Shaking up the pharmaceutical field
There are many notable “pioneer” women who entered fields or occupations that were generally dominated by men. Rose Shapira is one of those local pioneers who persevered the somewhat rocky road of being a pharmacist at the turn of the 20th century.
Born in 1870in Russia, Shapira came to the United States when she was 14 years old. She attended business school in Boston while working with her brother, a physician. After graduating from the University of St. Louis, she came to San Francisco in 1903 and graduated from the University of California's College of Pharmacy in 1905. She was the only woman in her class and one of the few female pharmacists in all of California.
In 1907, Shapira wrote an article for the San Rafael Independent in which she described the difficulties faced by women in her profession: “Although we were accorded the same privileges as the men, we are not in the same professional standing. When the diplomas are given to us, are we not competent and worthy of them? While attending college, we are certainly as industrious as the men. … When through with college we are obliged to pass the state examination and at that time we receive no favors, nor do we expect any. When looking for a position, we find they are very hard to get and if we are successful, the wages are so low that the money received is hardly enough for self-support. In some drug stores, they would not hire a lady clerk under any circumstances. Why? Because the male customers might not patronize the stores.”
With wisdom and grit, Shapira found employment with the Children's Hospital in San Francisco. In 1907, she opened Shapira's Pharmacy on Ross Avenue in San Anselmo. A June 15, 1907 Tocsin article reported: “Mrs. Rose E. Shapira, a graduate licentiate pharmacist and chemist of Berkeley, is shortly to open a first-class drug store at San Anselmo Station.” A year
later, she relocated to the base of Red Hill. The stage from San Rafael to Bolinas conveniently passed in front of the store and Ross Valley residents waited on Shapira's porch for the stage to arrive. With the store open long hours, Shapira got to know her customers, providing “professional advice and friendly counsel.”
In 1912, she bought the lot across the street at 340 Main St. (currently 340 Sir Francis Drake) and opened for business in the spring of 1913.
In 1917, Shapira formed a partnership with her brother-in-law, Mark Sherwin, and developed and patented a formula for tooth powder. Combining the Shapira and
Sherwin names, the powder was named Sher-Pira Tooth Powder. It was sold in cans and bulk and was distributed all over the country. Due to ill health, Shapira temporarily retired in the early 1920s, and the drugstore was operated by Nick Phelan.
A few years later, Shapira married Thomas Palmieri, a man 17 years her junior. In 1925, Shapira and Palmieri renovated the drugstore and reopened for business. In 1930, they opened a second drug store in Corte Madera. In addition to all of Shapira's trailblazing accomplishments, she was also civicminded.
She was the first president of the Women Druggists Association and a prominent member of the women's clubs of San Anselmo and Corte Madera.
On Oct. 25, 1932, Shapira died of a sudden heart attack. Her obituaries “reflected the great esteem in which she was held by her friends in the community.” The beloved druggist was affectionately known as
“the mother of Marin.”
History Watch is written by Lane Dooling, marketing and social media coordinator at the Marin History Museum, marinhistory.org. Images included in History Watch are available for purchase by calling 415-382-1182 or by email at info@ marinhistory.org