Jessica Blanche Peixotto Revised May 29, 2020 1

Jessica Blanche Peixotto and the Founding of Berkeley Social Welfare

Jeffrey L. Edleson, Ph.D.i University of , Berkeley

Abstract

Jessica Blanche Peixotto was the first woman to become a full professor at the University of California in 1918 and yet her role in establishing social welfare studies at Berkeley is mostly untold. A social economist and foremost a scientist, she led efforts to infuse evidence-informed practice in professional social work education in the early 1900s, laying a foundation at Berkeley that is still felt today. Of her many efforts, she established a certificate in social welfare at Berkeley in 1917, the first such training on the West Coast. This article describes her personal and professional life and seeks to establish the importance of her role in establishing social work education at Berkeley and in furthering an evidence-informed approach to our professional work.

Social work education began at the effective (Fischer, 1973). It has been the University of California in 1904 when academic home for Eileen Gambrill President Benjamin Ide Wheeler (2019, see Burnette, 2016), a member of appointed Dr. Jessica Blanche Peixotto as the Berkeley faculty for over four a lecturer in sociology. Despite being an decades and a leader in bringing alumnus of the School of Social Welfare evidence-informed practices to our field. at Berkeley and spending my entire This article draws on a wide variety career in social work higher education, I of sources published by and about was not aware of the historic importance Peixotto and her family. It seeks to of Jessica Blanche Peixotto to our establish the previously untold profession until 2012 when I was importance of her role in leading the appointed dean of Berkeley Social formation of social work education at Welfare. I was trained at Berkeley to Berkeley and in furthering an evidence- develop evidence to inform practice and informed approach to our professional so my interest was piqued about this work. predecessor of mine and how she shaped our field. Peixotto was an early pioneer Family history of migration in arguing that social work practice and policy must be shaped by the best This story starts long before Peixotto was available evidence and laid the born on October 9, 1864, in New York groundwork for scholars like Joel City. The Peixotto family migrations can Fischer, a Berkeley doctoral graduate, to be traced back to the late 1400s when ask six decades later if casework was Christopher Columbus was setting off for

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travelled earlier to the Bay Area where Peixotto would spend most of the rest of her life. Two younger brothers, Ernest and Eustace, were born in San Francisco (Peixotto, 2010). Her large Portuguese Jewish family was related to many well-known figures. Cousins included: Annie Nathan Meyer, founder of Barnard College; Emma Lazarus whose poem appears at the base of the Statue of Liberty; and Associate Supreme Court Justice Benjamin Nathan Cardozo. Her father, Raphael, was an early employee of Levi Strauss and eventually became an executive in his in-laws’ successful retail business, The Emporium department store, that is today Macy’s. He also served in the late 1890s as the President of Temple Emanu-El, the oldest synagogue west of the Mississippi that still thrives today in San Francisco. The eulogy for Raphael, who died in 1905, Jessica Blanche Peixotto in 1918. University was delivered by Emanu-El’s Rabbi Archives, University of California, Berkeley. Jacob Voorsanger. The rabbi attested to Raphael’s business and civic standing in the New World and the Spanish the community and his efforts to self- Inquisition against non-Christians was in educate himself over his lifetime despite full swing on the Iberian Peninsula. having achieved only an elementary Peixotto’s Jewish ancestors fled Portugal school education (Voorsanger, 1905). for Amsterdam where they resided until Raphael’s self-education efforts brought the early 1800s (Dzuback, 1995; college professors and other intellectuals Peixotto, 2010, Voorsanger, 1905). Her into their home and likely influenced his ancestors’ decision to flee in the late only daughter’s own yearning for 1400s set in motion cascading migrations education (Voorsanger, 1905). to The Netherlands, the Caribbean island of Curaçao, and then to New York. These Hard-fought Berkeley education migrations continued almost four hundred years later when, in 1870, a six- Upon graduation from San Francisco’s year-old American-born descendent, Girls’ High School in 1880, Jessica Jessica Blanche Peixotto, travelled with Peixotto sought to extend her education her mother, Myrtilla, and two younger by enrolling at Berkeley. Unfortunately, brothers, Sidney and Edgar, by boat from her father didn’t think it was appropriate New York to Panama, by train over the for women to attend college but did Isthmus of Panama, and then by steamer encourage his daughter’s continued up the West Coast to San Francisco. The studying with private tutors (Dzuback, family was reunited with her father, 1995; Hatfield, 1935). Finally, in 1891, Raphael Levy Maduro Peixotto, who had Jessica Blanche Peixotto Revised May 29, 2020 3 her father was convinced to allow researching her dissertation topic. A Peixotto to enroll in classes but not single woman in her 30s, Peixotto pursue a degree at Berkeley. Perhaps her traveled and roomed with another father’s mind was changed by the fact American student in France. Her that women’s enrollment at Berkeley was companion was a 24-year-old childhood expanding rapidly. In 1890 there were friend and architecture student named only 105 female students enrolled but by Julia Morgan who traveled with her by 1900 there were 10 times that number, train to New York, across the Atlantic to representing almost half of the student France, and then shared lodging with her body and giving Berkeley the highest in Paris. Julia Morgan was a pioneering female enrollment in the country (Nerad, woman in her own right. Morgan was 1999).ii encouraged by the well-known architect, Despite being in her late twenties , to enroll in the l’Ecole when she started as a freshman, Peixotto des Beaux-Arts in Paris where she was mistaken for being younger than 18, became the first woman admitted