Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1890-09-11
WOMEN ON SCHOOL BOARDS.

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 10y 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 the 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 a 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
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
they were appointed. For some reason
the mayor set this list aside, and ap
pointed, on the recommendation of two
aldermen, Miss Mary Burt. formerly 1
teacher in the Chicago schools, and NOR,
recently q teacher OF literature in tn,
Englewood Normal School under Colone
Parker. She is known to a wider circle
of scholarly people by her able inter
probation of Browning, published unde
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 i
. hoped that her organizing and execu
tive ability, and her power to influenc
and harmonic opinion, will justify tn
mayor in setting aside the list of name
7 presented to him. The high moral pur
pose and practical efficiency of Chicago
philosophical women is so we'll known
that there is, among influential citizens
: outside of ward politics, a strong dc
mand for large representation Of won
g en- on the school board. There is littl
P doubt that the candidates for mayo
next year will be required to declar
3 their policy on thisquestion before eleC
: ton. II, as yet, there are but two won
en- on the school board, influential put
r lie sentiment and the press of both pc
C litical parties are won to the view tina
II schools need the direction of men an
!. women working together, just as tn
" homes do; and that here in Chicago
where there is thick understratum {
f. humanity to be lifted up and purified
S and where able men are overwhelme
70 with business cares-women of abilit
IS and leisure and philanthropic spirit ar
y especially needed on the board of edl
cation. The attendance-agents, or tri
IS ant officers, as they are called in 30
? ton, are half of them women, and tn
IS day is not fss distant when women wi
ID fill half the .Saces on the school board
N Mary L. Bee'iy, in Woman's Journa