Noella Peloquin-Pepin

Submitted by Woonsocket_Admin on Tue, 02/27/2018 - 16:08
Submitter's First Name
Noella
Submitter's Last Name
Peloquin-Pepin
Relationship to Honoree
Self
Submitter's Phone Number
508-542-1496
Submitter's Email Address
ray_pepin@yahh.com
Donation Amount
0.00
Mill Employee First Name
Noella
Mill Employee Middle Name
Patricia
Mill Employee Last Name
Pepin
Mill Employee Maiden Name
Peloquin
Mill Employee Birth Date
Mill Employee Birthplace
Woonsocket, RI
Mill Employee Workplace 1
Jacob Finkelstein and Sons
Job Title 1
seamstress
Mill Employee Start Date 1
1962
Mill Employee End Date 1
1962
Mill Employee Photo
Mill Employee Ethnic Identity
French Canadian
Mill Employee School
Woonsocket High School
Mill Employee House Worship
St. Ann's Parish
Biography Text

Working during the summer after high school graduation at Finkelstein's was Noella's first job before entering nursing school. She had no work or mill experience and no training and was put on "piece work". Seamstress' had boxes by their sewing machines, sewing collars or cuffs, etc.  After a box was completed,  a sticker on sheet was used to track amount of work completed. Jackets went on hangars or overhead pipes to be inspected and if not perfect, returned to be redone

Work in the basement was hot with no air conditioning and the always constant noise of machines. No one talked, working quickly to produce "piecework". If  our quota was not met, a slip on paycheck stated how much company lost on you.

Working in the mills made Noella realize very quickly she did not want to  do mill work the rest of her life. She was very happy when the summer was over and was happy to go on to school. It was a great incentive to study hard and she went on to work in the nursing profession for 40 years.