Women in politics has a long history in Phillipston and reflects the changes seen in many of the North Quabbin towns.
Since 1879, Massachusetts women had been granted the right to vote in school committee elections, an area which it was felt women may have unique perspective due to their traditional role in educating children. Prior to that the state Legislature had received a petition signed by 8,682 signers in support of women’s suffrage, according to the Spirit of Phillipston by Carole J. Gariepy and M. Jane French. Of those signers 56 were from Phillipston.
Despite being able to vote in school committee elections, the right was still a more difficult path for women, at that time. Female citizens faced a $2 state poll tax to vote, a large sum at that time, especially considering the school committee was the only race they could vote in. Women also had to pay the poll tax and register two weeks prior to an election with the assessors. Once women arrived at the polls, they had to produce a receipt showing they had paid the tax prior to voting. Thus no woman in Phillipston registered to vote until 1910, according to the Phillipston History.
In 1910, the women of Phillipston had their say at a controversial school committee meeting. The controversy swirled around a school teacher, Miss Naylor, a teacher at the No. 1 school house in town. Miss Naylor boarded at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln and was transported the two miles to school, by Mr. Lincoln, according to the town history. Concerns were raised about whether it was proper for the two to be riding in the wagon together. This had evolved into a question of whether Miss Naylor indeed was a proper person to teach the children.
On the ballot were people who both supported and were against Miss Naylor. During that election, 22 women voted to support the candidate that supported the teacher. When the opponents learned of this they encouraged six women against Miss Naylor to register. In the end Miss Naylor’s case was won. Despite this victory, Naylor later resigned, refusing to do so prior to the vote, as she knew she had done nothing wrong, the history states. In 1920, women finally achieved the right to vote with the passage of the 19th Amendment.
In 1977, women took another important step into politics when Opal Clark became the first woman elected to the board of selectman. Clark also served as the first female town moderator being first elected in 1988.
Even today, history can be seen in the Phillipston elections. The ballot boxes still used at today’s elections are the Perfection Ballot Boxes manufactured by the Perfection Ballot Box Company, in Worcester in 1901.
Carla Charter is a freelance writer from Phillipston. Her writing focuses on history with a particular interest in the history of the North Quabbin area. Contact her at cjfreelancewriter@earthlink.net.