Evening star., 1927-03-31
WOMAN WITH NAME OF MAN
PICKED FIRST FOR JURY DUTY
Mrs. Ernest Parkinson Gets
Summons Apparently
by Mistake:
Will Appear Tuesday in
Court, Ready for Service,
if Selected.

The first woman to be drawn for
jury service in the District of Column
bia under the new law has received her
|'summons by mistake because her first
name misled authorities who evidently
thought they were picking a man Tor
jury duty.
Mrs. Parkinson, whose first name is
Ernest, is the wife of H. L. Parkinson,
and resides at S713 r street. She re-
Gently received summons, which she
could have refused under the law, had
she desired. But evidently pleased
with the opportunity afforded, Mrs.
Parkinson today expressed her deter
mination to appear as ordered in Grim
inal Division 1 of the District Supreme
Court next Tuesday morning at 10
O'Clock. Whether Mrs. Parkinson will
be sworn in as a juror depends upon
developments in court that morning,
but she now bears the distinction of
having been the first woman drawn
for service, since Congress during the
last session enacted legislation autho-
riZing jury service for women in the
District. Such service is not compul-
sorry, however, as any woman who de-
sires may be relieved from it simply
on request.
Opposes Sex Leniency.
Asked what her attitude as juror
would be towards women defendants,
Mrs. Parkinson said she believed no
woman defendant should be given
leniency because of sex.
Il believe" she said, that women
should be given the same kind of fair,
well-considered judgment as men, but
no defendant who would come before
II sxyAr RRxNv1
sideration or additional protection be-
cause she wore skirt"
OF pleasing personality and address,
Mrs. Parkinson Is direct and straight
forward, and has her hair cut in an
up-to-date, but not an extreme bob.
Comes from Arkansas.
Although not a native Washingto-
nian, Mrs. Parkinson came to this city
from Arkansas in 1900 and has since
made her residence here, having
served the Government at various
times between 1900 and 1923. So she
has had a residence here of 27 years,
the better to establish her as typical
Washington woman for the post Of
first woman juror.
A housewife who keeps her home
shining and has pride in 1t, Mrs.
Parkinson has also had a wide expert
ence in civic affairs and organizations
in the city, including a connection
with the Juvenile Court, which, her
friends point out, better, equips her
for the responsibilities of woman
juror. She was volunteer probation
officer in non-support cases for the
Juvenile Court for one year, until
Congress appropriated money for a
paid worker in 1915. She helped Or
ganize the Juvenile Protective Asso-
citation in 1916 and was it's acting ex-
ecutive secretary. She was also chair
man of a committee on dependent and
neglected children for the Monday
Evening Club during the year in
which a special study was made Of all
local child.caring institutions.
Wanted Overseas Duty.
Her Government service included
that of statistical clerk in the United
State Census of 1900 and connections
with the Forest Service, Bureau of
Animal Industry and Children's Bu-
reau. She later. was in the child labor
tax division, Bureau of Internal Rev
enue, as chief of certification section.
In this position she travelled exten-
sively through the Southern States
inspecting and investigating condi-
tions in the cotton mills and other in
dustries of the South.
One of her disappointments, Mrs.
Parkinson said, was that during the
war, after she had attended the Ma
tional Service School, received diplo-
mas in Red Cross courses, was slated,
for overseas work and had even re-
ceived her passports, she was unable
to fulfill this service, due to the arm
istice. She had mastered facility in
sending and receiving wireless mes
sageS.
Mrs. Parkinson has been known in
several church circles of the city, as
she has been soprano soloist at the
Metropolitan Presbyterian Church,
Evangelical Christian Science Church
and Temple Baptist Church.