Women and education in the time 1940-1950 - Essay Example

?In United s and the western countries, the period from 1940-1950 was characterized by rapid economic, social and political changes. This periodmarked the beginning of the Second World War, and just a decade before, the world was still reeling from the effects of the great depression that had started in the United States (Rury, 2009, p16). These events greatly influenced the education sector, whereby there emerged greater disparities in enrollment and completion of both men and women in the education system (Rury, 2009, p39). These changes in education patterns of both men and women were greatly determined by the various demands that had been presented by previous economic depression and the Second World War that had just begun. Prior to 1940, education of women in the United States had been ongoing for a long period, recording gradual increase in the number of women enrolling in different levels of education. However, several trends characterized education of women in the United States the western countries. In United States, there was a great disparity in the racial composition of women pursuing education in various levels. Moreover, there was a remarkable difference between gender composition of the women and men, in various education stages of the education system. Another major difference in women education during 1940-50 was the type of training that they received in the educational institutions (Alexander and Bruce, 1974, p659). According to Pitts (1992, p93) United States has recorded high literacy levels since 1940 across different education levels. Both genders are increasingly completing high school and enrolling for tertiary education in colleges and universities. Before 1940 and the onset of Second World War, Appelbaum et al (2003, p61) noted that about 50% of Americans had completed at least eight years of schooling. The rate of education varied in different regions across the country with urban areas recording the highest literacy levels with an average of 8.7 years of formal schooling compared with the farming and non-farming rural residents. Education at the tertiary level was very low whereby only 5.7% of the urban dwellers had completed tertiary education compared with just 1.3% of residents in rural and farming communities (Appelbaum, et al, 2003, pp89-95). Comparing gender distribution of the educated in the United States before the war, the number of men across all educational levels exceeded that of women. Besides the higher enrollment of men in all levels of the education system, they also had higher rates of completing their respective studies at any given level compared to women. In addition, the educational access to education was not uniform across all races, whereby the majority races had better access to schooling compared to the African American, Hispanics and other minority groups (Bound, and Turner, 2002, p50). Traditionally, the role of women in society was limited to domestic work that entailed housekeeping and bringing up the children. Men were supposed to work on more demanding jobs in order to provide for their families. These gender-defined roles were reflected in education sector, whereby women pursued careers that were traditionally associated with “feminism”. These included careers in education, home economics, secretarial and clerical work in addition to catering and hospitality work. On other hand, men were involved in heavy and technical work in industries, such as steel plants, shipyards, lumber mills among other jobs that required skills (Rury, 2009, p48). This explains why very few women enrolled in education institution before 1940 in comparison to men. It was important for men to enroll in school in order to acquire skills that would enhance productivity in the work place. Buchmann et al(2006) noted the demand for skilled workers in the late 1930’s had began to increase, because the American economy was on a recovery path, following the devastating effects of the historical economic depression that had started a decade earlier. The outbreak of the Second World War required huge participation of men in the battle. In United States, Bound and Turner (2002, p52) noted that the attacks on Pearl Harbor by Japanese army in 1941 was followed shortly by American declaring war on the offending country. This resulted to conscription of many men in the United States army, as the country took a more active role in the Second World War. The large-scale recruitment of men in the army created a labor crisis in the United States. The army needed more supplies from American industries, which did not have enough workers to ensure sustainable production of the required goods. The education of women in this period received a major boost since their skills and services were needed more than ever before in the American history. Women did not only have to work in the heavy industries but they had to learn the skills as well. This provided a paradigm shift in education of women (Bound and Turner, 2002, p85) The government launched massive campaigns to encourage women to take up the vacant jobs in the industries. This resulted to social acceptance that women could do equally well in jobs that were traditionally reserved for men. In the education sector, women were more inclined to enroll in school and undertake technical courses in order to equip themselves with relevant skill to work in the fields such as engineering, medicine, aviation and chemical industries that were previously regarded as a male domain. In 1940, Pitts (1992, p72) noted that the number of women in the United States educational system increased dramatically compared to the pervious decade. In 1940 for instance, the number of women in the United States who completed high school was about 27%, with about 73% dropping out before they graduated. Moreover, the number of women who