Newspapers in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries had a dedicated “society” or “women’s” page. While female journalists were rare at this time, it was the society section they were often assigned to cover. Does the news media still cover women and society-related topics? How is it similar or different from a hundred years ago?
Directions
Read the article “Mrs. Frank M. Roessing” (left column) and answer the questions in the boxes below.
![The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah), 03 July 1915. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.](/sites/default/files/media/suffrage-primary-2-primary.jpg)
The Broad Ax. Salt Lake City, Utah. July 3, 1915. Library of Congress
Questions
Annotate this Image
Directions: Now read the other articles from the same newspaper page as the story above, utilizing the magnifier to help you. Then use the annotation tool to take notes on the following questions:
- Read the headlines. To whom are they appealing?
- What are a few aspects of the articles that you find interesting? Explain why.
- What might the other articles on the page tell you about social and class divisions in 1915?
- How is the article about Roessing similar or different from other articles on the page?
- In what ways might the “Women’s World” section be trying to influence women’s decisions by including this mix of articles?
Download the notes to share with your class.
Source: The Broad Ax. Salt Lake City, Utah. July 3, 1915. Library of Congress
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