Women in Education A Look at Southern Arizona in the Early 20th Century

2219 Words5 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Essay on women education

Women in Education A Look at Southern Arizona in the Early 20th Century

Once part of the early western frontier, southern Arizona has undergone many changes in regards to its principles and ideals throughout the years. Women have played a large role in this changing of principles and ideals, creating rights that they deserved but did not always have. One such right is the right to present and obtain a good education through the home and the public system. During the early 20th century there has been a conscious move by society to allow for a greater opportunity for women to become better educated and to educate others. This form of a women's movement began in the home and pushed its way through the public system. We have the men and women in southern Arizona of the early 20th century to thank for the opportunities in education presented to both genders, but more specifically women, in the present day.

It is important to say why education is such a necessity. History has shown that the more educated person is the one who survives the longest, is more successful in business, and overall enjoys life more than a person who is non-educated. Women have not always been offered a good education because education brings on new ways of thinking, and in a male dominated society (such as the U.S. was in the early 20th century) this can create havoc in the home and in society. Just as slave owners in the south did not want their slaves to become educated for fear of rebellion, this male dominated society did not want women to become educated because they would want more and more of what the men had. In its most basic form, not providing an education to women was a method of suppression. Fortunately though, w...

... middle of paper ...

...d education was available to all genders. "As soon as we got accustomed to our work, the difference of sex had no bearing on our decisions. But it is doubtful if anyone else, besides ourselves, realized this." (Elsie Toles 1974) It was not an easy road to travel but these women took the time to put their hearts into something that was worth establishing - a better system of education for all people in Arizona.

Works Cited

Arizona Historical Society. Elsie Toles. MS # 789.

"Elsie Toles: First Woman State Superintendent of Schools of Arizona." Cochise Quarterly. Dec (1974): 21-25.

Peplow, Edward H. "Territorial Arizona's Struggle to Found a School System." Arizona Days and Ways Magazine. (March 6, 1960): 44-45, 47.

Wells, Reba. "Cora Viola Howell Slaughter - Southern Arizona Ranchwoman." The Journal of Arizona History. (1989): 391-415.

Show More
Related

  • Mary Surratt: An American Secret

    1804 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...mes, and Paul Boyer. Notable American Women, 1607-1950. Volume III: P-Z. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1971. Print.

    Read More

  • The Heroines of the Western Schoolhouse

    3357 Words  | 7 Pages

    Women of the Western schoolhouse had a reputation for instilling values and lessons to the children of the frontier. They were historical heroines who chose to journey all the way from the East just to hear the sounds of children learning. According to Anne M. Butler, in her book Uncommon Common Women, these women left behind their family and friends, "took teacher training, signed two-year contracts, and set forth for unknown sites " (68). Schoolteachers on the frontier must have had an incredible love for children in order to deal with the difficulties the West placed in their way.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Low Class In America By Gregory Mantsios

    955 Words  | 2 Pages

    In order to break through the status quo of poverty for generations, there needs to be more efficiency on education. In our current society, establishments would rather hire someone who well qualified with college degree rather than just a high school education. For our modern day survival we need education because it will give up opportunities and help we need to become successful. The higher a person educational degree the more invested opportunity to move up in the ranks in our

    Read More

  • Informative Speech: Breed Specific Legislation

    743 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...ed by owner or animal that is not covered by another, non-breed specific portion of the Animal Control Code (i.e., vicious animal, nuisance animal, leash laws).”

    Read More

  • Breed-Specific Legislation Should Be Banned

    1107 Words  | 3 Pages

    One of the biggest issues with BSL is breed identification. A law that bans a “vicious” being is too broad and can encompass many individuals as it is a personality trait rather than a breed. These laws would then be dependent on what the legislators would define “vicious” to mean. Likewise, there is confusion on what breeds are dangerous. Dogsbite.org claims that breeds such as wolf-dog hybrids, dogo argentinos, presa breeds, cane corsos, and especially pit bulls are indeed dangerous animals and should be banned. However, there are discrepancies involved in even that statement. Of the listed breeds perhaps the most commonly targeted is the pit bull. But what exactly does anyone mean by pit bull? Merriam Webster defines “pit bull” as follows, “a dog (as an American Staffordshire Terrier) of any of several breeds or a real or apparent hybrid with one or more of these breeds that was developed for and is now often trained for fighting and is noted for strength and stamina”. On the contrary, the United Kennel Club has recognized the American Pit Bull Terrier, also called APBT, as a standalone breed since 1898 when UKC founder C.Z. Bennett registered her APBT Bennet’s Ring (Uk...

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Animal Dilemmas

    759 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are plenty controversial issues about bully breeds and whether they are acceptable or safe dogs to own. In July a woman was mauled in her yard and killed by a dog in Montreal. Due to this unfortunate incident the mayor Denis Coderre created a bill called BSL (Breed-Specific Legislation) which was approved by the legislation. This bill states that determined by their breed or pitbull features “American Pitbull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, American Bulldogs or any dog with strains of these breeds” will be unadoptable; they must wear a muzzle in public as well as a leash that’s 4 feet long and in most cases they will be euthanized due to their breed. BSL should be reversed because the real problem is irresponsible dog owners, the irresponsible owners will just switch breeds and any dog has the potential to hurt someone.

    Read More

  • Breed Specific Legislation

    1588 Words  | 4 Pages

    Many people believe it is only Pit-bulls and Rottweilers that are targeted by BSL laws, but there are various breeds of dogs targeted with Breed Specific Legislation. In fact, there are 75 dog breeds in the United States that have been banned or restricted with BSL laws (75 dog breeds…, 2012). This list includes numerous shapes and sizes of dogs, from all different backgrounds. Most of the dogs on this list are common household pets, like the Labrador retriever, and are normally non-aggressive and very friendly. Many times these dogs show no sign of aggression and pose no threat to society.

