Thora Pedersen facts for kids
Marie Thora Frederikke Pedersen (1875–1954) was an important Danish teacher and school inspector. She was also a strong supporter of women's rights. Thora worked hard with groups like the Danish Union of Teachers and the Danish Women's Society. In 1917, she helped a special committee in the Danish parliament. Her efforts led to a new law in 1919 called the Pay Act (Lønningsloven). This law made sure that men and women got equal pay for the same work. She also helped make Danish schools better by using ideas from other countries.
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Thora Pedersen's Life and Work
Early Life and Education
Thora Pedersen was born on October 21, 1875. Her birthplace was Øster Hurup, a small town near Hadsund in eastern Jutland, Denmark. Her father, Niels Christian Pedersen, was a schoolteacher. Even though her father did not want her to, Thora went to N. Zahle's School in Copenhagen. There, she trained to become a teacher. She finished her training in 1900. After that, she went back to Jutland. From 1901 to 1945, she worked for the school system in Aalborg.
Fighting for Equal Pay
Thora Pedersen is best known for her work between 1915 and 1919. During this time, she fought for equal pay for everyone. During World War I, the pay for government workers, called civil servants, dropped a lot. The Danish Union of Teachers (Danmarks Lærerforening, DLF) wanted to fix this.
In 1916, Thora was chosen to be on the DLF's main board. She worked with Marie Mortensen, Johanne M. Sørensen, and Lucie Jensen. Thora strongly believed in "equal pay for equal work." At first, many people in the union did not agree with her.
In 1917, the Danish parliament, called the Rigsdagen, created a committee. This committee was set up to look at how much civil servants were paid. With help from the Danish Women's Society and the Copenhagen Teachers' Association, Thora was chosen for this committee. She faced many challenges, but in the end, her ideas won. Because of her hard work, the Pay Act (Lønningsloven) was passed in 1919. This important law made sure that men and women in Denmark received the same pay for the same job.
Improving Danish Schools
After 1919, Thora Pedersen worked to make many improvements to what students learned in Danish schools. Her ideas helped lead to the 1937 Schools Act (Skoleloven). This new law changed how schools worked in Denmark.
Thora was also involved in politics. She was a member of the Danish Social Liberal Party. From 1918 to 1926, she was on their main board. Later, from 1939 to 1943, she served on the city council in Aalborg. From 1908 to 1915, she was the leader of the Women's Suffrage Association in Aalborg. This group worked to get women the right to vote.
Thora Pedersen passed away on October 29, 1954, in Aalborg. She is buried there.