to the the age required for admission (Hatfield, school’s architecture program. When 1935). Peixotto was admitted after Morgan returned to California from proving her age and excelled at Berkeley. France she became the first woman to be In a seminar taught by the renowned a licensed architect in the state and historian and political scientist, Bernard designed over 700 buildings, including Moses, she was one of only two students, the famed in San Simeon, the other being David P. Barrows who California (Kastner, 2009). later became a president of the university. Peixotto’s dissertation, titled The She also befriended her brother’s close French Revolution and Modern French friend, Frank Norris, who became a well- Socialism: A comparative study of the known California writer. Norris thought principles of the French Revolution and Peixotto was wasting her time by not the doctrines of modern French working toward a degree and helped socialism, was completed in 1900 and convince her father to allow her to published as a book in 1901 (Peixotto, formally enroll in a degree program. She 1900, 1901). At the age of 36, she became was able to complete all the requirements only the second woman, after the in only three years and awarded a psychologist Milicent Shinn, to receive a Bachelor’s degree in 1894 at the age of doctorate at the University of California. 30. This was just a start, however, for Peixotto then enrolled in graduate studies Hired at Berkeley in 1895 under the mentorship of her teacher, Professor Moses, who Peixotto never intended to become an encouraged her to study social political academic. After graduation, she worked economies (Dzuback, 1995; Hatfield, in a settlement house in San Francisco 1935). Her dissertation focused on (Peixotto, 1919). But the university was French socialism and she was further under growing pressure to give attention encouraged to collect information in to women students and faculty. Phoebe France where her brother Ernest was Apperson Hearst, the widow of a mining already studying art. magnate, suffragist, and mother of Peixotto headed to Paris in the Spring William Randolf Hearst, was appointed of 1896 to spend a year at the Sorbonne in 1897 as the first woman regent of the Jessica Blanche Peixotto Revised May 29, 2020 4

University of California and served on dissertation. Dzuback (2006) argues that the Board of Regents until her death in Regent Hearst played a key role in 1919. She was a strong advocate for Peixotto’s hiring. She writes, “Hearst women students and faculty at Berkeley knew Peixotto from their civic work in and funded the campus master plan as San Francisco, and that she had a close well as many early scholarships for friendship and advising relationship with women, campus buildings, and new Wheeler, likely contributed to his academic programs. Nerad (1999) points willingness to consider Peixotto” (p. 157) out that in 1891 when Peixotto became an for a position. undergraduate, “women had no social or Peixotto, along with Lucy Sprague extracurricular life, no athletic programs, who was appointed the first dean of no facilities for social and cultural events, women and promoted to the faculty in and no rooms for club meetings” (p. 19) 1906, were the first two women hired as in comparison to a full array of full-time faculty members. The first part- opportunities for male students. Hearst time female faculty member was Dr. championed the cause of women on Mary B. Ritter, hired in August 1899 to campus, and would likely have seen serve as the university’s medical hiring of women faculty as important to examiner for women and a part-time the institution and part of an “entering lecturer in hygiene, a position fully paid wedge” strategy “to make university for by Hearst (Nickliss, 2018). women visible and bring them gradually Peixotto was subsequently appointed into the mainstream of campus and as an assistant professor of sociology in American life” (Nickliss, 2018). 1907 but didn’t like being labeled a Peixotto’s opportunity for a teaching sociologist. In her oral history, Helen position at Berkeley came when she was Valeska Bary, one of the first employees approached by the University’s president, of the Social Security Administration, Benjamin Ide Wheeler. Wheeler, who stated that “Dr. Peixotto was very much became president in 1899, was evidently opposed to the current thinking in alarmed at the growing number of women sociology, which was much more on campus and feared they would sentimental and religious” (1974, p. 172). displace men in the sciences. He is quoted In their history of sociology at Berkeley, as having said that women’s education Burawoy and VanAntwerpen (2001) “should tend to make you more confirm Peixotto’s antipathy towards serviceable as wives and mothers” sociology, writing she was “an (Nerad, 1999, pp. 28-29). uncompromising foe of sociology, Despite his views on women in regarding it, in the words of Robert academia, Wheeler is said to have Nisbet, as a ‘mixture of social uplift and approached Peixotto in 1903 to ask her metaphysical nonsense’” (pp. 6-7). what she intended to do with her recently Perhaps this reflected the fact that at the earned doctorate. Her response is turn of the century, “many of the major reported to have been one of surprise as figures in sociology, especially at “she had no intention of doing anything” Chicago had been theologians” (M. with it (Hatfield, 1935). Nonetheless, Burawoy, personal communication, May Wheeler hired her in January 1904 as a 28, 2020). It also reflected wider lecturer in sociology to teach a course in opposition to sociology at Berkeley in the Contemporary Socialism, the topic of her Jessica Blanche Peixotto Revised May 29, 2020 5 first half of the last century (see appointment because she was a woman” VanAntwerpen, 2005). (p.193). At Peixotto’s urging, her appointment President Wheeler may only have was changed by 1909 to assistant hired Peixotto to expand opportunities for professor of social economics. She was educating women to satisfy domestic subsequently promoted to associate roles, but Peixotto and her female professor of social economy in 1912 and colleagues had other ideas and sought to finally to professor of social economy in train women for careers in the sciences 1918 (Dzuback, 1995, Hatfield, 1935). (Dzuback, 2006). Peixotto