 1936 -
Notes for Informal Speech, 1936 -
Statement regarding Taxes, 1936? -
Notes on Work of the Woman Campaign Director, 1936 -
Article "Democratic Women in Politics" Democratic Campaign Book, 1936 -
Article on Director of Publicity, 1936 -
"Duties of State Vice Chairman", 1936 -
Talk on the New Deal, 1936? -
"Democratic Women of Pennsylvania - The Campaign is On", 1936 -
"To the Women Democratic Leaders", 1936 -
Radio Talk on Social Security, 1936 -
Radio Talk - "Recovery - Its Price and Premium", 1936 -
Radio Talk - "A Home With Hope", 1936 -
Radio Talk - "A Future For the Farm Family", 1936 -
Radio Talk - "Belief in Relief", 1936 -
Speech Before the Institute of Government, Charleston, West Virginia - Mrs. James F. Wolfe, January 14, 1936 -
Radio Speech - "Women and Government", February-March 1936 -
Speech Used on Western Trip, February-March 1936 -
"What Has Relief, Recovery and Setting Our House in Order Cost Us?" Democratic Women's Regional Conference, Onandaga Hotel, Syracuse, New York, Portions also used for radio talk, April 30, 1936 -
"Our Government and Insurance" - Radio Address, May 15, 1936 -
Speech to Young Democrats, Phila. Pa., May 15, 1936 -
Article for N.E.A., May 20, 1936 -
Message to Young Voters in New York City, 1937 -
Article on Michigan, February 10, 1937 -
"Little Grains of Sand", February 24, 1937 -
"What Next for Democratic Women?" Regional Conference, New London, Conn., June 15, 1937 -
"New Frontiers for Old" Address at Wellesley College Commencement - Josephine Roche, June 21, 1937 -
Speech at Lewiston, Maine, August 1937 -
"Politics As A Career" - Wellesley Club News, October 1937 -
"What Social Security Act Means to Women" Speech before the National Radio Forum, October 11, 1937 -
"Mrs. Glendower Evans" Memorial Speech at Ford Hall, Boston, January 28, 1938 -
"This Social Security - What is it?" Women's City Club, Boston, Mass., February 17, 1937 -
"An Amateur's Views on Education" Wellesley Club of New York, NY, February 26, 1938 -
"Next Steps in Social Security Legislation", March 1938 -
"Social Security - What and Why" The Federated Woman, April 1938 -
Article for The Church Woman, April 1938 -
"Social Security - What Is It?" Radio Address, April 5, 1938 -
"Fifty Years of Progress Toward Social Security" State Convention of Affiliated Young Democrats, New York City, May 21, 1938 -
"Public Assistance . . . A New Way of Meeting Old Responsibility" Radio Interview, June 2, 1938 -
"The Crisis in Democracy" - Radio Address by Mrs. Emily Blair, October 21, 1938 -
Press Release regarding women as Candidates for Office, October 25, 1938 -
"Working Women and Old-Age Insurance" Labor Information Bulletin, October 1938 -
Untitled Speech on the Women's Division, 1940 -
Radio Speech - Mrs. Anthony Biddle, 1940 -
"Industry and Agriculture at the Gates of a New Decade" - Address by James A. Farley, January 1940 -
Speech at Dinner Honoring Women who Hold High Office in the New Deal, May 5, 1940 -
"Women in Politics and Government" - WJZ Radio Program, May 20, 1940 -
"Do Political Parties Educate?" - William Hard at "America's Town Meeting of the Air", May 23, 1940 -
"Advance of Democratic Women" Democratic Digest, June 1940 -
Speeches by and about James A. Farley - Printed in the Congressional Record, July 22, 1940 -
Speech to Convention of Young Democrats of Maine - F. Harold Dubord, October 27, 1940 -
"The Roosevelt Road to Peace" - Radio Broadcast, November 3, 1940 -
Radio Speech - F. Harold Dubord, November 4, 1940 -
"Shall We Sell Our Birthright for A Mess of Potage?" The Democratic Digest, January 1942 -
Letter to the New York Times, April 9, 1942 -
Handwritten Speech Draft on the New Deal, Undated -
"What is this Social Security?", Undated -
Radio Speech on the Social Security Act, Undated -
"The Weaker Vessels and Politics" Democratic Digest, Undated -
"The Sanity of the General Federation" Lola Gingrick Article, Undated -