had bachelor’s degree was just 3% (Pitts, 1992, p77) However, the emergence of Second World War reversed this trend and by 1945, the number of women completing high school education had increased dramatically, in women across all races. More women began participating in the labor market in various jobs including in industrial and manufacturing sector. However, during the same period, there was remarkable difference in racial representation of both women and men. In the majority white community, the number of men in education institution was higher than that of their female counterparts (Appelbaum et al , 2003, p53). However, the number of Africa American women in educational institutions exceeded their male counterparts. Rury (2009, p80) noted that less than 1% of African American men completed college education compared to about 2% of black women. From the statistics of students in the United States institutions of education, from1940 to 1950, society expected women to learn a basic eight-year education to acquire relevant literacy skill (Rury, 2009, p117). However, the changes in the labor market created more opportunities for skilled employees, a factor that resulted to greater enrollment in high school and tertiary education levels. White women participation in professions requiring specialized skills such as nursing, teaching, secretarial and clerical work encouraged a greater proportion to pursue higher education. According Cohen and Claire (2002, p17), the number of women participating in the labor force increased by about 30% during this period and this provided incentives for pursuing tertiary education. After the end of Second World War, men returned and assumed their roles in the labor market. Some women were thus declared redundant and they returned home. However, the impetus provided by women participation in the labor market encouraged them to pursue education to higher levels in order to acquire relevant skills. Another factor that encouraged high women enrollment in education was the removal of labor laws that inhibited married women and those nursing children to participate in the work force. In early 1940’s the removal of these laws motivated the women not only to work but also to purse higher education to gain the relevant skills (Rury, 2009, p37). In the late 1940’s increased civil rights movements lobbied for women rights to encouraged greater participation in education and in the workplace in addition to removing the cultural perceptions that prevented women from actualizing their education and career pursuits. Moreover, advancement in medical technology resulted to the development of contraceptives and better family planning methods (Cohen and Claire, 2002, p93). These developments enabled women to plan their families and control fertility. Therefore, barriers that had previously prevented women from accessing higher education and pursuing careers were reduced. In the beginning of 1950, Pitts (1992, p73) noted that the number of white women in educational institutions increased by 35% and by 1970, the rate of white women’s enrollment in all levels of education matched that of their white male counterparts. In spite of these developments, the number of women from minority groups in schools and tertiary institutions did not increase significantly. Therefore, during 1940-1950, women did not have equal opportunities of accessing education with men in the United States. The main barriers included cultural beliefs that limited women to domestic roles, lack of financial resources, and uneven distribution of education facilities especially in areas inhabited by minority groups. In addition, lack of women representation in the labor organizations perpetuated work based discrimination practices that prevented married women and mothers from engaging in the labor market. Men had better access to education because they did not experience cultural inhibitions in workplaces and in the society. In this regard, they had better opportunities of social and academic mobility than women did. Bozik and Steve (2005, p53) noted a relationship between access to education and participation in the labor market. People who had opportunities to work had a higher motivation to study in order to get better jobs. In this regard, inhibiting women from working prevented them pursuing education. This was proved by their increased enrollment in schools after they participated in labor market during the Second World War. In minority groups, lack of access to education facilities in United States prevented the women from enrolling in schools. Moreover, minority groups experienced discrimination and prejudice in American education system, which undermined their academic pursuit further. References Alexander, K., & Bruce, K. “Sex Differences in the Educational Attainment Process. American Sociological Review: 39(1974): pp 650-79. Appelbaum, E. et al. Low-Wage America: How Employers are Reshaping Economic Opportunity in the Workplace. New York, Sage Publications, 2003. Bound, J & Turner, S. “Going to War and Going to College: Did the G.I. Bill Increase Educational Attainment.” Journal of Labor Economics: 20 :(2002): pp46-132. Bozik, R., & Steve, D. “Better Late Than Never? Delayed Enrollment in the High School to College Transition.” Social Forces; 84: (2005): pp 89-139. . Buchmann, C. et al. “The Growing Female Advantage in College Completion: The Role of Parental Resources and Academic Achievement.” American Sociological Review 71: (2006): pp 169-252. Cohen, C. & Claire, N. “Educational Attainment and Sex Differentials in African-American Communities.” American Behavioral Scientist 43: (2002): pp109-253. Pitts, S. “Reentry Women in Higher Education: The Quite Revolution.” College Student Affairs Journal; 12(1992): pp 106-142. Rury, J. Education and Social Change: Contours in the History of American Schooling. New York: Routledge, 2009. Read More