    Read More

  • Women's Suffrage in the 1800’s-19th Century

    1178 Words  | 3 Pages

    As mentioned above, women’s role were unjust to the roles and freedoms of the men, so an advanced education for women was a strongly debated subject at the beginning of the nineteenth century (McElligott 1). The thought of a higher chance of education for women was looked down upon, in the early decades of the nineteenth century (The American Pageant 327). It was established that a women’s role took part inside the household. “Training in needlecraft seemed more important than training in algebra” (327). Tending to a family and household chores brought out the opinion that education was not necessary for women (McElligott 1). Men were more physically and mentally intellectual than women so it was their duty to be the educated ones and the ones with the more important roles. Women were not allowed to go any further than grammar school in the early part of the 1800’s (Westward Expansion 1). If they wanted to further their education beyond grammar, it had to be done on their own time because women were said to be weak minded, academically challenged and could n...

    Read More

  • Education in America of the 18th Century

    1009 Words  | 3 Pages

    Education did not form part of the life of women before the Revolutionary War and therefore, considered irrelevant. Women’s education did not extend beyond that of what they learned from their mothers growing up. This was especially true for underprivileged women who had only acquired skills pertaining to domesticity unlike elite white women during that time that in addition to having acquired domestic skills they learned to read a result becoming literate. However, once the Revolutionary War ended women as well as men recognized the great need for women to obtain a greater education. Nonetheless, their views in regards to this subject differed greatly in that while some women including men believed the sole purpose of educating women was in order to better fulfil their roles and duties as wives and mothers others believed the purpose of education for women was for them “to move beyond the household field.” The essays of Benjamin Rush and Judith Sargent Murray provide two different points of view with respects to the necessity for women to be well educated in post-revolutionary America.

    Read More

  • An Argument Against Breed-Specific Legislation

    2742 Words  | 6 Pages

    The term “breed-specific legislation” is not one that comes up often in day-to-day discussion for most people. Breed-specific legislation refers to all laws that seek to restrict or eliminate ownership of certain animal breeds, most often dog breeds. It was first conceived as a method of controlling and reducing animal cruelty, as well as mitigating the occurrence of dog-related human injuries and the illegal activities of dog-fighting and related crimes. Breed-specific legislation is distinct from animal control laws that restrict ownership of wild or demonstrably dangerous (those with a past history of unacceptable, aggressive behavior) animals, because breed-specific legislation makes a blanket restriction on all animals of a certain breed regardless of individual history. This means that breed-specific legislation is often promulgated on the basis of breed reputation. In recent years it is the pit bull which has come under the scrutiny of legislative bodies, as their reputation becomes more and more sullied by street crime.

    Read More

  • Mary Wollstonecraft: The Life Of Women And Society

    943 Words  | 2 Pages

    The scarce amount of women who were fortunate enough to obtain schooling sadly did not receive enough to meet society’s expectations, or lead a content lifestyle (Tomaselli). Wollstonecraft believed that education should be equal for both men and women. She argued that women are capable and have the right to be learn about important subjects, including reading, writing, arithmetic, botany, history, and philosophy (Powell). Wollstonecraft even emphasized the significance of physical education (Powell). She called for reforms, suggesting that schools be mixed regarding sex so as to “‘form a just opinion of ourselves’” (“On National Education”). As mentioned earlier, Wollstonecraft did her part to advocate for this by opening a school, but was forced to close it in a short amount of time (“On National Education”).

    Read More

  • Mexican Immigration

    1044 Words  | 3 Pages

    3. Anita Edgar Jones, "Mexican Colonies in Chicago," Social Service Review 2 ( December 1928): 39-54.

    Read More

  • Breed Discrimination Essay

    1344 Words  | 3 Pages

    Thesis: “Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) is the banning or restriction of specific breeds of dogs considered “dangerous”, such as pit bull breeds, Rottweilers, Mastiffs, and German shepherds amongst many others” according to the American Humane Association (2013). It is an inaccurate and unfair attempt at regulating dog attacks by restricting ownership of certain breeds categorized as aggressive.

    Read More

  • Feminism Vs Second Wave Feminism

    1875 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the early 20th century, many women went to college and worked professionally, but the mid-20th century myth of the middle-class suburban housewife downplayed the importance of women's education. Feminists knew that girls and women must be encouraged to seek an education, and not just "something to fall back on," if they were to become, and be seen as, fully equal. In her article, "The Long Way Home," Myrna Kostash discusses her experiences as a feminist in university. "It was 1963 and there was none of us who did not believe we would be different from the brigades of women in the suburbs. We were students. We would be clever, and we would travel, and we would have adventures." (Kostash, The Long Way Home, 167.) University provided the perfect place for like-minded women to meet, extend their influence and advocate for change. "Although university women continued to be the support base of the women's liberation groups, it was not unusual when their meetings included young working women, high school students, middle-aged housewives, single mothers, women from old left groups" (Kostash, The Long Way Home, 170.) Yet, although women were more educated then they had been in the past, the only socially acceptable role for them was to get married and have children. The second wave of feminism sought to change this perception and fought to give women opportunities on par with men including wage equality, maternity benefits, and the right

    Read More

  • African American Women In The 19th And 20th Century

    622 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Between 1870 and 1920, the number of women in the work forces more than doubled.” (pg. 500) Many contributions had led to this. The woman of America had various jobs during the period. Such jobs these ladies had were being care takers, servants, textile workers, and social workers. Many women however took a turn in the century and began taking control of college. With this came greater opportunities because “there were nearly 1,000 women social workers in 1890 and nearly 30,00...

    Read More

More about Women in Education A Look at Southern Arizona in the Early 20th Century

Open Document