The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-09-14
WOMEN ON SCHOOL BOARDS

II a woman on a school board be |
gins her official duties with the tacit
assumption. even if only to herself. |
that she knows it all, and that il is
is incumbent upon her 10 reform
methods and measures instantly. she
soon finds her sphere OF influence
narrowed-Mrs Kate Cannot Wells in
the North American Rev ew for Sep
TENDER,
This is the deliberate utteranee,
not of a disappointed candidate for
school board honors, but of woman
who has served creditably and to the
satisfaction Of men and women on the
state school board of Massachusetts.
Because of her experiences and her sue
cess, her treatment of her subject is
the more interesting,
Mrs. Wells.says that woman on a
school board should no more ignore
her sex than she should obtrude ii.
On this pont about which so much
has been sa d here in Cairo. this Bos-
Ton woman expresses the opinion:
When a woman proudly states that
ishe has been treated by her masculine
lco-workers as a man. her declaration
! is no compliment TO them, and is
condemnation of herself. Having
been electei as a woman she should
never give away her dignity by be-
lnttling her pc Mt Of view as woman.
And YET she should be competent to
regard all questions from an imperson-
/ al standpoint and as related to prec3
dents and poss bilities. The more
she is a woman. using that word In
It's noblest sense. the greater will be
1.-THE good she can effect"
| Mrs. Wells admits that the relation
of women serving on school boards to
the gC>ieral public is often as q sap
Epointing 20 the public as 70 themselves
and the teachers. that measures wise
and needful consideration by them
selves. but financially impract cable
are sometimes urged with grim insis-
tence which Is the result OF partial
knowledge. that in w0man's eager
ness for social service they may scent
reform. or invent educational fads at
linopportune moments, their zeal QUO
running Their discretion"
However. Mrs Wells contends
THAT women on school boards have q
peculiar and distinctive work. A
mans work en- tie schol board Is
largely legislative and bears more d.
rectly on finances ana buildings,
while w0mau's work is more direct.
" in the schools VITA the teachers
and chilsiren. The woman's work 5
The motherhood Of hospitality, per
lsonaI attention to details. freedom
from partisanship symapthetit
breadth Of view. the enrichment o.
school life the Development Of ny
gene and dome9tic science
In addition. the woman on fh'
school board mnst understand char
! acter and not be fussy, and, above all
lhar knowledge Df school legislat d
!. shoaHl be exact and full, else she con
+ sian Iy will get into trouble Mrs
Wells, III conclusion, gives this ad
lyice.
1T remains for women on the schoo
s boards t3 hold the position they haY
b "a rel by doing their work accord n
io inc feminine nature with whici
~ are endowed and not as oyel
aeghted officials brraened with
II fdiscourteousneg and unaue sense
e their importance TO the community
II There are women in Cairo who hay
worked the best part Of their lives e
the publ {. schools without recogn
e ton from the public. School legi
latl1n in this state owes much 10 tn
i class of earnest, practical wome
4, Not many Of these have been on scho
. boards. but they have left their mar
ID on the school system.
81 Women who have gerved on 81
n board 81 education know what thes
:, other women have done for Il
schools and appreciate il. Some
the Cairo women who have served {
tn the school board will endorse all th
Mrs. Wells says, but II remains tn
~ that il is not necessary for a WON'T
to be a member of school board
" do effective work for the bettarme
'eF of the school system.