The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-01-23
WOMEN FOR
 SCHOOL BOARD
Members Of Board Listen To Telling Arguments In
 Behalf Of Movement
No Decision on Petition to Give Female Sex Repre- sentation In Educational Department.

Arguments Of an incontrovertiblt
 natureswere laid before the members
 of the Board of Education, last even ing, in favor of the election of one
 or more women to the board. The
 principal address in support of the
 contention that our school board
 should contain one or more women among it's membership was made by Judge W. H. Com-ey, Jr. The ad- dress of Judge Comley will be found complete on the woman's page of this issue, and we commend its perusal to our readers.
 board, on the Republican side, caused by the death of the late Thomas H. Macdonald. There is a prospective vacancy on the Democratic s de due to the forthcoming resignation of A. F. -VeneSs, lately removed to Chicago, but who still retains his member
 There is a we'll developed and intel 1igent movement extant that both of these places should be filled by wo- men. Last evening the school board within whose power 1t Is to fill va earcies, listened to telling arguments in favor of feminine representation on the board.
 Among the ladies present, all of were Mesdanes william F. Hincks. Semqei T Dayis: Jr-; JSsepH E.os1 A Paul MorriS, Charles .st M, CSihoun' ailTiH1a 2. EfopSon, W. D. Ives. T. Leo LalIey. Sanford Stoddard, M. W. Seymour. and the Misses Davis, Gertrude, Anna and Thsrosa McMahon, Mary J. Miner, Grace Kelly. Mary and Kitty McGuin- ness, Mabel and Etta Cunningham, Gertrude Frawley, Elizabeth Eaton.
 Among the men present who favor ed the petition were Samuel T. Davis, Jr.. Samuel C. Shaw, Arthur M. Marsh, Sanford Stoddard, w. s. Feel. Jr., pr. GoodseiI. Edgard W. Bassiclx, Senator Archibald McNeil, IT., H. H. Jackson, . After Judge cornley had concluded hfm alignment, Mrs W. T. EIincks fbs- dresned the board. Tn part she said:
 1T have but little to add to the ar llevs that having two women on your board will be a good thing for the schools the teachers and yourselves, a~ they will bring to the board much the reach of men. Now is the oppor- tune moment for such action, and believe 1t should not be lost. There 1s no politics in our petition, and it is not intended to further the inter estG of any organization, but 1t is what it's promoters believe is for the best interests of the schools and the
 $. T. Davis, Jr.. said: women bear the children and govern them from birth, and I believe this government ag the home. would not favor an entire board of women, but I do favor placing two women on the board, and think this is an opportunity to take thfe stop which should not be lost"
 Miss Mary J. Miner, who spoke next, said: 'T am interested In this mat. CT not as voter but from the stand point of good citizen Women look at things from Women's point of view, l and since most of the teachers are women there are constantly occurring ! understand There are many things | which YOU men engaged in business | have not time to do, but women with ! their capacity for details could look l for your attention. Women could get | in closer touch with the teachers and | the pupils than any male member can, 1 and they cou get first hand infor- | mation which men rare y get.''
 Mrs S. T. Davis, Jr., referred to | the early history of education when and when girls were expected to | learn only those things which would | be useful to them in performing the | duties in the household. At length | one man who had no boys declared ! that he paid taxes which helped sup port the schools and he insisted that | cation.
 ''1t isn't that we want women to take the place of men," said Mrs. Davis "Men musG ever be the direct ing force in things and this is as it should be but we want women to | bear her share. In thiS matter We feel we are in a position to help you and that is what we are asking"
 Horace H. Jackson after outlining | reasons why he believed women should be represented on the board said; ''I believe there are women Tn tsttg city capable of filling such position and I believe that now is the opportunity to add a woman to the board. You, as individuals had confidence in their judgment and re- spect when you took one to yourself to make your life complete"
 William T. Hincks referred to the 300 teachers and the 14,OOO school of education commands. "If this matter of placing women on the board of education was left to a blind vote of the school teachers,' opinion of individual teachers obtain ed by yourselves but I mean a vote that would be absolutely untrace- able, believe that the teachers would ing one or more women on the board of education. There are lot of things which occur in the schools which the teachers cannot consult you about can they go to with these troubles? If there was woman on the board wouldn't they go to her and wouldn't Ihe bring about a closer understand ing between teachers and their su- pertors2 believe enlightened public opinion favors this matter and there g an opportunity before you which should not be lost"
 After the petitioners had been heard the members of the board de- ,ided to defer final decision on the natter until the next regular meet ng on Feb. 12.
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