The Wilmington morning star., 1946-02-10
Tribute Paid To "State's First
Woman" Mrs. Cornelia P. Jerman

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seven years, and resigning in 1912
returned to Raleigh and again be-
came active in the local club, ac-
cepting the craftsmanship OF the
house committee and giving to this
rather simple but important job
her full interest and attention-evi-
dence that she counted no club
work too lowly for her to perform.
What it is not easy to do is to
accurately estimate the hours and
days and years of hard work Mrs.
Jerman freely gave il club and
other work not required by the Of
fices she held, and to what she
would term my duties as a citi-
zen." Her unpretentious but COM
Portable, livable home in Raleigh
was always open to clubWomen and
friends who sought her counsel and
advice, and these were legion. The
little stenographer seeking a job;
the new clubWoman wanting to
know how to do her job; the young
widow wanting to know how to care
for her competence and rear her
children alone, as Mrs. Jerman
had done; the young aspirant for
political career; women planning
bond sales and other war work:
a Governor wanting to know what
the women want" all these went
to her and she patiently, cheerful
ly gave of her wisdom, experience
and knowledge, her best advice,
Had she been paid for this service
she would have been fabulously
rich. Instead she became rich in
the possession of love and graft
tude from a host of friends. Onlv
when she was assistant collector of
Internal Revenue did she receive
salary.
1t was the experience of a life
time to see Mrs. Jerman preside
over 2 gathering of women. Tall.
stately, poised, she was a COM
mandlng presence. She knew par.
hamentary law to the letter and
was always a just and fair pre-
siding officer. She possessed a con-
tralto voice Of carrying power, and
with a ready flow of chaste, force
tul English, she was always in de.
mand for speeches - to introduce
celebrities, to speak in the Demo-
cratic party campaigns, and to ad-
dress clubs. Kate Burr johnson
once said of her: Mrs. Jerman is
always best on the floor of a club
meeting when she is rallying wom-
en- to support a cause she believes
IN. There is meat in every word
she says and they eat it up.''
1t was in such capacity as this
that Mrs. Jerman rendered her
last service to her local club. and
to the Federation. She knew that
the organization she loved and
served so faithfully was on a firm
basis and destined to continue to
serve her state, for she herself had
during her administration done
much to put it there. Headquarters
mad been established, the magazine
started, and a budget system
adopted, She had helped to raise
the first $4,000 of the Endowment
Fund, and was now helping to add
an additional $4,000. So, at the
January meeting of the Raleigh
club. she presented the appeal for
the fund and the club unanimously
adopted her motion that it accept
Its quota. The Raleigh Junior Won- |
ans club, meeting few hours aft
er Mrs. Jerman had been laid to
rest beside her husband under q
stalWart oak tree in Oakwood Gem.
etery, wrote to her family: 1--WE
realize fully the great effort. per.
sonal sacrifice and devotion which
Mrs. Jerman gave to the Fedora
ton. which we as Juniors shared.
1t Is with humility and grateful
ness that we memorialize her bv
sending $3.50 to the Endowment
Fund"
Others have contributed to the
fund In Mrs. Jerman's memory.
Inc North Carolina Federation of |
Woncea's clubs will keep alive her |
spirit by continuing in unselfish |
service where service is needed.