NAWSA General Correspondence Bigelow, Cora Somerset Street School Somerset Street, Boston, Mass. Telephone Bowdoin 2148-J Nov 1 - 1921 My dear Miss Blackwell - The following is from Basler School Records and therefore reliable - There has been no legislation especially for benefits of women teachers - All legislation has been general - However, many school committees interpret it in favor of men - by giving the highest professional positions to men and by paying the highest salaries to men. In Boston, the only place where salaries are not "equal for equal work" is in the High Schools - The High School women have sought relief by legislation several times but have been defeated to date - Boston principals of elementary schools receive a stated salary whether men or women - And men and women in the elementary class rooms receive the same salary - So do men and women in the higher executive offices - There has never been a woman principal of a High School - Simply because none ever applied - I don't know what ruling the School Committee would make if one did - but there is nothing prohibitive as to acquiring the proper certificate by any woman who wishes to do so -- Miss Fuller was appointed principal of the Horace Mann School for the Deaf on March 11 - 1857 Of course this was a special school with but small numbers -- When Roxbury was annexed Jan 6 - 1868, we "inherited" Miss Baker who was in charge of a regular Roxbury school district at the time of the annexation - After that Miss Carpenter was regularly appointed at the Wells School for Girls -- and we now have several women principals in girls' schools or mixed schools -- It has never seemed feasible to put a women principal over an "all boys'" school -- We have no women probation officers either but there is nothing to hinder their appointment now except the whim of the school committee. No married woman has ever been appointed to an executive position in the Boston Schools -- but if one of the women higher officials married while in office, she can still hold her position -- This, again, is due to the whim of the School Committee -- There is no legislation on the point, nor on the point that if a teacher marries she automatically resigns her position -- That, tho, is but the ruling of the school committee -- and they make two distinct and different rulings, one for the marriage of an official (woman) and the other for the marriage of the woman teacher. Women are eligible to all school offices and positions -- but that does not always mean equal salaries with men in parallel positions -- While there is no legislation SOMERSET STREET SCHOOL Somerset Street, Boston, Mass. Telephone Bowdoin 2148-J giving men more salary than women of equal preparation and equal work -- that is the interpretation in some instances when school committees feel disposed to pay less to women -- When new legislation can be put thru declaring equal pay for those who are equally prepared and doing equal work, regardless of sex, then women will have to receive equal pay! I think these are all the points -- and I hope I have stated them clearly. If not, let me know and I'll try again. Very sincerely yours, Cora Bigelow 36 Hancock St Boston Mass Tel Bowdoin 3138-R Cora Bigelow Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.