Who are the Rosies

Rosie's Contributions

Major contributions of Rosies are:

1. Their highest quality work help to win and shorten WWII
2. Nurtured men wounded in body and spirit
3. Pioneered women in the workforce
4. As older women they are showing what senior citizens can do to pull America together as they did in WWII.

You may use this link (PDF) for your own information and to handout to students

by Tyler
I am an average teen. Pretty neat to know it was a big deal that my grandmother was a Rosie the Riveter. I didn’t know how important it was until an article came out in the paper about my grandmother. My grandmother, Dorothy Partain, seems so happy and honored. She’s also happy that she worked hard and did a really good job. When the article about my grandmother first came out, Ms. Hall my history teacher, put it up next to the Rosie poster [with the slogan], “We Can Do It” in our classroom. I spent 30 minutes figuring it out. Ms. Hall thought I was goofing around. I already knew people at home helped in the war. I didn’t know how big a deal it was. Now I see that all the people who are part of it and it’s not just about soldiers. World War II probably would have not have been won without women who are grandmothers now, even great grandmothers. Men didn’t think they could do it, but the women did just as good as the men.

“Rosie the Riveter” means millions of women, not one woman. Rosie the Riveters are the women who worked on the home front during WWII. During World War II, the number of women who worked for the war effort at home was as great as the number of men in the military. Most have died, but you can find living Rosies and learn much from them.

Rosies did much more than rivet airplanes. They worked for factories, farms, ship builders, and the government.

Their major goal was to “bring our boys home.” Rosies did highest-quality work to save lives and end the war.

Many women travelled far from their homes to work. They often went from towns and farms to factories in big cities.

Women of all ages and types were Rosies. Rosies who are still alive were teens or young women during the war.

Most women lost their jobs at the end of the war. Men needed jobs, and the need to make weapons was over, so women workers weren’t needed. Yet, Rosies often cared for wounded veterans, were secretaries or teachers, and taught their daughters to be independent.

Today. Most Rosies are in their 90s. They are very important to understanding 1) the fuller story of World War II, 2) women’s strengths, and 3) how people can to pull together again.

Why are Rosie the Riveters Important?

1. America promises that women are equal. It’s important to ask Rosies what they did and to tell them how important their work was.
2. Rosies are a model for women and girls – women can do much more than they imagined, and do excellent work. Rosies show us that we should try new things and do good work.
3. Rosies show that women’s strengths are important to society.
4. Rosies reveal fuller understanding and facts about:
• World War II
• The Women’s Movement
• The problems of caring for injured veterans
• The value of older persons
• How to pull together to achieve needed, common good
5. Girls and young women learn about women’s strengths first-hand from Rosies.
6. Rosies help us all see that many people who contribute are not loud about it – that many women have worked quietly behind-the-scenes to advance and heal.
7. Rosies are dying – we have a very short time to know them, learn from them, and work with them to teach the future about their importance.

A rosie gone

Nancy Sipple is one example of Rosies who died while trying to pass on the Rosie Legacy.

March 30, 1922 - April 29, 2002