continued to With this final promotion, Peixotto argue for women’s right to a college became the first woman at the University education throughout her career, clearly of California to achieve full professor arguing so in The Case for Coeducation status. (1923). In the early years there is evidence Struggle for acceptance at Berkeley that Peixotto and Sprague avoided attending faculty meetings in the When Peixoto arrived back on campus in economics department. As Dzuback 1904 there was clearly a continuing bias (1999) writes, “they did not attend faculty against women as students, and even meetings, not because they were barred more so as faculty members. She and from them, but because they feared they Sprague were the only two women would alienate their male colleagues with faculty members on campus in those their ‘conspicuous’ presence” (p.4). early years. Sprague later became the Sprague commented “Certainly we could university’s first Dean of Women. Their have come, but I know that it would have appointments were not without resistance prejudiced the men against us, and we and as Sprague (1953) wrote in her already had enough prejudices to live autobiography, “The older men were down” (Nerad, 1999, p. 40). solidly opposed to having any women on Women’s exclusion from Berkeley’s the faculty” (p. 193). The chair of the Faculty Club was another continuing Economics Department in 1904, Adolph marker of their second-class treatment. In Miller, was clearly one of these men. the early 1900s women were only Sprague (1953) quoted Miller as saying allowed into certain areas of Faculty “the finest flower of any culture was a Club, often only at the invitation of male ‘lady’ – and a lady never worked except faculty. In the Fall of 1919 an invitation in her own household” (p. 143). But was issued to all women faculty to meet Peixotto, as Dzuback (2006) suggests, to discuss establishing a separate space had demonstrated her intellectual abilities for themselves on campus. Given that as a doctoral student, came from a there were so few women faculty even by prominent family and, perhaps most 1919, that first meeting was held in importantly, at age 40 was unmarried. Peixotto’s small apartment in Cloyne Sprague (1953), writing about her own Court. This meeting set in motion larger poor treatment by male faculty, stated, meetings of women faculty and staff, “Jessica Peixotto was their equal in culminating in the funding and building training and in intelligence, and they of the Women’s Faculty Club in 1923 acted the same way toward her (Women’s Faculty Club, n.d.). The Club Jessica Blanche Peixotto Revised May 29, 2020 6 subsequently became the center of State, the History of Social Reform women faculty’s social lives (Dzuback, Movements, the Household as an 1999). A century later, the Berkeley Economic Agent, Contemporary Women’s Faculty Club “is the only Theories of Social Reform, Crime as a faculty club in the nation, founded Social Problem, and, at the end of her originally for women, that still has its career, the History of Economic Thought own building” (Women’s Faculty Club, (Berkeley Baptist Divinity School, 1915, n.d.). 1919; Hatfield, 1935). Throughout her career Peixotto not Peixotto’s course syllabi often only supported women students and included both a course outline and an faculty hiring but was unafraid to voice annotated outline of each of her lectures. her displeasure with her own treatment as For example, her syllabus for Econ 180: a faculty member. For example, there is The Control of Poverty course syllabus reference in a biography of Frank Norris was published by the University of to an episode when Peixotto “led a California Press in 1923 and is over 100 movement to shorten skirts to shoe tops pages in length (Peixotto, 1923). The to scandal of faculty” (Crisler & syllabus shows that in this course, she McElrath Jr., 2013, p. 80). More went into great detail defining poverty, its importantly, several authors have also prevalence, its socioeconomic sources, a pointed to her ongoing correspondence variety of theoretical conceptualizations with President Wheeler. In one exchange of poverty, and actions to end it. She also in 1914 she stated “I hope I may be of discussed how social services could such service to (the university), that intervene to reduce poverty’s effects. someday it will be ready to confer upon This course reflects her career-long me a less elementary title than that of interests in poverty, its structural sources, ‘Assistant Professor,’ a title I have held and the sources and expenditure of family for six years” (Dzuback, 1995, p. 5). She incomes. Her focus on structural sources was promoted to Associate Professor the of poverty appears throughout her next year. Several years later she wrote courses, as it does, for example, in her again to Wheeler after several male syllabus for Econ 42: Contemporary colleagues hired after her had passed her Theories of Social Reform (Peixotto, in rank. She wrote that it had been 1906). Her former student and colleague, “mortifying enough these past weeks to Emily Huntington, remarked “Although feel that when it is a question of Jessica Peixotto had been brought up in a promotions in our department, I am family where I understand there were no invariably the latest to get any evidence economic strains, she had real concern for of merit. Late comers get first place” the problems of the lower income groups. (Dzuback, 1995, p. 5). She was promoted For some reason which I could never to full professor the next year. fathom, her interest seemed to be in the history of the treatment of the poor and Beloved teacher the reasons for the existence of poverty in the early decades of the twentieth Over the years Peixotto added courses to century” (Huntington, 1971, p. 8). her teaching portfolio - including many Peixotto’s home department was relevant to future social workers - such as always economics and she clearly aligned the Control of Poverty, the Child and the with the view that rigorous data on the Jessica Blanche Peixotto Revised May 29, 2020 7 economics of home life could inform literature in her fields. (We sometimes improved social policy and charitable smiled a little when she would name three practices. As stated earlier, she objected or four books she had read very recently. to the label of sociologist