It’s their time

Women can lead charge again

“The men have failed. It’s time to bring in the women.” — Adolphine Fletcher Terry

And so it was in the fall of 1958 when Governor Orval Faubus, supported by a referendum of the people of Little Rock, closed public education in the Little Rock high schools rather than integrate those schools. Adolphine Terry, a respected grand dame of the city and Vassar-educated, had been horrified by the decision. Better education in Arkansas had been her passion for decades, and she was undone that a white mob had terrorized black students to prevent their entry into Central High School.

“Where were the better citizens of Little Rock?” she asked. “Shame on us,” she added.

It was then she told

Harry Ashmore of the Arkansas Gazette that the men had failed, and it was now up to the women to do something about it. She and close friend Vivion Brewer did exactly that. They formed the Women’s Emergency Committee to Reopen the Schools, which became a political force in the city. She ultimately succeeded in her goal. At its height, 1,400 dedicated women were members of the committee.

As I look around at our frayed country, if not one in tatters with covid-19 combusting at will and racial unrest at a fever pitch, I ask myself, where are the voices to inspire us, and where are the bold leaders to take charge? There seems to be a dearth of both.

Adolphine Terry, however, was on to something very profound and visceral 60 years ago. It was that women were better equipped to take action and get something done, particularly when it came to the children. Terry and her group were not in the least intimidated by overbearing male confidence, threats, and chest-pounding. They efficiently organized, pursued their goal, and won.

Because of this and other early examples, I learned and valued that having women involved in times of crisis like we face today is not only important but essential. The United States has been a patriarchal society since its founding, as has most of the world. But in the last 40 years, this has been turned on its head as more and more women have combined careers and obligations on the home front. As a result, many have entered public service with great success.

It is the women in government who will ask for and listen to advice and use their skills to persuade. It is women who are not afraid to give a bit and mediate differences. It is women who act as a leveling force and bring the voice of reason and restraint to the table.

Ihave been impressed by several of the female governors and mayors during the pandemic and demonstrations. Not all female leaders are superior to their male counterparts, but many certainly are. What is so out of joint in our country is the gender imbalance in our leadership and government positions. It still prevails in 2020. Adolphine Terry would heartily agree that correcting this inequity is necessary and will benefit us all immeasurably.

And right to her point, we should also take to heart what Abigail Adams wrote to her husband, future president John Adams, in 1776. In addition to advising, “remember the ladies,” she wrote: “Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands. Remember all men would be tyrants, if they could.” She clearly used hyperbole to make her point. But she also thoroughly appreciated the strength of women and the innate wisdom and intelligence that women possess.

We must remember that in these perilous times, and honor and celebrate the vital role of women in government. Perhaps now is the time “to bring in the women.”