The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1878-07-25
IFOEMEN is SCHOOL OF
FICERS.
Ed. OF PILOT:

| Ed. OF Pu.oT:
| Now that many of the electors OF
Manltowoc are INDUCING in their annual
grumble at what was done at school
meeting, or about what was not done
there, and are vigorously threatening
that next year every thing shall be done
which ought to be done, | would like to
call their attention to law passed by
our Legislature which reads is follows:
I SECTION l. Every woman of the
/ age OF twenty-one years and upwards,
residing IN the district within which the
duties of the office are to be performed,
is hereby declared to be eligible, and
may be elected to the following school
/ offices, viz: The Office of director, treas
urer and clerk Of school districts, director
and secretary of town boards, under the
! township system of school government,
member of board of education in cities,
and county superintendent of schools.
This section embodies the part essen
tial to my present purpose, and I claim
it one of the wisest laws passed during
the past five years.
Although here this is an untried ex-
pertinent, 1t is not so elsewhere. Ia
London, Baroness Burlett Coutts has for
/ several years been an efficient member of
/ the school Board, and has had her eff
cheney testified to by think, two reap
! pointments.
In Boston, whose public schools are
/ the models for all orr western schools,
women have served upon the Board of
Education, and its chairman compliments
them because they work so well, and
I gentlemen, please note this talk so
/ little.
/ In our own state, in Iowa, and in
! several other states, women have done
most excellent work as county superin-
1 tendeDts.
1 know well country district, and
/ probably, many Of my readers know
others, where woman has actually filled
the place of clerk nominally held by her
/ husband. This woman does all the bust
ness required by law of a clerk, except
/ signing his name, and think she tells
when to do that; besides she visits the
schools more frequently than any clerk [
/ have ever known, and has done more to-
ward maintaining good schools, keeping
good teachers and lengthening the school
terms more than any other person in the
district.
/ Already female teachers are largely in
the majority. They are rapidly filling
the whole field. In this town probably
nineteenth are ladies. Is it not right
/ that upon each of their experimenting
boards, there should be one of their own
sex, to maintain their rights. and to see
that there are no unjust Determinations
made?
/ Is it asking too much that women here
''Should have their third" as they are, by
/ law, entitled to it elsewhere?
| l would cite you, gentlemon, to the
fact that women are generally more con-
/ scientiOus and scrupulous in the dis
charge of duty than are men, only that
observation has led men to conclude that
when you vote, you generally thrust con-
siderations aside.
hut YOU will readily acknowledge That
women generally take q deeper interest
in schools than men,
/ | have inquired concerning the visiting
list of the school IN my ward, but have
not been able to find it, yet when found |
think it will verify my assertion that nine
tenths of the visitors are women; but it
requires no more effort for :. inan to leave
his business than for woman to leave
! hers. lie Will tear himself away for base
ball, horse race, a circus, dancing
/ bear, or even political caucus, but to
/ visit school or attend a closing exercise
! if held III business hours why, 'that
would never buy the child frock; ;" "who
Is going to pay the bills" or "Mrs.-
you go. the house ought to be represent
ed"
! In this community there are many
women OF the age of twenty-one and mp
ward who are enimentIy fitted by their
education and experience as teachers, by
reason of their good sense and judg-
ment, by a long residence here and an
intimate acquaintance with the schools
and th9ir needs, to hold any position
named in the law above quoted,
To at least make the trial is no more
than just to the pupils Of the schools,
half of whom are probably girls, to the
teachers, and to the community.
In the country districts the annual
elections are yet to be held, and although
l have referred especially to the schools
here, the same reasons will apply to
other districts, and the trial ought to be
made there, as well as here. / predict
that putting even one conscientious, in
dependent wide awake woman upon
every school board in the county will re-
suit in a general waking up and such a
crusade upon ignorance and slothfulness
IN schools a. Aanitowoc County has
never experienced here before. Z. NJ. 4.
BRANCH, July Is, 1873.
Ed. Pilot:
The following is the report of the
school III Dist. No. 10, Town of Mani
: towoc Rapids, for the term ending July
Is, 1873,