The Girl Who Found Herself: A 1920s Silent Tale from Hawthorne Works

Step into "The Girl Who Found Herself," a silent 1920s gem filmed at Western Electric’s Hawthorne Works in Cicero, Illinois, written and directed by Charles Barrell and Carlyle Ellis, with Robert Duggan’s keen photography. Approved by the Maryland State Board of Censors (No. 90518), this black-and-white vocational short follows a young woman’s quest to become a stenographer, chasing independence amid the factory’s clanging machinery and bustling offices. A curious blend of education and oddball charm—hinting at Western Electric’s overly cozy employee ties—it unfolds her triumphs over typewriters and switchboards in a Jazz Age industrial sprawl. A quirky treasure for history buffs, silent film fans, and Chicago nostalgia seekers, it’s a snapshot of ambition in a bygone era.