HAUPPAUGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
BRETTON WOODS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
1 Club Lane, P.O. Box 6006
Hauppauge, New York 11788
George Gagliardi
Principal
March 2016
Dear Parents/Guardians, Students and Staff,
This month I am proud to share the book Brave Girl by Michelle Markel, which is a great read to celebrate
Women’s History Month.
Author Michelle Markel and Illustrator Melissa Sweet have collaborated on this book to tell the inspiring true
story of a young Ukrainian immigrant girl named Clara, who becomes a hero as she fights for women’s
rights during the difficult time period of the early 1900’s. The book takes the reader back to the beginning
of the 20th century when the American population was rapidly increasing due to mass immigration.
Immigrants often worked long hours for meager pay.
In the winter of 1909, a brave girl named Clara Lemlich, only five feet tall, picketed for workers’ rights. She
arrived in America along with hundreds of other immigrants from Eastern Europe, hardly speaking any
English. Instead of continuing her education during the day, Clara’s salary was needed for her family’s rent
and food. After working her long shift as a garment worker, Clara spent additional hours taking classes.
She observed the injustices that her fellow immigrants endured as workers in sweatshops. As a result,
Clara sought ways to constructively change their situation. She effectively corralled her fellow female
workers to stand up for their rights; she led walkouts and strikes. While the men at the factory didn’t think
girls were strong enough to strike, Clara proved them wrong, eventually leading the “largest walkout of
women workers in U.S. history.”
After the 1909 strike, many employers allowed unions to be organized. In many instances, employees’
work conditions were dramatically improved. The work hours per week were reduced significantly and
workers were given fairer wages. Despite the fact that Clara lived in an age when women could not vote
and had limited legal rights, she was able to change the course of history by standing up for her beliefs.
Please join us in celebrating women from all over the country, as we take the time to learn more about
Clara and other courageous women in history. Feel free to visit http://womenshistorymonth.gov/index.html
to learn more about Women’s History Month.
Sincerely,
Mr. George Gagliardi
Principal
(631) 582-6633 • Fax (631) 582-1136 • Email: [email protected]
“A NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE”