Irene Osgood Andrews

Born in Big Rapids, Michigan, in 1879, Irene Osgood Andrews was an American writer and social worker whose work focused on women in industry. She studied at the University of Wisconsin, then worked in social service and factory inspection, experiences that helped shape her interest in labor conditions and public policy.

Andrews wrote on subjects such as minimum wage laws, irregular employment, and the effects of war on women and children. Her best-known work includes Economic Effects of the World War upon Women and Children in Great Britain, and her writing is closely associated with Progressive Era efforts to understand and improve working conditions for women.

She married labor economist and reformer John Bertram Andrews in 1910. Remembered as a careful researcher and advocate for practical reform, she remains a notable voice in the history of women, work, and social policy.