Federal Writers' Project – Life Histories/2020/Summer II/Section 10/Earl M. Lasker

Overview

Earl M. Lasker was born in 1899 and married Lou Padgett in 1921. Lasker was working in the same cotton mill as his new wife in Newton, North Carolina, but had also studied to become a nurse. His studies at John Hopkins had prepared him for nursing but the social issues surrounding male nurses at the time did not leave much room for him to practice. During this time, the Great Depression was beginning and many people were out of work, had low wages and awful working conditions. With the continuous social aspect of male nurses and economic downfall in the United States, Mr. Lasker was doing anything he could to make money.

Biography

Shortly after marrying Lou Padgett, she came down with the hiccoughs, a disease that was similar to cancer that doctors did not know much about. With the Stock Market Crash and the Great Depression, factories and mills were producing significantly less and the employment and wages went very low. Lou was attacked by the hiccoughs two more times and they were struggling to pay the bills, leaving them with no food most nights. The conditions Lasker worked in were harsh and he didn't have enough income to pay the money for her care. Mr. Lasker worked during the days at the mill and at night he would come home and nurse his wife to limit the hospital bills. After having a baby Lou fell ill again and was in the worst condition. Lasker was doing anything he could while she was at the hospital to make money. The economic situation of the United States left many people in the same situation, causing them to lose their home several times, live by his nursing, and borrow when they could.

After finally getting her home and working his best to pay off the bills, the doctors said that she had 13 days to live. With his experience nursing, he decided to clean out her stomach and give her natural medicines. Her doctors said she was a miracle when he helped her become the healthiest she had ever been. He went from there, working as a nurse and in a mill to pay off the hospital bills, move into a new house, have another kid, and let her take care of the house. From social divisions, the low expectations of him being a male nurse and his capability to bring her health gave him jobs that may not have been available to him without this situation.

Social Issues

Employment and Jobs

A major impact of the Great Depression was unemployment and low wages. The economy during the depression "shrank 50%" in the first four years. This downhill course for the economy caused around 15 million people to not have a job, which was the highest number of unemployed Americans ever recorded. Many individuals were forced to find another job or work extensive hours to keep up with the expenses of their families. If they were not forced to find another job, many of the owners in mills and production operators cut salaries, increased hours of workers and forced employees to work everyday. For those who were unable to fulfill the hours, “Less time working meant less pay and resources, so many workers had to find other ways of supporting themselves.” The awful working conditions for workers in factories, on farms, and most jobs available left workers in harmful environments for long periods of time. Most of the money they made was put towards amenities to stay alive and provide a house or food, but many people were left starving at night and were kicked out of their houses.

The Great Depression impacted individuals in the medical field as well. Professionals in the healthcare industry were affected by cut wages while still giving care to those who were sick during this time. Due to many people being out of work, some individuals who were in the hospital could not pay for the care they were receiving. Because many people still needed care, the “Business had to continue as usual in spite of the decrease of paying patients and the tremendous increase of free care.” The families whose income was most economically impacted by the Great Depression received more healthcare for free than those who did not have much change in their income. This affected the workers by decreasing pay when the care was not covered by the individual.

Males and Females in the Workforce

Male and female jobs in the workforce were changing and evolving during the Great Depression. Although wages were cut, many women were becoming employed and working in jobs that they previously weren't. The percentage of women working during this time was greatly increased and it rose twenty four percent. Most women worked in jobs that had lower wages than men, but they accepted the opportunity to work over the amount of money they made per week. Women were working in jobs of nursing, teaching and domestic work to make money and have stability for their families and jobs. Nursing was known to be a "predominantly female profession," and male nurses were not popular during the time. Nursing was known as a woman's job, with typical gender assumptions that women could take care of others. The Great Depression was also the lowest time for male nurse employment, only one percent of nurses were male. This is due to the refusal of men in nursing schools and very low acceptance, leaving men with very inadequate education and little chances to be nurses. The stereotypical gender roles between men and women influenced the ability for men to have proper education to work as nurses during the time.