Sh. Norwood, THE STUDENT AS STRIKEBREAKER - COLLEGE YOUTH AND THE CRISIS OF MASCULINITY IN THE EARLY-20TH-CENTURY, Journal of social history, 28(2), 1994, pp. 331-349
During the first quarter of the twentieth century, male college studen
ts represented a major, and often critically important source of strik
ebreakers. While administrators frowned on many student extra-curricul
ar activities, they strongly encouraged strikebreaking. Students enthu
siastically embraced strikebreaking not just to display antagonism tow
ard labor, but even more importantly to prove their manhood. Strikebre
aking provided the collegian with his best opportunity, short of milit
ary combat, to test his strength and nerve. It exposed him to danger a
nd provided an opportunity to fight. The early twentieth century ''cri
sis of masculinity'' in the upper and middle classes was manifested in
men's repeated efforts to demonstrate their virility. Most men were i
nvolved in violent sports only vicariously, as spectators, but strikeb
reaking permitted direct participation in ''daring deeds.'' Engineerin
g students were also drawn into strikebreaking by their profession's n
ew antipathy toward labor. Management coveted their services because t
hey often represented the only available pool of skilled labor.