The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-01
ASK WOMAN REGENT.
Governor Urged to Appoint One for
the Minority.

In communication to Governor
Hoch, dated New York. January 18th,
signed by many graduates and former
students of the State university now
living in and near New York the gov
ernor is urged to appoint a woman as
regent.
| Inasmuch as the regents were ap-
pointed and confirmed several days
ago nothing new can result now. The
letter, however, is of certain interest
and contains the names of prominent
people.
One of the names suggested is that
of the wife of Hon. Charles w. Smith,
judge of the district court at Stockton;
another that of Mrs. Scott Hopkins of
Topeka.
The letter reads:
New York City, Jan 28th, 1907.
ITO His Excellency, the Governor of
Kansas:
"Sir-We, the undersigned grad
yates, students and friends of the Uni
versity of Kansas now living in and
near New York and forming the New
York Union of the University of Kan
sas, are hereby asking you to appoint
| a woman as regent and member of the
board of regents of the university.
I'VE believe that in a state institu-
ton open to women as well as men,
women well as men should be in
the government and direction. We
believe that the fact that women have
ullHeTlO Deon overlooked In the ap-
pointment of the regents is due more
to Indifference or neglect than to hos
tility to the idea of the competence of
women We believe that the appoint
ment of regents should be based upon
personal rather than political eff
ffciency. In our request for the APP
polntment of a woman regent we ap-
peal to the logic of facts and the JUS
tice of expediency. We quote opin-
ions upon the service of women on
such boards.
TN Illinois, in which state the
statute provides for women On the
board, the president of the university
writes us: Women have been mem
berss OF the board of trustees of the
University of Illinois for some years.
Members of our board are nominated
by the political parties and voted on at
popular elections
From the president of Syracuse
university we receive these words: We
have had women members of our
board of trustees for about ten years.
They have made many wise and help
full suggestions. We never have had
any objection to their presence on the
board. On the other hand, I am GER
tain that there is a unanimous desire
for them to be members of the board
of trustees
From the president of Boston uni
versity we hear: Some of those (wo-
men) named in my list have been very
efficient as counsellors in the deliber-
atoms of the board
The president of the University of
California writes us that a woman has
for eight OF nine years been a member
of the board of regents and in that ca
pacity rendered very distinguished
service to the university-as the auth
or OF the movement for a definite
architectural plan, supporting the
plan with her own fortune, etc.
The president of Cornell university
tells US: For some years past the
alumni have kept a woman on the
board of trustees. This woman trus-
tee has naturally interested herself
especially in problems concerning the
women Students
THE president of Northwestern I'M
iversity { Chicago) writes that women
have been on the board of trustees for
some years: The present members
are certainly useful officers and I
think it fair to say that one of them
deserves credit for saving the school
of music at a time when other trustees
were ready to abandon it, and that
her wise advice led to action that has
made the school a great success
From the account sent us by the