OF LOWELL
The ABCs of Lowell
History is back for a sixth
round. This popular series ex-
plores a wide variety of top-
ics in Lowell area history in
weekly online articles. Infor-
mation provided by the Low-
ell Area Historical MuseumBEACHUM
FLOORING
Perry Beachum
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Lowell was once thehome for a company that
machine manufactured
garments. While the
old woolen mill made
garments, the first
factory with a work force
using machines was the
Michigan Motor Garment
Company.
In 1917, the Greenville
based Michigan Garment
Company went through
a reorganization. They
changed the name, adding
“Motor” to the name. In
1919, the company began
expanding and chose
Lowell for a new factory.
Machines and equipment
were installed in the
last week of June and
operations began the next
week. The factory was set
up at the west storefront
M is for Michigan
Motor Garment Company
of the Reed Building,
also called Music Hall.
The building no longer
exists. It was a three-
story building, in what
is today’s empty space,
between Farm Bureau
Insurance and Rogers
Neighborhood Realty.
The Board of
Trade worked hard to
encourage business to
come to Lowell and great
appreciation was given to
the Board of Trade for this
addition to Lowell. The
company had a great start
with twenty-four workers
and another twenty-six on
the waiting list.
The Michigan
Garment Company
specialized in coveralls.
The coveralls were
marketed to men, for workand outdoor activities, and
for children, for playtime.
In 1919, the
company advertised for
workers. The advertising
method was genius. The
target for workers were
young women. At a time
when women were just
entering the workforce,
the company needed
to present itself in a
wholesome manner that
would appeal to young
women.
To accomplish
this, the company chose
“letters” from a matronly
woman, Helen Anderson,
to reach out to younger
women. Her letters were
written to help them as
they got a start in life.
These letters were a five-
part weekly series, titled“A Letter to Ambitious
Girls.”
The first letter is
introductory, sharing the
value of having a good
trade. She points out that
this work is clean and
offers the security of a
permanent position.
The second letter
advised girls on choosing
the right trade to learn.
She encouraged girls thatsewing in a factory is not
so different from sewing
at home, except you would
have electric motors that
do the work, you just
had to guide the cloth
properly under the needle.
She encouraged girls to
come by and see the work,
stating that “girls naturally
like it because it is clean,
attractive, wholesome
work.”The third letter was
on choosing the right place
to start. She encouraged
girls to stop by and see the
real “homey” atmosphere
that will help her to
find contentment and
happiness while at work.
Again, she emphasizes the
environment, “The rooms
are light, airy, cheerful
and clean as can be.”
Letter number four
is on “Your Value as
a Craftswoman.” She
encouraged girls that
trained, skilled workers
are more highly paid. She
assured the reader that
employees become highly
specialized craftswomen.
The fifth letter is titled,
“The Girl and the Place.”
She explained the value
of being an ambitious
girl. “There is a place
here for the ambitious
girl who is anxious to
get ahead in the world.
The more ambitious you
are, the better pleased we
shall be and the better we
shall be able to work with
each other.” Her letter
concludes with “This is
the place - are you the
girl?”
ABC'S - M,
cont'd. next pageSunday,
March 10