ssessing some
political influence.

In January, 1880, Governor Alonzo B. Cornell, in his first message
to the legislature, among other recommendations, embodied the
following:

The policy of making women eligible as school officers has been
adopted in several States with beneficial results, and the
question is exciting much discussion in this State. Women are
equally competent with men for this duty, and it cannot be
doubted that their admission to representation would largely
increase the efficacy of our school management. The favorable
attention of the legislature is earnestly directed to this
subject.

With such words from the chief executive it was an easy matter to
find friends for a measure making women eligible as school
officers. Early in the session the following bill was introduced by
Hon. Lorraine B. Sessions of Cattaraugus:

No person shall be deemed ineligible to serve as any school
officer, or to vote at any school meeting, by reason of sex, who
has the voter's qualifications required by law.

Senator Edwin G. Halbert of Broome rendered efficient aid and the
bill passed at once in the Senate by a nearly unanimous vote. Hon.
G. W. Husted of Westchester introduced it at once in the assembly
and earnestly championed the measure. It passed by a vote of 87 to
3. The bill was laid before the governor, who promptly affixed his
signature to it, and thus, at last, secured to the women of the
Empire State the right to vote on all school matters, and to hold
any school offices to which they might be chosen. The bill was
signed on February 12, and the next day being Friday, was the last
day of registration in the city of Syracuse, the election there
taking place on the following Tuesday. The news did not reach there
until late in the day, the evening papers being the first to
contain it. But, although so little was known of the measure,
thirteen women registered their names as voters, and cast their
ballots at the election. This was the first time the women of New
York ever voted, and Tuesday, February 18, 1880, is a day to be
remembered.[237] The voting for officers, like all other-school
matters, was provided for, not under the general laws, but by the
school statutes. There are two general elections in chartered
cities and universal suffrage for school as well as all other
officers; no preparation being required of voters but registration.
In the rural