and instead We were suspicious that she couldn’t developed, along with other women have read each book through but her colleagues, an area of study she termed comments usually stopped our smiles.)” “social economics” but which others (p. 8). Walter A. Haas, Sr., a student who derogatorily labeled the “feminine would later become president and branch” of economics (Dzuback, 2006, p. chairman of his family’s Levi Strauss & 157). Social economics – the study of Co. also recalled that Peixotto “was a poverty and labor and social reform wonderful woman and she had influence, programs - grew into one of four areas of I guess, on my career and my interest in study within the economics department public affairs and social organizations, and was led by Peixotto. To this day, which has been very much a tradition in Peixotto’s early leadership role in the our family” (Haas Sr., 1975, p.15). study of economics at Berkeley is still Huntington (1971) also spoke widely recognized and the department’s extensively about Peixotto’s ability to student lounge is the Peixotto Room. inspire students. She stated that Peixotto was highly respected as a “Professor Peixotto had a real interest in teacher and colleague. When asked if she her students. If a student at an informal was charismatic, Ella Barrows Hagar, the conference expressed an interest in some daughter of a university president and special aspect of the course, she wife of a regent, answered “very, frequently gave us assistance in very…She was slight and small, developing a small project. I was one of beautifully garbed, very precise and those students, and in working closely brilliant, and very human. Yet, it was with her I came to know her well” (p.8). never a chummy relationship at all. It was For Huntington, it was a very important one of great respect and affection” relationship: “My longest and closest (Hagar, 1974, p. 67). When asked if she association was with Jessica Peixotto. was a role model like Jane Addams, She was the person most responsible for Hagar responded “Well, no and yes. stimulating my interest in economics Certainly not like Jane Addams who must during my undergraduate years. She have been a very earthy person, dealing encouraged me and gave me confidence directly with the slums and areas of not only in finding interesting jobs after poverty and administering actually to graduation but later in returning to people. Dr. Peixotto, always elegant and college, Radcliffe, to complete the work crisp and theoretical and academic, was for a Ph.D. degree.” (p. 7). another kind of model.” Hagar continued, Berkeley, as a campus with global “We all respected Dr. Peixotto and had reach, also often offered fertile ground for great affection for her” (p. 67). Emily intellectual exchange across national Huntington, a former student who would boundaries. For example, the journalist later be hired by Peixotto as a colleague Gobind Behari Lal wrote in a San in social economics, recalled in a 1971 Francisco Examiner column of an oral history that “Jessica Peixotto brought upcoming visit of the Indian Prime to her teaching an enthusiasm for her Minister Morarji Desai to Berkeley in subject, a very wide knowledge of the June of 1978. He mentions Peixotto, Jessica Blanche Peixotto Revised May 29, 2020 8 among other faculty, who had a lasting Hellman Heller. Heller was a member of influence on early Indian independence a banking family that owned Wells Fargo leaders who studied at Berkeley and Bank among other financial institutions. returned to India to help free it from Peixotto served as founding chair of the British colonial rule (Lal, 1978). Among Committee and held that post until her the personal items Peixotto left to the retirement. She used the Committee’s University on her death was a 1917 work funds to support research into social by Rabindranath Tagore on Indian economic issues mostly conducted by nationalism. herself and her fellow female colleagues, and to support women student assistants A focus on science who were not being hired by male faculty at the time. The Committee added greatly Both students and colleagues commented to the standing of Peixotto and her on Peixotto’s scholarly approach to her colleagues within the University and work. Her publications were significant created an intellectual center for social and influenced public policies and economic scholarship (Dzuback, 2006; programs of her era. Her dissertation was Hatfield, 1935). published as a book in 1901 (Peixotto, 1901). She next participated in a major A leader for change at the university study of the impact on families of the 1906 earthquake (O’Connor et al., 1913). Peixotto also provided extensive service She later surveyed almost 100 faculty to on campus. For example, Wheeler establish family incomes and a living appointed Peixotto in 1909 to head the wage, publishing the results in Getting Domestic Science Committee studying and Spending at the Professional the establishment of a home economics Standard of Living: A study of the costs of department at Berkeley. While Wheeler living on academic life (1927) and Family may have seen this as another opportunity Budgets of University Faculty Members to divert women from the sciences into a (1928). She continued this line of “women’s department,” Peixotto and her research with a community survey of 82 female colleagues saw it as a path to typographers and their families resulting establishing more opportunities for in the Cost of Living Studies, II: How women to engage in rigorous social workers spend a living wage (1929). The science training that would have direct foci of Peixotto’s scholarship still impacts in communities (Nerad, 1999). resonate in our society today as scholars Her work as a social economist was estimate a living wage and laborers and widely respected beyond the university, professionals fight for it. resulting in her appointment as Vice Peixotto also worked to support her President of the American Economic own research and that of her female Association in 1928 (May & Dimand, colleagues by securing funding to 2016). She spoke widely on social establish the Heller Committee on Social economics, and despite her aversion to Economic Research in 1923, an the term sociology, she presented at the important source of research funding for American Sociological Society meeting