Page:Women of Ohio; a record of their achievements in the history of the state (Vol. I).djvu/90

Minutes of August 19, 1829 recorded that MISS CLARISSA LINDLEY had been engaged to teach for one quarter in the fifth ward, at the rate of $18.00 per month. So Clarissa was in all probability the first woman teacher employed in the Cincinnati public schools. Nor was her salary low, in com- parison with the then average payment to “female” teachers in subscription schools. Men were paid from $20.00 to $25.00 per month. Surely nobody would have expected a woman’s earnings to equal those of a man, no matter how much more efficiently she might function. Clarissa Lindley commenced to teach Aug. 2 , 1829. Minutes of Oct. 19, 1829 record the employment of MISS E. WERK and of MISS CAROLINE LINDLEY, sister of Clarissa, at the same salary. MISS GIBSON was also employed but her salary was only $14.00 per month. On Nov. 23rd the board minutes show that MRS. LUCRETIA MATTHEWS was engaged to teach in the first ward, and MISS ELIZA WERTH, MISS SOPHRONIA GILMAN. MISS ELIZABETH LEDYARD and MISS SARAH COMSTOCK were also employed as public school teachers about this time. Within the next 10 years, more than 50 women were teachers in the “female department” — this classification was still continued for a number of years — of the “common” schools of Cincinnati. Among them were several who had by now obtained recognition for their ability as school administrators and had been appointed to the position of “female” department principals. MARGARET WING was principal of this department at the First District School, MARGARET TAIT at the Fourth District. About this time male principals were paid $500 per annum and female principals $250 a year. This was $50 less than was being received by male assistants, whose salary was $300. Female assistants got $200 a year—and doubtless were regarded as lucky to obtain this much. It would be many and many a year— nearly a century, in fact, before the principle of equal pay for equal work, regardless of sex, was established in Cincinnati schools. But at last it was, not only in this city but virtually throughout the country. The list of female teachers for 1841 shows, in addition to the women principals above mentioned. MARY JANE MILLER, MARY BLAKE, IRENE ROOT, LOUISA MULLIKIN, ELIZABETH FLINTHAM, MARIA D. BUCK- LEY, HENRIETTA VALETTE, SARAH PANCOAST, AND HANNAH LAFERTY. To these had been added, by 1842, REBECCA FOLGER, ELIZABETH JAMES, MARIA MOSHER, CHARLOTTE DAVIS, AUGUSTA HILTON, ELIZA SMITH, FRANCES BAUMAN, ELIZABETH MATHEWSON, CLARA BEST, MARY CLARK, ELIZABETH STEER, SARAH STEER, REBECCA PALMER, ELIZABETH LEWIS, LUCY LOOKER, RUTH LANGDON, EMMA LEWIS, HARRIET DAWSON, ELIZABETH CRANE, ELIZABETH LE- COUNT, ANNA PHILPOT, SARAH GLENDENNING, ANN MCNAUGHTON,