The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-14
WOMEN AND THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Potent Reasons Why Women should
Re Reurenented ON the Boards.

AC
Miss Grace H. Dodge, in Harper's Bazaar.
The education of children, with all that
this involves, is surely the work OF women.
More and more the foundations OF educa-
ing understood by women as belonging to
their interests. Women's place as teach
ers in schools has never been disputed,
and we see everywhere fve-sixths of the
teachers in primary and grammar school
age of the children are below ten years of
age-the age that in homes both sons and
daughters are left to the training care OF
the mothers. Why in the past has there
been a question that woman's influence and
place should not be officially recognized In
there so few women on school boards,
either as trustees or commissioners? Why
are there, at this present time, no women
on the boards of New York and Brooklyn?
Various answers could be given, but no
one can now say that women should not
boards oversee and control over 5000 women
teachers and 300, 900 children. Women serve
everywhere on the school boards or Great
Britain, and three. at least, sit on the great
school board of London. Only two weeks
ago Miss Davenport Hill was elected to
represent the city of London itself, and had
5000 majority, though her opposing candi-
date was a. prominent duke. In France the
influence of women has been felt in nation
al educational commissions, and the same
is true of other countries. No one who mas
studied the grand work of the women in
Western States, known such women as
Mrs. Flower. of Chicago; Miss Hallowell,
of Philadelphia; Miss Pingree, of Boston,
III Nodld HlC lAIA III &NSAJ ~ III 4CdDL
six such women could care for the public
school interests of the children
The women'S clubs and civic organizations
are training hundreds in citizen rights and
responsibilities, and the time is coming
when every woman will feel responsibility
to the city in which she lives. The suf-
frage campaign of last winter was an in
structive one, and so paved the way that
no matter how women stood on this plat
form, they in New York city loyalty united,
the past fall, in the temporary Womanfs
Municipal League. Realizing the necessity
for continuing the work, the Woman's Civic
and this will be worked in four great d-
visions, education standing first.
In the division of interests to be repre-
scented by the Good Government clubs OF
ton and public schools. The gentlemen
realized that alone they could do little, so
asked the cooperation of women prominent
in broad work: The Woman's Auxiliary
will work with Good Government Club E,
sharing it's club-hous- in Eighteenth street,
and study school problems. 1t hopes soon
to secure similar committees in connection
that before long the city may be SO organ
ICED that in each district there will be a
woman's m to visit the schools, to
cooperate with teachers and principals,
and to bring about a strong public senti-
ment in favor of larger appropriations for
advanced educational systems. Similar
work will probably be undertaken in
neighboring cities. Surely all women will
be interested in the matter. The agitation
will spread. Then will come the mutual
education so needful before the full CO.
operation can be realized. When it Is,
womanhood Will so understand the inn
p%ortance of representation upon all school
boards that it will be demanded and Sc
cured because based upon true justice and
sound conlmon-SenSe