Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-17
MOTHERHOOD MAY
BAR DIR. WILSON FROM
SCHOOL PROMOTION
Friends Fear Education Board
Will Disregard Her as Can
didate for Superintendent
MATTER OF DEL1cACY"
Normal School Head Has Trained
Mute Son Herself-He Will Enter
Harvard This Year at Age of 16
Age of 16

Dr. Lucy Langdon williams wilso
may be deprived OF higher Office in tn
public school system because she is
mother.
The fact that she has a son. who 4
about to enter Harvard University, II
being used against her In her fight fol
| promotion Mrs Wilson's child was borr
mute. In consequence Of the efforts Of
his mother the lad was taught TO speak.
! Under her direction he has mastered as
tronomy. horticulture and all Of the an
| Client and modern languages. lie quail
ned for entrance into Harvard at the age
| Of 16
Mrs. Wilson is the wife Of Or. william
p. Wilson. curator Of the Commercial
Museums. She is an explorer Of interna-
tional reputation and has assembled the
heights OF the Andes. She is head Of the
department Of biology at the Philadelphia
Normal School and principal Of the VIII
liam Penn Evening High School for
Girls
ALUMNAE FAVOR DOCTOR WILSON.
Civic clubs and alumnae Of the public
schools who have been prepared for the
teaching profession by Mrs Wilson are
urging that she be promoted either to
the prlncipalship of the new South Phila-
dephia High School or to the superin-
tendency of the entire public school sys-
tenn. Mrs. Wilson was candidate for
the principalship several months ago.
Her name opposed that Of DR.. William
f. Gray. The vote resulted in a dead
lock. and the office has not yet been
filled. Meanwhile Dr. William c. Jacobs,
Superintendent of Schools. died, and that
Office was also left vacant
Friends of Doctor Wilson are deter
mined that her work as an educator shall
be recognized, and that motherhood shall
not bar her from larger field Of activ-
ity. She should not be penalized, they
say, for exercising the most sacred duty
that a woman can perform.
MATTER OF "DELICACY."
A member Of the Board of Education
said today:
This matter is one of such extreme
that / do not care to have my
name mentioned. But. really, l do not
believe that n woman who has a family
should be permitted TO teach at all, II,
by any special provision of the law, she
s given a position, she should at least
lot be promoted, so that single women
will be deprived of higher office
"I have been told that Mrs Wilson'S /
lusband earns a large and sufficient sal !
Try. There are thousands of women In |
he city who are not so fortunate as to
,e married, and who therefore stand in !
greater need OF compensation by taxpay-
RS. There are also hundreds Of men
mployed in the school system who have
antilles to support. If they are capable
f filling executive positions, why not per-
nit thom to attain advancement"
DOCTOR WILSON AN EXCEPTION.
1t was explained that a rule of the
'oard of Education forbids the employ
lent OF married women in any capacity
Mess they can prove, by affidavit, that
hey are widows or that their husbands
re mentally or physically incapacitated
Irs. Wilson'S case was an exception un-
er the rule because she was a teacher
efore 1t was passed. The law could not
fleet women already in the employ of
he Board OF Education when the ruling
'as made.
While Mrs. Wilson cannot be dismissed
rom her present position. her marriage
lay exclude her from promotion She
lay be further handicapped by being a
lother. :