Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-06-24

law school opened its doors here to
mixed classes, Mrs. Lockwood and IA
other women took advantage of this
unusual opportunity and matriculated.
Only two of these finished the course,
Mrs. Lockwood and Miss Lydia S. Hall.
In the meantime the sentiment of the
students had changed to such an ex-
tent that the faculty would not permit
the woman graduates to receive their
diplomas. and. indeed, 1t was not until
more than a year later that our preSi-
Dental candidate was able TO obtain
her much coveted sheepskin. The
names of these women today do not
appear in the list Of graduates as print
ed at the time. How strange 1t seems.
and yet how humanity natural, that In
reading over the names of the gradu-
ates as given, only one person, so far
as / know. is living today. and that
one Is Judge Hosea B. Moulton, who
was mentioned in these columns last
Sunday as being the only living sur
vivor of the Arsenal explosion OF 1864.
On being admitted to the bar of the
Supreme Court Of the District of CO.
iumbia, the clerk Is said to have re-
marked You went through today,
Mrs. Lockwood, like a knife. You see
the world moves in our day"
Justice David X. Cartier upon this
occasion is recorded as having said:
Madam, If you come into this court
we shall treat you like man."
Justice Arthur Macarthur was not
quite so generous or complimentary
He said: Bring on as many woman
lawyers as you choose. ! do not be-
lieve they win be a success
The Court of Claims and the United
CnfJFf tflrF1ad AsNvut
fiat. The former, first because she was
woman" and subsequently because
she was married wonanl" In Oc-
tooer 1875, Mrs Lockwood presented
herself at the bar of the United States
Supreme Court and applied for admis-
sion to practice, through the motion of
A. G.. Riddle a prominent member of
the Washington bar. At this late day,
when SO many women are practicing
law before the courts and filling the
highest State and national Offices every
where throughout the country, it will
be interesting To know just what the
Supreme Court said in answer to her
application This is 1t in substance
las this court knows no English prece-
dent for the admission OF women to
the bar, 1t declines to admit, unless
there shall be more extended public
opinion. or special legislation.
n u
A FTrER repeated efforts TO lobby a
bill through Congress having for
its purpose the admission Of women to
practice before the United States SUI
preme Court, such a bill finally became
law In February, 1879, and on March
3, 1879, on motion Of A. q Riddle, Mrs.
Lockwood was the first woman admitted
to practice before that court. Three
days later Thomas j. Durant moved
her admission TO the bar of the United
States Court of Claims, and from that
time on all avenues to the courts were
open to her and to her sex.
This was the woman who was NOM
mated for the presidency in 1884 by
the women of California. On the
ticket. as vice presidential candidate,
was Mrs. Marietta L. b. Stow OF San
Francisco.
IL was not long before eongratula-
lions were pouring In ON Mrs, Lock-
wood One letter from Clara s. FoItz,
Mary j. Holt, Elizabeth j. Corbett,
M D., and Marietta l.. Stow read
Madam We, undersigned. have the
honor to congratulate you as the FIRST
woman ever nominated for the highest
office in the gift of a nation, and we
further congratulate you upon the COR
dial manner In which the nomination
has been received by both people and
press"
Replying to this, Mrs, Lockwood
wrote.
"Mesdameg: Your letter of eongfat-
| ulation reached me in due tima and
am proud To have such coterie OF
| able women at my back
NOW. without stopping 10 look back
| LET us sae what few earnest, capable
women can do,
DO not fan To have q State cenycn-