The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-11-13
THE BOSTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE
VS.. WOMEN.


VS.. WOMEN.
Persons who are willing TO cOncede
anything whatever in the management
of affairs of public importance to women,
should certainly express a Willingness
to see them serve on school committees.
That there are persons who would even
deny to them that right, and that too
when fairly elected to such position,
has been and Is being fully demon
strated In Boston.
At the regular monthly meeting Of the
School Committee on the 18th of Octo-
Der, a joint convention was held with
the Board of Aldermen for the purpose
Of filling the vacancies in the School
Board caused by the rejection of the
women duly elected TO its rightful
membership. Two wards were balloted
for as tests of the position of both par
ties, and the lady candidates received
the largest number of votes, but not a
sufficient proportion to insure their
election. Consequently, no choice was
made, and the matter was postponed
till the second Tuesday in November.
How the balloting resulted at this
last-named time We are not as yet in
| formed.
In the course of the meeting men,
toned, a spicy debate took place, in
which the champions of woman's cause
are said to have got the best of the argu-
ment.
We find in an exchange the following
specimen of verbal passage-at-arms
between the opposing forces: Mr.. Bald
win, from the liberal side of the house,
said that lie felt that "the School Com
mittee had hitherto occupied disgrace
ful attitude upon this question; that the
Board was the laughing-stock of the
community; that the action taken in
rejecting eligible persons who had been
elected as members was in effect thwart-
ing the will of the people; and further,
that the members of the Board were
elected for the purpose of carrying into
effect the will of the people, regardless
of their own personal or private Opin-
ions" DIR. Reynolds, of the conserva-
tive element, in reply, declared that the
matter of the nomination of women for
the Committee was hastily acted upon
in ward caucuses "where il was intro
dueed by certain windy politicians,
anxious only to carry forward a politi-
cal theory" To this another member
(Mr. Fitzgerald) rejoined that the argu-
ment that the lady candidates were
thus nominated would apply equally
well to the gentleman himself, or to any
other member of the School Board, OF
of the Convention; and If sufficiently
/ strong to unseat the ladies, should be oi
equal effect when applied to the gentle
man who brought 1t forward. There
was no doubt that due care was exer-
cised by the citizens in this matter
more, indeed, than pertained to the
election of most of the gentlemen mem
bers. The qualifications of the ladies
had been fully canvassed and generally
made known. The representative
elected by the citizens of these wards
were chosen as seriously and soberly a
, any in the city, and it has been an act 0
manifest injustice to deny to the peopl'
of these wards for nine months past :
J representation in the Board.
, 1t is predicted that the action of th,
! Committee in this matter will have 1
, result I'm the next election directly op
, posite 10 that intended by those wh'
} would exclude women from their coun
, cils, and thus We believe. Bigoted ant
} narrow-minded opposition to any meas
, ure of simple right aud justice, although
1t may rejoice in temporary triumph
} must eventually be forced into the back
ground by the steady march Of progress
: and there is everywhere evidence tina
this, as we'll rs many other things tina
exist by feeding upon the prejudices O
men, will finally be settled on the grea
basis of right.
, Members of the Boston School Com
! mittee may regard this as local mat
, ter, but il is nevertheless regarded witt
: interest all over the land by those VIII
are anxiously watching and zealousl.
, working for the advancement of all tina
} is just and noble, desiring to make, no
5 sex, but moral worth aud intelligenc
2 the test of fitness for honorable publ
t position, as well as for private respecta
( bility. Every blow struck serves t
= weaken by just so much the chai
whose strongest links are custom, preju
e dice, precedent and selfishness.