Introduction: From "ladies" to "working women"
"To win for themselves that blessed independence": countering the stigma of paid work
"One of the most attractive shops on the street": making self-help fashionable for the genteel poor
"The time was ripe for a change": self-improvement and economic security for all women
"A prosperous existence in every town": the exchange idea spreads throughout the nation
"We sell everything good, from a pickle to a portiere": exchange managers as entrepreneurs
"An excellent way to earn an income": the consignors' alternative to the industrial workplace
Epilogue: the exchange movement continues
Appendix B. The Woman's Exchange of Cincinnati
