The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-08-29
WOMEN ON SCHOOL BOARDS.

A Growing Sentiment in Favor of Their
| Taking an Active Part In Educational
| Matters Noted in Chicago.
The members of the Chicago school
board are appointed by the mayor. Two
years ago, in response to urgent de-
mands, one woman. Mrs. Ellen Mitchell,
was given a place on the board. Last
year long petition of influential names
and several strong delegations went to
the mayor urging him to increase the
number of women on the board, but
without success.
This year it was decided by the Wom-
ans Club to try the policy of sending
numerous delegations of leading citi-
zens, partly hoping by continued i'm
portunity to weary the mayor into ac-
quiescence. but more especially to con-
vince him of the breadth and strength
of the demand. The earlier delegations
brought back the report that the mayor
was unyielding in his opposition. A
delegation of eight leading judges wait
ed on the mayor. This attracted public
attention, and brought tie local press
almost wholly into the line of warm
support. The mayor, apparently I'M
willing to bear the responsibility of re-
jecting such influential requests, told
the delegation that If he should appoint
any more women, several of the most
valuable men in the board would resign
their positions; that they liked Mrs
Mitchell, but did not want any more
women. Other delegations followed.
TO some the mayor confided his opinion
that it would make women unwomenly
to hold such public positions.
The Woman's Alliance took delega-
ton of five hundred women to the city
council, with the request that more
women be added to the school board.
At length the delegation from the
Woman's Club, accompanied by leading
business men and lawyers, waited on the
mayor To them he replied that every
member of the board, with one excep-
ton had asked him not to appoint any
more women. 1t is reasonable to sup
pose that this disclosure was a little
breach of confidence on the part of the
mayor, and it was treated as it deserved
to be, with some sarcasm by the papers.
Meanwhile it was rumored that some
one in the mayors confidence said he
would probably give one woman place
The women had asked to have two places
filled by women, and they had presented
a list of five or six names of women of
unquestionable capacity who had con-
scented to serve, and who had promised
to give much time to the work in case
the mayor set this list aside, and ap-
pointed, on the recommendation of two
aldermen, Miss Mary Burt, formerly a
teacher in the Chicago schools, and more
recently teacher of literature in the
Englewood Normal School under Colonel
Parker. She is known to wider circle |
of scholarly people by her able inter- |
probation of Browning, published under
the title of '.Brownlng's Women"
Miss Burt's intellectual ability, her in
terest in education, and acquaintance |
with educational systems, go far to rec
ommend her for the position, and it IS |
hoped that her organizing and exeea-
tive ability, and her power to influence |
and harmonic opinion, will justify the |
mayor in setting aside the list of names |
presented to him. The high moral pur- |
pose and practical efficiency of Chieagos |
public-spirited women is SO well known, |
that there is, among influential citizens, |
outside of ward politics, strong de-
mand for a large representation of won-
en- on the school board. There is little |
doubt that the candidates for mayor
next year will be required to declare
their policy on this question before cleo
tion. II, as yet, there are but two won-
en- on the school board, influential pub
lie sentiment and the press of both pe-
litical parties are Won to the view that
schools need the direction OF men and
women working together, just as the
homes do; and that here in Chicago
where there is thick understratum of
humanity to be lifted up and purified.
and where able men are overwhelmed
with business cares-women of ability
and leisure and philanthropic spirit are
needed on the board of edu-
cation. The acknowledgements, or tru-
ant officers, as they are called in Bos-
ton, are half of them women. and the
day is not far distant when women will /
fill half the places on the school boards.
Mary E. Beedy, in Woman's Journal.