Contributed by Maine Historical Society
- MMN #111091
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Description
Mildred Burrage contributed to a campaign for women workers' safety at the New England Shipbuilding Corporation (NES) in 1943, including painting posters and organizing a safety fashion show.
NES workers and fashion show models (from left to right) Carmaleta Haley, Irene Howard, Ella Bartlett, Rowena Gardner, Reta Martin, Madelyn Gross, Frances Spaltro, and Sally Warning posed with Mildred Burrage (at the far right) in South Portland.
Frances Spaltro Oddi worked as a welder at the shipyard, and joined the Women's Army Corps in 1944. Her 2010 obituary states she received a "Rosie the Riveter" award for her work at the shipyard during World War II.
Burrage’s report included descriptions of the outfits, mimicking fashion scripts of the time:
"First came a girl wearing a complete welder’s outfit, leather jacket, with no back for hot weather, worn over a blue shirt, dungarees and leather chaps, safety shoes with concealed metal toes, heavy gloves. Over a closely tied bandana, she wore the welder’s bonnet with its black glass window. The second girl showed a practical grey coverall with silvered but tons, and a red, visored safety cap. Then came a lighter weight green coverall, sleeveless, cut in a deep V to the waist, and worn with a blue, green and red plaid shirt. A heavy brown silk hair-net with a brown visor with a little green bow completed this outfit."
About This Item
- Title: NES models with Mildred Burrage, South Portland, 1943
- Creation Date: 1943
- Subject Date: 1943
- Location: South Portland, Cumberland County, ME
- Media: Ink on paper
- Local Code: Coll. 2494/B31F1
- Collection: Mildred Giddings Burrage collection
- Object Type: Text and Image
Cross Reference Searches
Standardized Subject Headings
- Artists--Maine
- Burrage, Mildred G. (Mildred Giddings), 1890-1983
- Fashion show--Exhibitions.
- Fashion shows
- New England Shipbuilding Corporation--History.
- Women Workers
- World War II.
People
- Bartlett, Ella
- Burrage, Mildred
- Gardner, Rowena
- Gross, Madelyn
- Haley, Carmaleta
- Howard, Irene
- Martin, Reta
- Spaltro, Frances
- Warning, Sally
Other Keywords
For more information about this item, contact:
Maine Historical Society485 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 774-1822 x230
Website
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. No Permission is required to use the low-resolution watermarked image for educational use, or as allowed by the applicable copyright. For all other uses, permission is required.
More to Consider
Item 53968
Burrage notes on shipyard posters, 1943
Item 53969
Shipyard fashion show report, 1943
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