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At The Close Of Women’s History Month

Mar 31, 2015
by Caroline Miller
Charles Darrow, Francis Crick, James Watson, Jen Doll, Lizzie Magie, Mary Pilon, Mona Lisa, Monopoly, Parker Brothers, Ralph Anspasch, Rosalind Franklin, Women's History Month
4 Comments

Though it was a belated recognition, Rosalind Franklin is acknowledged to have determined the overall B-form of the DNA helix (Wikipedia) for which Francis Crick and James Watson were awarded the Nobel Prize.  Men taking credit for women’s ideas isn’t new.   But a new book by Mary Pilon documents the history of the board game, Monopoly which begins with the revelation that its creator was a woman, Lizzie Magie.  She patented her invention in 1903, intending to use it as a teaching tool to show how capitalism works and the importance of sharing.  (“Do Not Collect” by Jen Doll, The New Republic, 2/15, pgs. 56-57.)

 As reviewer Jen Doll writes, Pilon’s book, The Monopolists: Obsession, Fury, and the Scandal Behind the World’s Favorite Board Game, is chock full of tidbits perfect to drop at a cocktail party.   One of them is that during World War II, the boards were sent to American and Allied prisoners of war with maps hidden inside to assist the men in their attempts to escape. (Ibid pg 57)  Another little known fact is that the floppy-boot game piece didn’t appear until the Depression, a symbol for the down and out worker. (Ibid pg. 57.)  

Also less well known is that Charles Darrow, whom many think invented Monopoly, somehow managed to sell the game to Parker Brothers for $7,000 in the 1930s, a king’s ransom at the time.  Various versions followed.   In the 1970s, economist Ralph Anspach, developed  Anti-Monopoly in a bid  restore Magie’s original idea of teaching the social responsibilities of wealth.   Parker Brothers, however, threatened to take him to court for patent infringement, though  Charles Darrow, the man who sold them the game, never owned the patent.  Nonetheless, Anti-Monopoly never got off the ground.

 As we close Woman’s History Month, let us celebrate women’s achievements, large and small, which, thanks to the internet, are coming to light.  Who knows?  Perhaps one day someone will discover the Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo de Vinci’s wife.

Mona Lisa

Courtesy of nonprints.com

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4 Comments
  1. S. L. Stoner April 2, 2015 at 7:43 pm Reply
    This is a fascinating tidbit of information. The purpose of Franklin's invention ties in perfectly with the rise of progressive/populist thinking of the early 1900's time which celebrated cooperatives and utopias and other communal [non-greedy] approaches to living with our fellow humans.
    • Caroline Miller April 2, 2015 at 8:09 pm Reply
      Interesting connection with the progressive/populist movement.
  2. S. L. Stoner April 2, 2015 at 7:45 pm Reply
    OOPS I mean Lizzie Magie's board game invention. Not Franklin and the double helix discovery.
    • Caroline Miller April 2, 2015 at 8:09 pm Reply
      Yes, I thought that was what you meant. Again, thanks for chiming in.

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Contact Caroline at

carolinemiller11@yahoo.com

Portland, Oregon author Caroline Miller had distinguished careers as an educator, union president, elected official and artist/advocate.

Her play, Woman on the Scarlet Beast, was performed at the Post5 Theatre, Portland, OR, January/February 2015

Caroline published a serialized novelette, Marie Eau-Claire, on the website, The Colored Lens.  She also published the story Gustav Pavel,  a parable about ordinary lives, choice and alternate potential, on the website Fixional.co.

Caroline has published four novels

  • Ballet Noir
  • Trompe l’Oeil
  • Gothic Spring
  • Heart Land

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