Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-07-01

VA 7 u. u, June Z6.-lt is
w ladies' day in the halls of fame.
The League of Women Voters is
| earnestly trying to compile list of the ~
greatest living American women for the
benefit of waiting Chilean public.
At the same time the Womans Universal
Alliance is busily engaged in scouting out
the famous feminine dead The alliance
wants to know the rs greatest women of
world history. Statues of them are to be
erected in the Women's Hall of Fame that
the alliance is to build in this city. This
organization is also trying to find out the
70 greatest women of each state so that
columns about the hall of fame can bear
their names. These women must be dead
too. Aside from that. any American wom-
an is eligible for the list.
Both organizations have invited the public
to help them make wise selection of names
for their particular purposes, and answers
have begun to pour in.
At the headquarters Of the League of
Women Voters they admit that they are not
much nearer a solution of their problem than
when the question was first propounded. The
Chilean senorita, Graciola Mandujano, GER
tainly started something when she casually
asked Mrs. aud Wood Park, president of
the league, for dozen names of the great
est American women. She wanted to write
magazine stories about them for her people,
the senorita explained. Mrs. Park decided
that she needed help. Her casual selection
might leave out women who would be of
greatest interest to South America. So the
public was informed Of the situation and the
excitement started.
Wanted as Examples
You can see that the purpose for which
the list is to be used must guide the selection
of the names. Our IL greatest women of to-
day are to be introduced to the South Amer
lean women as inspiring examples. They
are to indicate what American women are
achieving by character, service and talent
The name of Helen Keller which has been
mentioned in number of lists sent to the
league, probably will not be included in the
final selection. Miss Keller has been an in
sp1rat1on to thousands Of the handica pped
but in so brief a list the appeal OF each name
should preferably be to wider range of peo-
pie Miss Keller's teacher, Mrs. Sullivan
might be more helpful exar pie for the
women Of Chile. The patience, resourceful-
ness and determination of the teacher
brought Miss Keller back into the everyday
world.
1t is interesting to note the personal bias
that enters into the lists submitted. Most
OF the letters are written by educated Wom-
| en- with every desire to be impartial. Yet
it is possible to tell with reasonable certainty
whether set of names was chosen by club
woman, social worker or one of an artistic
| type
This is inevitable to a certain extent, and
the league is interested in all of the angles
| on the fame question. Scarcely any one per-
| son is sufficiently familiar with all occupa-
| tions to know and compare the greatness of
| the leaders. A woman doctor or scientist
could name at once half dozen women who
| rank high in her own line of work. But
could you, off-hand, out of your store of
general knowledge, reel off the names of a
| great woman doctor, politician, lawyer, poet,
scientist artist, business woman, mother
and musician? If you did, would another
person of your own education agree with the
| list? Yet out of large number of names,
written broadmindedly as possible, the
| League Of Women Voters thinks it will
finally be able to arrive at an intelligent sum-
mary of American womanhood.
The first to respond to the leagues call
for assistance have been club women and
women interested in politics. The outstand-
ing women in these fields figure prominent
ly in the lists submitted. Some are entire
| ly composed of leaders in women's move
ments. The names of Mrs. Carrie Chap
man Gait, Mrs. Thomas Winter, Mrs. Maud
Wood Park and Mrs. Harriet Taylor Upton
occur again and again.
The women seem to be less in agreement
in mentioning great women in other fields.
| This is strange because politics is a new VEN
ture for women, while they have been
artists, nurses and teachers for years. Yet
not one nurses name has been mentioned.
Nor has any scientist been named, and only
one woman doctor, and one educator.
Of the writer's, Agnes Repplier, Edith
Wharton, Amy Lowell, Agnes st. Vincent
Millay and Villa Gather have been named.