the University of California. She secured in 1926. Peixotto’s extensive activities in financial support for the Heller service to furthering charitable work and Committee from her close friend, Clara Jessica Blanche Peixotto Revised May 29, 2020 9 social welfare policies are highlighted in Economics during Berkeley’s early a later section.iii history was mostly the domain of a single faculty member, Bernard Moses, who Emergence and growth of social was Peixotto’s mentor. The content was welfare studies taught as “political economy” until a separate Department of Economics was Some historians have written about formed in 1903. So when President Jessica Blanche Peixotto, the social Wheeler hired Peixotto in January of economist, but there is scant mention of 1904 she entered a brand-new academic her leading role in social welfare unit. As her role at the University became education and scholarship. Peixotto was a more permanent she and the first Dean of contemporary of Jane Addams, who was Women, Lucy Sprague, worked hard to four years her senior. As indicated in oral bring more women faculty onboard to histories, Peixotto’s approach to social expand relevant teaching and research. In welfare was quite different than that of social economics, Peixotto was able to Jane Addams and other settlement house hire Lucy Ward Stebbins in 1911, leaders (e.g. Hagar, 1974). She was Barbara Armstrong in 1919, and later perhaps more similar to Alice Salomon, Emily Noble, Martha Chickering, and eight years her junior, who at the same Emily Huntington. These women faculty time founded social work education in made economics at Berkeley unique for Germany. Both Salomon and Peixotto having so many women faculty members came from assimilated Jewish families, and influenced the department to focus on were strong advocates for women, and more progressive social reform efforts in spent most of their careers in academic teaching and scholarship (Dzuback, settings but neither were activists who 2006). spent their lives on the street or in Historical documents indicate the neighborhoods (see Salomon, 2004). iv economics faculty concluded in the early Peixotto was a scholar who used the 1910s that “widespread interest in the methods of social science to bring about control of poverty has given rise, in social reform and was described as one recent years, to a demand for the services who used “science in the service of of the trained social worker.” The humanity” (Dzuback, 2006, p.158). demand was seen as the result of four It is clear from people who knew trends: (1) growth in the number of Peixotto that she was somewhat reserved charities; (2) growing agitation for social and so the life of an academic may have reform; (3) the development of social been more fitting for her. But her science methods and (4) the reserved nature did not stop her from establishment of similar training leading major changes at Berkeley. As programs at other universities, such as mentioned earlier, she almost Columbia and the University of Chicago singlehandedly developed an array of (University of California, n.d.). courses relevant to future social workers. There is some discrepancy in She also used her formal and informal historical records about the next power to push the university to hire more evolution of social work training at women with interests in social Berkeley. Berkeley’s official history of economics, reform, and intervention. social welfare education points to 1912 as the establishment of the first formal Jessica Blanche Peixotto Revised May 29, 2020 10

Curriculum in Social Economics that It would be 10 years after included both a year of study in social accreditation and a few years after economics and field work with the Peixotto’s retirement that a Department Associated Charities of San Francisco of Social Welfare was established under (University of California, n.d.). Peixotto the leadership of Harry Cassidy in 1939. and Stebbins would have taught most of The department emerged as an the required courses at that time and independent School of Social Welfare, Peixotto’s connections to charitable under the leadership of Dean Milton organizations likely paved the way for Chernin, in 1944 during World War II. these first field placements. Sadly, Peixotto did not live to see this last Hatfield wrote that the first formal achievement. training for social workers occurred The influence of economics on social during World War I in the summer of work training today is not as robust as it 1917 when Peixotto and her colleagues was in Peixotto’s era. Page (1977) wrote established a program for Red Cross and of this history and pointed out that in the home service workers. He indicates that 1920s and 1930s a majority (15 of 28) this led to the establishment of a formal social work programs required graduate Certificate of Social Service in economics courses. By the 1970s, the following 1917-18 academic year however, very few programs required (Hatfield, 1935) just before the so-called economics courses or even mentioned “Spanish Flu” pandemic arrived in the economists in the profession’s textbooks. . Correspondence At Berkeley, the last economist to hold a from Peixotto to President Wheeler position in social welfare was Leonard indicates that by this time there were 230 Miller who retired in 2005 after 34 years students enrolled in the social economics on the faculty. There are a few curriculum (Nerad, 1999). economists who are still prominent in The university’s own website social welfare, for example, Sheldon indicates a slightly different chronology Danziger who now leads the Russell Sage with the Certificate being established ten Foundation and previously taught in years later, in 1927 (University of social work programs at the Universities California, n.d.). This may indicate that of Michigan and Wisconsin. first there was a curriculum in social economics followed by a more specific An engaged scholar one in social services. Regardless, this social service curriculum was then Peixotto’s research and teaching at accredited in 1928 by the American the University coincided with her Association of Schools of Social Work. extensive engagement in public affairs. One of the first graduates of the The evolution of the social service accredited program was Martha curriculum coincided with Peixotto’s