can well understand that there came
of necessity many brave and adventurous argonauts and many women
of superior mental force, from among whom in after years the
woman suffrage cause might receive most devoted adherents. For
nearly a score of years after the great incursion of gold-seekers
into this newly-acquired State no word was uttered by tongue or
pen demanding political equality for women--none at least which
reached the public ear. There were no preceding causes, as in the
older States, to stimulate the discussion of the question, and
even that mental amazon, Eliza W. Farnham who was one of the
distinguished pioneers of California, gathered her inspiration
from afar, and thought and wrote for the whole world of women
without once sounding the tocsin for woman's political
emancipation. Many of the women who braved the perils of the
treacherous deep, or still more terrible dangers of the weary
march over broad deserts, inhospitable mountains, and through the
fastnesses of hostile and merciless Indians, to reach California
in the early times, entertained broad views upon the intellectual
capacity and political rights of women, but their efforts were
confined to fields of literature. While this advanced guard of
progressive women was moulding into form a social system out of
the turbulent and disorganized masses thrown together by the
rapidly-increasing population from all parts of the globe, the
elements were aggregating which in after years produced powerful,
outspoken thought and earnest action in behalf of disfranchised
women.

Here as elsewhere women took the lead in school matters and were
the most capable and efficient educators from the days of "'49."
One of our permanent State institutions, Mills' Seminary, was
founded by a woman whose name it bears, and who, assisted by her
husband, Rev. Mr. Mills, conducted the school for nearly a
quarter of a century, until by an act of the legislature, she
conveyed it to the State. Several principals of the public
schools in San Francisco have held their positions for over
twenty consecutive years. Mrs. Jeanne Carr, deputy state
superintendent of public instruction from 1871 to 1875, was
succeeded by Mrs. Kate M. Campbell, who served most efficiently
for the full term. During Mrs. Carr's