e father's death the mother shall come into as full and complete
control of the children and their estate as the father does in case of
the mother's death."

If the husband does not support the family, the wife may apply to the
Circuit Court and the Judge may issue such decree as he thinks
equitable, generally conforming to that in divorce cases, and may have
power to enforce its orders as in other equity cases.

The "age of protection" for girls was raised from 10 to 14 in 1864 and
from 14 to 16 years in 1895. The penalty is imprisonment not less than
three nor more than twenty years. The fact that the victim was a
common prostitute or the defendant's mistress is no excuse.

SUFFRAGE: In 1878 an Act was passed entitling women to vote for school
trustees and for bonds and appropriations for school purposes, if they
have property of their own in the school district upon which they or
their husbands pay taxes.

OFFICE HOLDING: Women are not eligible to any elective office, except
that of school trustee.

An old law permitted women to fill the offices of State and county
superintendents of schools, but it was contested in 1896 by a defeated
male candidate and declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Women can not sit on any State boards.

They are employed as court stenographers, and in various subordinate
appointive offices. They may serve as notaries.

OCCUPATIONS: No profession or occupation is legally forbidden to
women.

EDUCATION: All the large educational institutions are open to women.
In the public schools there are 1,250 men and 2,443 women teachers.
The average monthly salary of the men is $43; of the women, $34.81.

FOOTNOTES:

[408] The History is indebted for the material for this chapter to
Mrs. Abigail Scott Duniway of Portland, honorary president of the
State Equal Suffrage Association and always at the head of the
movement in Oregon.

[409] Dr. Frances A. Cady, Lydia Hunt King, Eugenie M. Shearer,
Charlotte De Hillier Barmore, Mary Schaffer Ward, Gertrude J. Denny,
Alice J. McArty, Ada Cornish Hertsche, Maria C. DeLashmutt, Cora
Parsons Duniway, Frances Moreland Harvey and Abigail Scott Duniway.

[410] Department superintendents chosen: Evangelical work, Mrs.
Charlotte De Hillier Barmore; press, Mrs. Eugenie M. Shearer; round
table, Mrs. Julia H. Bauer; music, Mrs. H. R. Duniway, Mrs. A. E.
Hackett; Cooper Medal contests, H. D. Harford and Mrs. S. M. Kern;
health and heredity. D