Chickering who became program director appointment in 1910 as a founding of the certificate program in 1932, an member of the Berkeley Commission on Assistant Professor in 1936, and went on Public Charities. Hatfield (1935), who in 1939 to become Director of the served on the Commission with Peixotto, California State Department of Social wrote that Peixotto was the only member Welfare for the next six years (Martha of the Commission with knowledge of Chickering Fellowship, n.d.). charities and other members relied on her Jessica Blanche Peixotto Revised May 29, 2020 11 expertise to develop policies and Women in Industry and Child Welfare programs. She would serve on this Committees. Her work on the Council Commission until 1913 and later served included a much larger survey of child as chair of the San Francisco Federation well-being than her later family income of Women’s Clubs’ Child Welfare studies. This survey included distribution Department. In this later role she of six million questionnaires nationally arranged a speaker series on (Hatfield, 1935, Peixotto, 1920). Peixotto contemporary child welfare issues. She was promoted to chair of the Committee was also one of the founders of Oakland’s on Child Welfare in December 1917 and Baby Hospital in 1912, the first Western worked closely with Lathrop and the hospital to admit infants and children Children’s Bureau staff to advocate for regardless of their family’s economic and win approval from President Wilson status, now called the UCSF Benioff for a national “Children’s Year.” She Children’s Hospital Oakland (Oakland was quickly promoted to Chief of the Wiki, n.d.). Child Conservation Section of the Peixotto’s local work was also Council. Peixotto’s group acted as the recognized at the state level. California liaison with state- and territory-level Governor Hiram Johnson’s appointment committees to implement the policies and of Peixotto to the State Board of Charities programs of the Children’s Bureau. and Corrections coincided with the She returned to California soon after election of 1911 that swept a progressive the war ended and resumed her work on government into power in California and living wages. A 1921 San Francisco establishment the following year of the Chronicle story details her talk to the federal Children’s Bureau under the meeting of the California Conference of leadership of Julia Lathrop. The State Social Work that generated so much Board soon had the power to investigate interest that the venue had to be moved to and license all private charities and a larger space. As reported, her talk publicly supported institutions (Gutman, focused on the need for social workers to 2014) and by 1922 had oversight for advocate for a living wage for all workers 2,200 California institutions and homes (San Francisco Chronicle, 1921). caring for over 12,000 children (Hatfield, Peixotto made many state and 1935). Peixotto served as both a member national appearances over her career, at and chair of the State Board’s Committee sociology, economics, and social welfare on Children and also as chair of the conferences. As Chief of the Child Board’s Committee on Research Conservation Section of the National (Hatfield, 1935). Defense Council, she delivered an During this same decade, as World extensive report on the Children’s Year War I broke out, President Woodrow accomplishments at the 1918 New York Wilson created a Council of National State Conference on Charities (Peixotto, Defense to coordinate national resources 1918) and published a similar report in in support of the country’s war effort. the Annals of the American Academy of Peixotto was appointed to U.S. Council Political and Social Science that same of National Defense in 1917 and year (Peixotto, 1918). The Chicago Daily eventually moved to Washington D.C. for Tribune described a speech by her a short period to serve in multiple encouraging women to become “home leadership roles. She served on the health volunteers” as part of the Jessica Blanche Peixotto Revised May 29, 2020 12

Children’s Year effort to reduce infant She responded “opportunities missed” on and child mortality by 100,000 (1918, a form asking for her marital status and March 14, p. 11). The National number of children (Nerad, 1999). She Conference on Social Work, held in lived for many years in what is today a Milwaukee in 1921, lists Peixotto student housing cooperative, Cloyne participating on the Committee on Time Court, but in her time was the first and Place led by Harry Hopkins, on the housing devoted solely to faculty. She Committee on Expression Concerning had contemporary roommates at times, Standards alongside Mary Richmond, from Julia Morgan in Paris to Lucy and the Children’s Division alongside Sprague for a year early in her time at Grace Abbott among others, all early Berkeley. leaders of the social work profession. Peixotto’s mother, Mrytilla, lived Clearly, she was very connected to social with her in Berkeley after Jessica’s father reform efforts at a national level and died in 1905. There is no mention of among the leaders of an emerging social Peixotto having an intimate partner, male work profession. or female, in the record. She was the older sister to four brothers, three of whom died Peixotto retires before her. Her nephew, Ernest D. Peixotto, recalled in a telephone Peixotto started her academic career at interview and subsequent letter her being age 40 and then spent three decades as a seen as a mother-figure to his own father, faculty member at Berkeley. At Eustace, who was 23 years younger than retirement in 1935 she was only one of six her. She was called “Doc” by her family women professors at Berkeley (E.D. Peixotto, personal communication, (Rosenbaum, 2011). The sociologist July 5, 2016). Robert Nisbet recalled that “undoubtedly Her death came on October 19, 1941, the most brilliant of the six was Jessica at age 77 after a long illness. Obituaries Peixotto” (Nisbet, 1992, p. 69). appeared in many regional papers as well A special volume – a festschrift - was as The Los Angeles Times, The New York published in honor of her retirement Herald, and The New York Times. The (Grether et al., 1935). Many authors, census of 1940 and obituaries indicate obituary writers, and myself have relied that she was living with her brother heavily on a biographical chapter in that Sidney’s widow, Jean, and her teenage volume by her friend and colleague, nephew, also named Sidney, in the Henry Hatfield. The volume was much Elmwood neighborhood of Berkeley at more than a biographical sketch. It the time of her death. Shortly after her included a wide variety of chapters by her death and the end of World War II, the colleagues and former students. University constructed the first student Interestingly, one chapter was authored housing complex on campus, including by then economics doctoral student, one building for 77 male students named Clark Kerr, who later became the first Peixotto Hall (University of California, Chancellor of the Berkeley campus and n.d.). then President of the entire University of California system. Peixotto never married and perhaps choose a professional career over family. Jessica Blanche Peixotto Revised May 29, 2020 13

