The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-05-24
FEMININE LAWYERS.
Miss Phi1brook of Jersey
City the First Woman
Admitted to the
Bar.
CHANCELLOR M'GILL POSED
Etiquette Regarding Legal Ladies'
Hats in Court Too Much
for Him.

land Institute, Norristown, Pa, DR.. r.
Grier Ralston, principal, and was the vel
edictorian in a class of sixteen. In 1889
she was employed by the law firm Of
Castor & Bergen, of Somerville, N. J., as
a stenographer, and at the same time
registered her name with them as a
student-at-law, in the confident expecta-
ton that New Jersey would sooner or
later recognize the right of women to a
place in the ranks of any profession, as
more progressive States had already done.
Afterward she entered the office of Hon.
Alvah A. Clark, and there served the re-
quired four years course of study.
In 1892 she caused to be introduced in
the Legislature of New Jersey a bill
making women eligible to be appointed
Commissioners of Deeds. Twice defeated
at different sessions of the Legislature,
it became a law in 1895, and under the
new law she was appointed a Commits
sioner of Deeds. The same year two bills
respectively enabling women to practice
law and be Notaries Public became laws,
and in February, 1897, she passed the
attorneys examination and was admitted
to practice as attorney-at-law in the
courts of New Jersey. She has since
been appointed a Master in Chancery.
Miss Steele has for years been in en-
tire sympathy with the movement that
has for it's object the Industrial and po-
litical equality of women before the law.
She believes that ar opportunity for in
dependent thought and action is a neces-
sary prerequisite where Individual growth
| and advancement are concerned, and she
insists that essentially benefits the
individual cannot work harm to the
Commonwealth
4 Fa ElIrtbArrncra sha save cfpaa oil uyopopp
must live. under the law, 1t is desirable
that some women as well as some men
should live by the law, if thus they may
at least become more conversant with
its existing aims n principles, and more
especially with those in process of evo-
luton.
place among the lawyers will be Miss
Beatrice Maybaum, who has been study
ing in the University of New York, and
expects to graduate this coming June,
though she will be obliged to wait one
year before she can be admitted to prac-
tice, on account of her age.
Miss Maybaum received her education
in the public schools of Newark, was a
| graduate of Miss Halls private school for
young ladies, and afterward took a spe-
cial course of one year and a half at
Vassar College. Although Miss May
baum has a decided liking for the study
Of the law, she has a remarkable talent
| for drawing, china painting, and a de-
cided literary gift. This latter gift has
been and is a source of great amusement
TO nerSelI ana IrlenQS, ana SeVerd1 chill
dren'ssstories and jingles have been print
ed. Miss Maybaum often takes up her
pen in aid of some charity in which she
is Interested a~gr9~e
Miss Maybaum could easily make hel
way in the profession of Illustrating, and
when studying drawing was urged to
her speciality, but the law proved more
attractive to her mind. When asked
why she studied law Miss Maybaum said
she couldn't tell why exactly, only she
was a great admirer of the legal profess
sion and her father, and it appealed to
her more strongly than any other profess
sion as work, though she enjoyed all arts
and sciences.
A large class of women are employed
in law offices as typewriters or steno-
phrases, expressions and forms is essen
duties. This leads to the appointment of
women to the office of Commissioners of
Deeds n Notary Public. Three women
in Newark were appointed as Commits
Miss Stewart and Miss Emily O'Connor.
Although these appointments are often
made at the suggestion of the lawyers,
remark that 1.-THE women are pus shhle to 70
the front in every profession just to take
the bread and butter from us"
uated from the course of law lectures,
and Miss Mary Kenyon n DR.. Mary B..
Hussey are studying law in the New
year. Both Miss Maybaum and DR.. Hus-
sey have occupied prominent places in
their respective classes, and have become
leaders in the social life of the university
and popular with the students and fac
ulty.
Miss Mary Philbrook. the first woman
to be admitted to the bar in New Jersey.
has won such an enviable positions her
professional career of two years that the
first year Of obstacles and encouragement
Is likely to be forgotten by all but the one
most concerned. But the fight against
prejudice and custom is a hard one, as
every woman who enters the profession
nnos, and 1t takes genuine pluck and
courage to make any headway, or even
stand up In the face of such opposition,
It is the testimony of law students that
no profession contains such a large per-
centage of generous, liberal and noble
minded men. The opposition usually
division Of the legitimate spoils and
realize that only hard work will save
them from being beaten in the fray by a
woman. 1t IS usually the case of close
association with legal matter that inclines
a girFs taste in the selection of the law
as q profession, and in most cases they
legal affairs. Thus Miss PhiIbrook comes
from a family of lawyers, and studied in
the iaw once OF Henry A. Gaede of Hobo
examination in February. 1895, but was
not ADMITTED to bar until June, 1896. The
off her hat when in court was tested frst
in the Orphans Court In Elizabeth. when
10 ,, objection was made but when Miss
l - - = ~ ~ iFl A bGlftI6 EAlAnGnlInr
McGin she requested to be Informed what
she should do In regard to removing her
headgear. The Judge was evidently 81
| surprised and astonished to be called iInon
TO decide a matter of etiquette in feminine
apparel that he replied that it did not
matter. Since then Miss Philbrook has
removed her hat when a case ren1ires
constant attention in court as a matter Of
choice or convenience, but IL it is business
demanding outside work or only occa-
sional running in and out She keens her
hat On. Miss Philbrook has many n,Iaar
experiences. with clients, MANY Of whom
are women, and strangers to her. R,It
having heard Of her skillful handling Of
some case or adjustment of Disbursements
they come to her with the assurance that
they are so glad there is a woman n wver
Then again when other lawyers are m
successful with their case they turn "a
Miss Philbrook In full confidence that she
may the impossible. Only fhe
other day a quarrelsome woman offered
her 800 If she would only saw she wo1,ld
take the case in hand. But no self-re-
specting lawyer would have anything to
do with 1t" said Miss Philbrook, ssb1t I
had a difficult half hour irving 70 exnisin
to her that she had NO case whatever
Still people say that lawyers have no con-
science!D Social position is quite essen
tial in the legal profession, and that has
always been a great help to Miss Phil
brook. Women everywhere are exceeding
" pleased to meet her, and every club is
anxious TO secure her membership. Among
Phflbrook are the Woman's Club of Jer-
sey City, the WOman's Press Club and
the Reform Club of New York CITY. while
/ she is the secretary of the New Jersey
State Federation. Besides giving lectures
upon legal subjects to various clubs this