The San Francisco call., 1897-10-02
SCHOOL DIRECTOR MYRA KNOX, MD, Who Says God Has
Dscrimina ed against Oakland's Intelligence.


clean streets, the planting of trees and
the purchase of land for park %
Dr.. Myra Knox. School Director and
the only. one of her sex honored by the
citizens OF Oak and by election and re.
election TO public office. uttered the above
sentiment at the last luncheon of the
Ebell Club, and it has created more than
ord nary interest.
DR.. Knox has always been occupied with
social and pubic improve ment. After
one term as School Director she was nomi.
mated by every political perty on the
ticket and had no opposition TO a second
term. AS chairman. of the II lgh Scnool
Board SIZE made a record or executive
ability, and now as. a mem ber of the Ebell
Club DIR. Knox has outlined a future for
the women of this city that she declares is
practical, and so far as the general public
is con cerned of more value than the study
of Browning.
The paper read by Dr.. Knox is at once a
reflection upon and a tribute TO the value
of the women OF Oakland. Sne said that
the women should give more thought TO
the city's needs. and show that there is
enough practical common sense and en-
ergy among them TO carry out greatly
needed i'm provements ana reforms
I'VE sit in our homes" she said, 'and
:,
and when we drive out we hold he nose
with one hand and with the other clutch
The vehicle to prevent being thrown out.
If on ancient Greek should return and
visit orr Athens, get whlff of our marsh
and ride over TTelfih-street dam, he
would Immediately drop dead again.
Every body insists that we have the worst
rtree's on earth, yet, when our 5 rect
Superintendent tries to do someth ing and
have the worst streets resurfaced at cost
of % cents a front foot, the property-own-
ers protest and he is powrrless. GOD may
have made more Inconsistent people than
we are, but in no other instance has he
allowed so many TO get together.
"a handful of men have iabored for a
long time to redeem piece of ill SMELL
ing, disease breeding land ia West Oak
land. to convert it into. a park and 10
make it a thing OF beauty for rich and
poor alike, and we women have. done
nothing. Ghe boulevard will be built and
a park purchased in the foothills, the
land a6out Sixteenth street andalong the
car tracks will b ossom with flowers, and
then the strangers will come within our
gates. AT present lie looks. shifts and
passes over 10 the other side, and we
women must help to keep him here
There is more public spirit displayed in
any small town III the West than We
have. In Brooklyn the women nave so
III uc1 iOCdl prluc tudl iuey cause re-
ceptacles to be placed on he street cor
ners TO receive the refuse that is allowed
to blow about our streets, and in Chicago
Jane Adams, the sanitary inspecor OF
her ward, has one OF the cleanest districts
in any metropolis.
las the city grows we need more school
houses. but whenever a public improve
ment is mentioned some one OBJECTS and
as rule the less they own and the less
interest they have in the city the more
they object. Our schoelteacners are over
worked and even now in some instances
schoolrooms are overcrowdeG.
Here is where women ought to crea G
a more generous pubic spirit. Women
can do much more than men. Men are
antagonized by business and politics. II
one man advocates part ,cuiar i'm prove
ment another cries 'boodle.' the. cry is
taken up and tn. project is killed.
Women are not hampered by business nor
politics and / believe they will work for
the good OF the city.
$50 let US organize our club and con-
suit with our Councilmen and Street Su-
perintendent and make them understand
that in all eood work we are with them,
and in doing this the Ebeil Society will
have originate a most valuable era"