Peixotto’s legacy to social welfare and developing evidence to inform both Berkeley social policy and social work practice. Current faculty and graduates include Like so many women in our society, leaders in comparative family policy, Jessica Blanche Peixotto’s leading role at evidence-informed practice, and in Berkeley is mostly untold. While she services to support children and families. would likely have identified as an Peixotto’s early work to bring scientific economist and not a social worker, her knowledge to inform policy and practice important role in the early development is present every day in the life of Berkeley of social welfare education and Social Welfare and the social work scholarship is even less well known. profession. Peixotto was a strong advocate for herself and other women students and About the author faculty at Berkeley. She founded social welfare scholarship using rigorous social Jeffrey L. Edleson is a professor of social science methods of her day to establish welfare and holds the Harry & Riva evidence that would inform policies to Specht Chair in Publicly Supported support living wages. She was the key Social Services in the School of Social faculty member who led a systematic Welfare at Berkeley. He is a 1975 effort to give birth to and expand social graduate of the School’s Bachelor of Arts economics and social service training in Social Welfare and later earned his programs at Berkeley. Last but not least, M.S.S.W. and Ph.D. from the University she was an engaged scholar who held of Wisconsin at Madison. He was the many influential positions in key local, Dean of Berkeley Social Welfare from state, and national organizations aimed at 2012 to 2019 after serving as a professor promoting child and family wellbeing. of social work at the University of In a review of the festschrift Minnesota for 29 years. He is a highly published at her retirement, Carr- regarded scholar who studies the impact Saunders (1936) of the University of of adult-to-adult domestic violence on Liverpool wrote, “Miss Peixotto has not children in the home. only made valuable contributions to Correspondence should be sent to knowledge; she has also exerted Jeffrey L. Edleson, School of Social widespread influence upon students, and Welfare, University of California, 120 more than that upon the trend of social Haviland Hall, Berkeley, California research and upon the course of social 94707-7400 USA or by email to legislation…her work has been in the [email protected]. important, and until lately neglected, field of scientific social investigation, References followed by the formulation of practical policies; and she has won her place Bary, H.V. (1974). Helen Valeska among that group of remarkable women Bary. Labor administration and social who have done so much for their security. A woman’s life. Berkeley, CA: country.” (p. 328). Regional Oral History Office, The Peixotto’s legacy can still be felt , University of today at Berkeley Social Welfare. The California. faculty are leading scholars who focus on Jessica Blanche Peixotto Revised May 29, 2020 14

Berkeley Baptist Divinity School Gambrill, E. (2019). Critical thinking (1915). Annual catalogue: and the process of evidence-based Announcements 1915-1916. Berkeley, practice. NY: Oxford University Press. CA: Author. Grether, E.T. et al. (1935) (Eds.). Berkeley Baptist Divinity School Essays in social economics: In honor of (1919). Annual catalogue: Jessica Blanche Peixotto. Berkeley, CA: Announcements 1919-1920. Berkeley, University of California Press. CA: Author. Gutman, M. (2014). A city for Burawoy, M. & VanAntwerpen, J. children: Women, architecture, and the (2001). Berkeley Sociology: Past, charitable landscapes of Oakland, 1950- present and future. Berkeley, CA: 1950. Chicago: University of Chicago University of California. Retrieved from Press. http://burawoy.berkeley.edu/PS/Berkele Haas Sr., W.A. Sr. (1975). Walter A. y%20Sociology.pdf. Haas Sr.: Civic, philanthropic and Burnette, D. (2016). Evidence, business leadership. Berkeley, CA: expertise, and ethics: The making of an Regional Oral History Office, The influential in American social work. Bancroft Library, University of Research on Social Work Practice, 26, California. 609-621. Hagar, E.B. (1974). Ella Barrows Carr-Saunders, A.M. (1936). Hagar. Continuing memoirs: family, Reviewed Work: Essays in social community, university. Berkeley, CA: economics in honour of Jessica Blanche Regional Oral History Office, The Peixotto. The Economic Journal, 46, 328. Bancroft Library, University of Chicago Daily Tribune (1918, March California. 14). Women in wartime. Chicago, IL: Harrington, E.H. (1971). Emily H. Author. Harrington: A career in consumer Crisler, J.S. & McElrath Jr., J.R. economics and social insurance. (2013). Frank Norris remembered. Berkeley, CA: Regional Oral History Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama Office, The Bancroft Library, University Press. of California. Dzuback, M.A. (1995). Jessica Hatfield, H.R. (1935). Jessica Peixotto: First woman professor at the Blanche Peixotto. In Grether, E.T. et al. University of California, Berkeley. Paper (Eds.). Essays in social economics: In presented at the University of California, honor of Jessica Blanche Peixotto (pp. 5- Berkeley, April 28, 1995. 14). Berkeley, CA: University of Dzuback, M.A. (2006). Berkeley California Press. women economists, public policy, and Krasner, V. (2009). Hearst’s San civic sensibility. In D. Warren & J. L. Simeon: The gardens and the land. NY: Patrick (Eds). Civic and moral learning Abrams. in America (pp. 153-172). NY: Palgrave Lal, G.B. (1978, June 9). India’s MacMillan. freedom. . Fischer, J. (1973) Is casework Martha Chickering Fellowship. effective? A review. Social Work, 18, 5- (n.d.). Retrieved from 20. https://socialwelfare.berkeley.edu/marth a-chickering-fellowship. Jessica Blanche Peixotto Revised May 29, 2020 15

