The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1908-06-23
WOMEN AND SCHOOL ELEC-
TONS

TONS
The proposition now before the
Legislature to allow women to
vote for school directors should
receive favorab BILE consideration
by that body. The mothers are
in closer touch with the schools
than the fathers and are there
fore really in a better position to
Judge as to the work OF the
schools. We believe that it
would be better if, while giving
the women a right to vote, the
privilege of holding the position
of school director would also be
accorded, them and it seems to US
they should have that right, for
unquestionably the mother is
fully as interested in the educa-
ton of her child as the father
and ought therefore to have a
voice in the management and
conduct of the schools that are
to educate her children.
Commenting on this subject
the Times Democrat ably advO-
Gates the granting of suffrage to
The women in electing school d.
rectors as follows:
The House and Senate bills pro-
posing submission of a constitutional
amendment permitting women to vote
at elections for parish school direc-
tors, we're both reported out of COM
mite Wednesday, the Senate Commit
tee on Elections presenting an adverse
report on the Gueydan bill, while the
House Committee on Education favor
ably reported the Morgan bill. The
. two measures are very much alike
and the passage of either would sub
NIT the question to the voters OF the
State. Whether the action of the two
committees accurately reflects the
sentiment of their respective houses is
yet to be determined. The conflicting
reports can hardly be construed into
victory for either the advocates or the
opponents of the amendment.
The Times-D Democrat has already
expressed the opinion that the suf-
frage should be granted women in
elections for school directors, for the
reason that they take a livelier in
terest in the schools than do most
men. The mothers of the school chill
dren IN the vast majority of cases are
in much closer touch with the conduct
of the schools, better informed as to
the educational needs, than the
fathers. 1t follows as a matter OF
courset their votes for school directors
would be intelligently cast, and that
the danger of plungiDg these elections
into politics might be minimized by the
extension of the suffrage. The stock
arguments against general woman
suffrage san not justly be urged
against this proposal, for the purpose
of the amendment is not to open the
political field to the feminine voter.
but to extend her usefulness in q field
which is admitted even by the ant
suffragists, to belong to her. Few can
doubt that the grant of suffrage in
school elections would minimize the
danger of turning them into political
or factiOnal contests, while there is
e reason to believe, from the in
terest that women naturally take in
the education of their children, and
from the great aid they have always
given the schools, their votes would
result in positive benefits to the
States educational system.
There is, too, another argument in
favor OF the bill introduced by Mr..
Morgan, less important but still
worthy of consideration. The
measure provides that the women de-
string to vote for school directors
shall qualify by the payment OF poll
tax. The condition of the State f.
nances. with the growing financial
needs of the schools, should render
this proposition to increase the poll
tax revenu attractive. We believe
there is sufficient interest in the pro-
posal, and sufficient popular support
OF it, to justify the Legislature in sub
hitting the amendment and permitting
fhe voters to decide whether or not
Trey desire to give the women of
Inuisiana a voice in the government
n the schools.