archives
By Liz Johns, Delta Omicron, National Archivist
Working Women from the Beginning: Tri Sigma Founders who Built Careers Tri Sigmas have always been women in the workplace. Our eight
Founders went to school to learn how to be teachers so they could earn a living and support themselves even in a time when many
women did not join the workforce, or even attempt to gain higher
education. None of the women were attending school to get their
“MRS” degree. In fact, only one of them (Elizabeth Watkins) married a Hampden-Sydney graduate. (Hampden-Sydney was the men’s
college near Farmville, and the students of both schools engaged in social activities together often.) All the Founders became teachers after leaving the State Normal School in Virginia, and Lucy Wright James even became a principal. All eight remained teachers until
they married, except for Lelia Scott and Martha Trent Featherston, studying at the University of Virginia. In the early 20th century, it was
Clockwise from top left: Lucy Wright James, Margaret Batten Randle and Sallie Michie Bayley in Washington, D.C. at FDR’s first inauguration in 1933.
that did not mean their opportunities ended with marriage. Many
at the George Washington,
or started to work again if they became widowed, like Sallie Michie
manager of
A few of the Founders became successful women in the
as noted in the same letter,
business that she and her husband, George Bertrand James, ran
be called the principles of
for a few years before getting married and moving to New York with
for local and national college and women’s clubs, along with some
point she moved to Washington, D.C. and worked for the
fairly assume that Mrs. Randle did a fine job at the Barbizon.” The
New York Tri Sigma Alumnae chapter, which gave Margaret
who never married, and who spent summers in their early careers common for women to stop working once they were married, but
women, like Lucy, became business partners with their husbands,
Margaret had been the
Bayley and Margaret Batten Randle.
the Barbizon Hotel, which,
workforce with their husbands or on their own. Lucy managed the
“She first applied what might
together; the “Shirley,” an apartment hotel in Virginia. Sallie taught
Tri Sigma, and considering that the Barbizon had become a haven
her husband. But she was widowed before World War I, at which
of the finest women who had made New York their home, one can
Air Corps until she retired in 1943.
George Washington Hotel even became the headquarters of the
and took the opportunity to support the war effort through
“a great deal of personal pride.”
successful businesswoman in both Chicago and New York as
not, but for our Founders, to become great business women and
in 1933 from a guest of the George Washington Hotel in New
feat. For more information on the Founders and their careers,
her career: Her first job in New York was as a “cashier in the
Sigma, 1st Ed.
room’s manager. For two years, she was the manager also of the
Archivist at archives@trisigma.org, and visit the Archives Flickr
mention her income, grew rapidly.” Before becoming the manager
more of the Archives Collection.
Like Sallie, Margaret was also widowed before World War I,
employment in Washington D.C. Afterwards, she became a
the manager of residential hotels. A letter written to The Triangle
remain successful teachers throughout their lives was a great
York, the hotel at which Margaret was the manager, described
see Chapter Three of The Years Remembered of Sigma Sigma
Allerton House dining room. In a short time, she was the dining
Allerton’s two dining rooms in Chicago. Her reputation, not to
Gallery at flickr.com/photos/trisigmaarchives/collections to see
42 the TRIANGLE | fall 2017
Women in the workforce today is expected more often than
For questions about the Archives contact Liz Johns, National