Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-05-10
FINAL MEETING
FOR THIS SESSION
WAS HELD BY THE MOTHERS
CLUB THURSDAY
Election of Officers Postponed to 2nd.
Thursday in August-Legal Opin-
ion Confirms Hope that Women
May Serve on School Boards.

ion Confirms Hope that Womel
May Serve on School Boards.
The last meeting of the Parent
Teachers Association, better knowr
as the Mothers Club, for the presen
school session, was held yesterday al
the public school, This was one OF
the most teresting Of all the meet
ings held by the club. 1t was well
attended and various subjects per
tanning to the plans of the club were
discussed very earnestly.
Mrs. w. Z. Hawkins, the presi-
dent, conducted the meeting. 1t
wa: expected that the election of of
Ulcers would be held at this meeting,
but it was decided to postpone the
cleo ion until the second Thursday
Of August
The club passed vote of thanks
to Prof. Hallmark, superintendent of
the public schools, and the other
members of the faculty for their CO.
Operation in the work of the club
the past year.
Prof Hallmark, speaking on be-
half of the school, expressed great
admiration for the efforts Of the
club. He declared that it was large
ly due to the work of the club that
this has been the most success ful
year in the entire history of the
Brownsville public school
Women on School Boards.
At recent meeting, it was de-
cided to request Judge Noah Allen
to give he club an opinion in regard
to the law governing the appoint
ment of women as school trustees.
| This opinion was handed in at yes
tcrday's meeting and was read to
the club by the secretary. Il was
especially agreeable to the members,
as it confirmed their belief that
women are eligible to membership
on the school board
The opinion in full follows
Brownsville Parent-Teachers' AS
sociation.
Ladies:
In compliance with your request
| Through your committee for an opin-
ion as to the eligibility of women
TO serve as members of the school
! board or as school trustees in the
city of Brownsville, also as superin-
tendent of the city schools, | beg to
submit he following conclusions:
First-The general rule is that
where eligibility depends upon cit
| izensh hip only, women are eligible to
hold the office in question:. & E.
Ency. Of Law, Vol. %, page 32.
Second-It is another well estab
lished rule that eligibility 20 office
does not belong exclusively or spec
tally to electors enjoying the right
to vote. 1t belongs equally to all
persons whomsoever not excluded by
| the constitution or the laws APP
rlicable to the office in question:
Harkreader vs.. State, 33 5. W. lis;
Stensoff vs.. State, S0th Texas, 420.
C5th S. w. 1000
| IN discussing the question Of
eligibility Of woman o hold the
office of county clerk, the supreme
court Of Missouri said I've regard
the question at bar as one depending
on the force and intent of the law
in this state, organic and statutory.
We hold that under that law there
is no express or implied barrier TO
the election Of woman to such an
office as that in question in this case,
and that her fellow citizens may call
her to discharge its duties if they
see fit."-State vs.. Hostetter, 39th,
S. W. 20.
In the case OF StensOff Us. State,
SOth Texas, above referred to, our
lown supreme court quotes with ap-
proval he following rule: "Eligibil-
lity TO Office is not declared as right
or principle by any express terms OF
the constitution but it results as q
lust deduction from the express
rowers and provisions of the system
The basis OF the principle Is the ab-
solute liberty of the electors and the
appointing authorities to choose ant
appoint any persons who are no
made ineligible by the constitution
Eligibility to office, therefore, be
llongs not exclusively or specially =
: electors enjoying the rights of SUI
frage II belongs equally to all pei
sons whomsoever not excluded o
e the constitution.
\ Third.-Under the laws of Texa
: AZ they existed prior TO 1905, IN
ha M n