May, A.M. & Dimand, R.W. (2016). Peixotto, J.B. (1901). The French Women in the first sixty years of the Revolution and Modern French American Economic Association, 1885- Socialism: A comparative study of the 1945. Paper presented at a joint session of principles of the French Revolution and the AEA Committed on the Status of the doctrines of modern French socialism Women in the Economic Profession and (Dissertation). New York: NY: T.Y. the History of Economics Society, San Crowell & Co. Francisco, January 2016. Peixotto, J.B. (1906). Topics and Nerad, M. (1999). The academic References for Economics 42: kitchen: A social history of gender Contemporary Theories of Social stratification at the University of Reform. Berkeley, CA: The University California, Berkeley. Albany, NY: State Press. University of New York Press. Peixotto, J.B. (1918). The Children’s Nickliss, A.M. (2018). Phoebe Year and the Woman’s Committee. Apperson Hearst: A life of power and Annals of the American Academy of politics. Lincoln, NB: University of Political and Social Science, 79, 257- Nebraska Press. 262. Nisbet, R. (1992). Teachers and Peixotto, J.B. (1918). The Children’s Scholars: A memoir of Berkeley in Year. Paper presented at the Nineteenth depression and war. Piscataway, NJ: New York State Conference of Charities Transaction Publishers. and Correction, Rochester, NY, Oakland Wiki (n.d.) Children’s December 12, 1918. Hospital Oakland. Retrieved from Peixotto, J.B. (1919). Regent Phoebe https://localwiki.org/oakland/Children’s Apperson Hearst. University of _Hospital_Oakland. California Chronicle, 21, 5-8. O’Connor, C.J., McLean, F.H., Peixotto, J.B. (1923). Econ 180: The Artieda, H.S., Motley, J.M., Peixotto, control of poverty. Berkeley, CA: J.B. and Coolidge, M.R. (1913). San University of California Press. Francisco Relief Survey: The Peixotto, J.B. (1923). The case for organization and methods of relief used coeducation. The Forum, 70, 2059-66. after the earthquake and fire on April 18, Peixotto, J.B. (1927). Getting and 1906. New York, NY: The Russel Sage spending at the professional standard of Foundation. living: A study of the costs of living on Page, A. (1977). Economics and academic life. New York: Macmillan. social work: A neglected relationship. Peixotto, J.B. (1928). Family budgets Social Work, 22, pp. 48-53. of university faculty members. Science, Peixotto, E.D. (2010). Ernest Clifford 68, 497-501. Peixotto: American artist. A biography. Peixotto, J.B. (1929). Cost of Living MD: America Star Books. Studies, II: How workers spend a living Peixotto, J.B. (1900). The French wage. Berkeley, CA: University of Revolution and Modern French California Press. Socialism: A comparative study of the Salomon, A. (2004). Character is principles of the French Revolution and destiny: The autobiography of Alice the doctrines of modern French socialism Salomon (edited by A. Lees). Ann Arbor: (Dissertation). Berkeley, CA: University The University of Michigan Press. of California. Jessica Blanche Peixotto Revised May 29, 2020 16

(Available online at Archives: Berkeley Student Housing. https://babel.hathitrust.org/). Retrieved from San Francisco Chronicle (1902, http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/uchistory/ January 11). Gives glimpses of Paris: general_history/campuses/ucb/housing.h Miss Jessica Peixotto lectures before tml. South Park Settlement. San Francisco, VanAntwerpen, J. (2005). Resisting CA: Author. sociology’s seductive name: Frederick J. San Francisco Chronicle (1902, April Teggart and sociology at Berkeley. In 18). Speaks on immigration: Miss A.J. Blasi (Ed.). Diverse histories of Peixotto gives lecture before Council of American sociology (pp. 141-177). Jewish Women. San Francisco, CA: Boston, MA: Brill. Author. Voorsanger, J. (1905). Raphael San Francisco Chronicle, (1921, Peixotto eulogy. San Francisco, CA: February 24). Talks feature at conference Temple Emanu-El. on social work: Educator at University of Women’s Faculty Club (n.d.) About California addresses delegates. San the Club. Retrieved from Francisco, CA: Author. https://www.womensfacultyclub.com/ab University of California (n.d.). out-the-club. University of California History Digital Women’s Faculty Club (n.d.). A brief Archives: Social Welfare. Retrieved from history of the Women’s Faculty Club. http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/uchistory/ Berkeley, CA: Author. general_history/campuses/ucb/colleges.h tml#social_welfare. University of California (n.d.). University of California History Digital

Endnotes i The author wishes to thank the University (April 18, 1902) but there is no record of this Archives of the University of California, speech and there is no evidence that she Berkeley, for providing abundant materials in commented or wrote on immigration again. In support of his writing. He also thanks his in-laws, fact, much of her subsequent work was aimed at Krishna M. and Sunithi K. Shetty, for providing improving the lot of poor families who, in her an impromptu writer’s retreat at Sukrata over time, included many immigrants. three weeks in Hirgana, Karnataka, India where this manuscript was first drafted. iv Salomon wrote her unpublished autobiography in exile in New York in the 1940s after being ii Nerad (1999) documents that Stanford capped stripped of her university positions and expelled female enrollment in 1899 at a maximum of 500 from Germany by the Nazis. Like Peixotto, she students whereas Berkeley at that time had over had no children of her own and the manuscript 1,000 women enrolled. was inherited by her grand-niece, Ilse Eden, who received her M.S.W. from Berkeley. Eden worked iii Peixotto spoke on restricting immigration in with Andrew Lees, the editor, to have it published 1902 as reported in the San Francisco Chronicle by the University of Michigan Press in 2004, a half-century after Salomon’s death.