Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-02-28
EIGHT Men FIGHT
ONELONE WOMAN
Kansas Politicians Thought Her
Real Joke at First, but
Changed Minds.


Kansas City, Feb. ga woman is
battling eight men for a place on the
school board Of this city. Here is her
platform:
When a teacher has any fault to
find with a child she sends for its
mother, not its father, and why should
woman not serve on the school
bOard?"
When equal suffrage carried in Kan
sas last fall the men politicians said
II did not mean women should hold
oiiice-they could, of course. but ID
would not ."be best"
When the spring campaign open
ed. among the cards was one that
differed from the others. II did not
." picture in one corner; II did
not have written across It the state
ment that taxes would be reduced"
or mat mo negroes would be employ
ed, or some other catch line. II was
Just a plain business card, and it said:
DIR. JESSIE S. NEWRRK,
Candidate for
Member Of the Board OF Education.
The politicians laughed when the
card FIRST appeared and said 1t was
all Joke, and she would not even
be nominated, Rot alone elected, but
when she was endorsed by every one
OF the mothers clubs in the 33 schools
~ the city and by the council Of
Women's clubs the men began to take
the Joke as more serious.
The 10 men who also are candidates
FOR the position on the board of edu-
cation began 10 explain why a woman
should not be a member OF the board
Of education.
She would be up so late at night"
they said. Il am up at all hours at
tending TO my practice" she replied.
The men smoke at the meetings
OF the board" the men candidates ex.
plalned. They could stop" she re-
piled.
Sometimes things are said that a
woman should not hear" the men ex.
plained. What are they?" she asked
Then the woman asked the men
members OF the board OF education
ana the three who are running for
reelection one question, which re-
mains unanswered.
You receive no salaries for being
members Of the board of education.
and why is II you are spending money
IN a campaign TO be elected to an
unsalaried office"
Mrs. NewkIrk is making speeches
Just like other candidates, but she
SAYS she IS not going to hire an auto
mobile or rent halls or pay workers.
She says she can be elected without
going TO this trouble and the club
women who are backing her say that
April l they will prove this to be a
fact
They have distributed handbills
which appeal to the mothers TO vote
for Mrs. Newkirk, who is herself a
mother. She has one son u years
old, pupil in one OF the city schools.
These bills read:
HAVE YOU A CHILD IN SCHOOL?
Are you Interested in making our
schools more efficient. more attractive
and more healthful for our boys and
girls We, the women OF Kansas
City, Kan, are virtually interested.
and the men ought to be. and we
are going TO elect a woman on the
board OF education who will in a
capable and trustworthy manner be
the guardian OF our interests and your
interests and the interests OF the
school children
Register now and vote later for
DIR. JESSIE S. NEWKIRK."
Il feel there are many things a
woman will see that men do not see."
Mrs. Newkirk said. Women will not.
Tee where a touch here and there will
beautify and where she can save on
this or that by doing II differently.
] am a graduate in medicine and Will
be In this way more able to tell about
health conditions. II one OF the board
Is woman I cannot but believe the
others will feel more confidence in
the board"
Do Won EuOrv that n-or. -