"The Fruits of Experience", Undated -
"Should Women of the Leisure Class Follow Gainful Occupations?", Undated -
Regional Conferences Report, Undated -
"Mary Chamberlain", Undated -
"Elections are Won Between Campaigns", Undated
-
-
Box 10 -
"The Hours of Labor in Domestic Service" Women's Educational and Industrial Union of Boston, October 1898 -
Twentieth Century Expense Book, 1900 -
Labor Bulletin of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts No. 13, February 1900 -
The Woman Republican Vol. 2, No. 17, December 1924 -
Bulletin of Women's City Club of New York, June 1926 -
Acceptance Speech before the Democratic National Convention - Franklin D. Roosevelt, July 2, 1932 -
Inaugural Address, March 4, 1933 -
"Report to the Industrial Commissioner on the Effect of Directory Order No. 1 on the Wages of Women and Minors in Laundries in New York State and the Need for Mandatory Wage Order Governing Laundry Occupations", July 2, 1934 -
"Reportof the Advisory Council to Committee on Economic Security", December 18, 1934 -
"Federal Departments and Agencies Supervising Projects or Collaborating in Carrying on the Program Under the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935", May 10, 1935 -
"Forward With the Constitution" Address by Daniel C. Roper, September 17, 1935 -
Address before the American Bankers' Association Convention in New Orleans - Marriner Eccles, November 14, 1935 -
"The American Constitutional Method" Address by Homer Cummings, December 18, 1935 -
"Elections of 1936" - A Study by Alice Cameron, 1936 -
Message to Congress - F. D. Roosevelt, January 3, 1936 -
Address of James A. Farley at the Roosevelt Dinner, Miami, Florida, February 5, 1936 -
Unemployment Compensationfor Transportation Employees, March 1936 -
"What Did the New Deal Mean to the Farmer?" Address by Mrs. J. J. Donahue, March 11, 1936 -
"A Brief History of the New York Minimum Wage Case", June 1936 -
"Gainful Employment of Married Women", August 1936 -
"The Constitution and the Problems of Today" Address by Stanley Reed, August 7, 1936 -
"What the States are Doing: New Labor Standards", October 1936 -
"A New Chapter in the History of the New York Minimum Wage Case", October 1936 -
"Provisions of Wage Orders of States Operating Under the Standard Minimum Wage Act", October 1936 -
Address of James A. Farley at the Dinner of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, March 17, 1937 -
Address of James A. Farley at Dedication of Post Office and Federal Bldg., Waco, Texas, March 23, 1937 -
Address of James A. Farley before Texas Legislature, March 24, 1937 -
Address of James A. Farley at Dedication of Post Office and Federal Bldg., San Antonio, Texas, March 24, 1937 -
Address of James A. Farley at Dedication of Post Office Bldg., Arabi, Louisianna, March 25, 1937 -
Address of James A. Farley at Post Office Site, Gretna, Louisianna, March 25, 1937 -
Address of James A. Farley at Dedication of Post Office and Federal Bldg., Wilmington, Delaware, March 27, 1937 -
"The Favored State Party Set-up for Democratic Women", c. 1938 -
Report of the Hotel Minimum Wage Board to the Industrial Commissioner, New York State, July 12, 1940 -
Speech of Sen. J. H. Ball on Behalf of President Roosevelt, October 26, 1944 -
Radio Address of Dorothy Thompson, November 1, 1944 -
"Bill Relating to the Employment Security Program Introduced or Enacted During the 1947 Legislative Sessions" Legislative Report No. 1, February 14, 1947 -
Legislative Report, Supplement No. 3, March 15, 1947 -
Legislative Report No. 4, March 15, 1947 -
"Women in Politics" - Helen B. Shaffer, February 20, 1956
-
-
Box 11 -
Box 12
-
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: General Correspondence Files, 1924-1961],
[Series 2: Subject Files],
[Series 3: Speech, Article and Miscellaneous Files, 1912-1956],
[Series 4: Letter Books, Scrapbooks, Mauscript Materials],
[All]