Laura J. Eisenhuth
Laura J. Eisenhuth | |
---|---|
4th North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction | |
In office 1893–1894 | |
Preceded by | John Ogden |
Succeeded by | Emma F. Bates |
Personal details | |
Born | Laura Kelly May 29, 1859 Blenheim, Ontario |
Died | September 30, 1937 Medford, Oregon | (aged 78)
Spouse(s) | Willis Eisenhuth, Ludwig Alming |
Laura J. Kelly Eisenhuth (later Laura Kelly Alming) (May 29, 1859 – September 30, 1937) was an educator and politician from North Dakota. When she was elected the state's superintendent of public instruction in 1892, she became the first woman in the United States to win an election for state office.[1][2][3][4]
Early life
Laura J. Kelly was born in
Educator
Not long after the couple's marriage and Laura's move to Carrington, she was asked, thanks to her eleven years' experience as an educator, to substitute for the local schoolteacher, who had resigned one month into the school year. She was meant to be a temporary substitute, but ended up serving out the year; at her return the next year she was provided an assistant. In 1889, she was elected superintendent of schools for Foster County, North Dakota, winning reelection the next year. In 1890, she received an appointment as a state institute conductor, overseeing operations for eight teacher institutes in northern North Dakota. That year the Democratic Party endorsed her to run for the position of North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction.[6] Women in the state were only permitted to vote on matters involving schools, and this was the only statewide office for which they could vote; consequently, Eisenhuth reasoned, there was no reason she should not be eligible for the post. She lost, with 45% of the vote, and returned to her institute work, conducting workshops in the southern part of the state.
In 1892, Eisenhuth was endorsed once again by the Democratic Party for the state superintendent election, this time also picking up an endorsement from the
In her role as superintendent, Eisenhuth emphasized professional development, conducting many teacher training workshops herself.
Later life
Due largely to the health issues from which Willis was suffering, the couple suffered great financial hardships after Laura left office. They lost the newspaper which he had founded in Carrington, as well as the drugstore in that town and their home and possessions in Bismarck, due to unpaid county taxes. She ran for her old position in 1896 and 1900, but lost both races. Her husband died in May 1902,
See also
- List of North Dakota superintendents of public instruction
- North Dakota Department of Public Instruction
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "History: ND elected first woman to be administrator of a state office". Bismarck Tribune. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
- ^ a b North Dakota (1932). "Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction". Biennial Report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. 1888/90-1918/20: Public document: 43 v.
- ^ "Milestones for Women in American Politics". Center for American Women and Politics.
- ^ Magazine, Smithsonian. "How the American West Led the Way for Women in Politics". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-60871-007-2.
- ^ "Suffrage at the Constitutional Convention: School votes and Laura Eisenhuth". Prairie Public Broadcasting. 2020-08-10. Archived from the original on 2022-03-21. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
- ISBN 978-0-87436-960-1.
- ^ North Dakota Department of State. "North Dakota Blue Book, 2017-2019". Digital Horizons. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
- ^ "Women Wielding Power-North Dakota". nwhm.org. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
- ^ "Laura J. Kelly Eisenhuth Alming (1859-1937) -..." www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
- ^ "Willis H. B. Eisenhuth (1857-1902) - Find a Grave..." www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2022-03-21.