by Laurel | August 5th, 2009
August 5, 1903, Page 4
Rich Young Woman Requested to Settle the Strike at Holyoke.
Helen M. Gould has been asked to arbitrate in the strike in the Holyoke Paper mills, according to a dispatch from Springfield, Mass.
The Invitation was forwarded by the leader of the striking cutter girls. The strike involves 4,000 employees.
From The Morning Olympian.
[Note: Helen Miller Gould (20 June 1868 – 21 Dec 1938) was a New York City philanthropist and eldest daughter of Jay and Helen Day (Miller) Gould. She is identified with many benevolent works. While deemed a socialite, she did attend NYU School of Law and became the first female vice president of the American Bible Society (along with Emma Baker Kennedy). Helen’s father, Jay Gould, by the way was involved with the infamous Tammany Hall and was partially responsible for making Boss Tweed director of the Erie Railroad. In all, an interesting notion that the “leader of the striking cutter girls” — not named in the article above but who was cited elsewhere as Miss Mary Boland — would seek out Helen Gould to arbitrate. It could be interpreted as an early feminist action, though Boland believed Helen Gould to be fair-minded and a person not only equipped to arbitrate, but a someone of note all parties would accept . — Ed.]