erable widow of General N. A. Baker, for many years the
popular adjutant-general of the State. The office of State
librarian was filled by Mrs. Ada North for seven years, and is
now held by Mrs. S. B. Maxwell. Mrs. North is (1885) librarian of
the State University at Iowa City.

The State insane hospitals are inspected by a visiting
commission, one of whom is a woman. Several of the city hospitals
are managed by women of the Catholic orders. The reform schools
have a woman on their board of trustees, of whom Governor Sherman
was graciously pleased to say that "she discovered more of the
true inwardness of the institution in three days than her
honorable colleague had done in three years."

In 1876 Governor Kirkwood appointed Mrs. Nancy R. Allen notary
public. He also appointed Mrs. Merrill as teacher and chaplain at
the State penitentiary, Miss McCowen as physician of the State
insane asylum, and Dr. Sara A. Pangborn, one of the staff of
physicians of the insane hospital at Independence.

In 1874 Governor Carpenter appointed Mrs. Deborah Cattell a
commissioner to investigate the alleged cruelty in the State
Reform School at Eldora; and for this service she was paid the
same as men who served on the same commission. Governor Gear
appointed Dr. Abbie M. Cleaves delegate from Iowa to the National
Conference of Charities and Correction, and to the National
Association for the Protection of the Insane and the Prevention
of Insanity, which was held in Cleveland, Ohio, July, 1880. Mrs.
Mary Wright and Dr. Abbie Cleaves were commissioned to the
conference of the same associations at Louisville, Ky., in 1883.
The legislature of 1880 appointed Jane C. McKinney one of the
trustees of the Hospital for the Insane, at Independence.

The eighteenth General Assembly, 1880, passed an act to extend to
women the right to hold the office of county recorder. A bill
giving them the right to hold the office of county auditor passed
the House, but was lost in the Senate. Under the above law Miss
Addie Hayden was elected recorder of Warren county by a majority
of 397 votes. She ran on an independent ticket. Mrs. C. J. Hill
was chosen recorder of Osceola county at the same election.

The instruction of the youth of Iowa has fallen largely into the
hands of wo