Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - Woman Takes Eagan Oath - 4/24/1962 2 Women Take Eagan Oath%,
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EAGAN voters believe in a feminine touch in their'city government.
Two women were elected to office in Eagan for the first time in
the township's history in the last township election. Mrs. Helen i
Kennedy (center), the new justice, is shown being sworn in by
Mrs. Alyce Bolke, clerk, who was elected for.the first time; and the
second township justice, Silas K. Palmer, s also`being sworn in.
In the background is Chairman Arthur Rahn,,left, and Supervisors
Edward Schwarz, and Louis Trapp. Later Mrs. Bolke herself took
the oath of office from one of the town officials. The swearing-in
event took place in the Eagan town hall, on County State Aid
Hithway 19.
South ARea Section - St. Paul Dispatch April 24, 1962
Clerk, JP add feminine touch
ALL'S SWEET HARMONY AS DISTAFF SIDE JOINS EAGAN TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT
- Don Heinzman, Staff writer
Soft, lilting, feminine voices mixed with the heavy masculine
tones in the white frameEagan township hall these days .
While these gentler, sweet voices contrast sharply with the gruff,
more forceful ones of the male town board members, they do blend
in perfect harmony of town government.
One voice belongs to personable, attractive, Mrs. Theodore H. Bolke,
1365 Deerwood Drive, elected clerk, who reads and records the
minutes. . . in shorthand, something unusual in town hall circles.
The other voice belongs to Mrs . James Kennedy, new Justice of the
Peace, who intends to hald court in the old town hall - never
tried before - and suggest she will be able to pronouce sentences
of 30 days in jail or $100 fines, if necessary. Both officials
are graduates of St. Catherine' s College. . . unknown to either until
they filed.
Having women in town hall is a departure from the pioneer days when
three husky farmers usually sat at the town hall table and handled
the business of building roads and bridges and passing ordinances.
While some eyebrows were raised when the two women announced for
office, both have been well accepted.
And, they don't plan any changes, no curtains on the windows of
city hall, no rugs on the floor or flowers on the table.
4I don't think it makes much difference if a man or a woman holds
these jobs" , said Mrs. Kennedy. We intend to do our tasks in a
very business like way.
Mrs . Bolke added, "I think at first some men were astounded over
having women in town offices, but they have all been very cordial
and very helpful . "
Having a woman clerk has some advantages. Mrs . Bolke, who lives
two blocks from the town hall, takes all her meeting notes in
shorthand, types her correspondence, keeps neat files - probably
the neatest files in the history of the township.
When an irate caller barks into the phone a complaint about dogs,
shooting in gravel pits, etc. , he is quickly calmed by the soothing
voice of a woman at the other end of the line. "No man has been
discourteous over the phone yet, " said the clerk.
As a result of Mrs. Kennedy and Mrs . Bolke' s work in the town hall,
more women are becoming interested in town government. At coffee
parties women, rather than talk about their children, garden,
bridge, etc., ask about the town meeting the night before.
1
Mrs . Kennedy is
y one of three women Justices of the Peace in Minnesota.
A medical technician at the U of M hospital, and the mother of two
children, she said she filed because she had often heard everyone
should run for political office at least once.
No one filed against her and she was elected the first JP in the
history of the township. She doesn't think the Kennedy name did it,
and wishes she had had some opposition.
Since her election, the attractive JP has been studying a special
lawbook for jps, and attending municipal court in Bloomington,
district court in Hennepin County and JP court in St. Anthony.
She is waiting to take a
would lean the other way.
Mrs . Bolke is enjoying the clerk' s position. Before her appointment
July 20, she assisted the clerk and the township assessor. And at
election time, she ran against a man for the clerk' s job and won by
a 2 - 1 margin.
The phone line in Mrs. Bolke' s home is buzzing with calls. In
addition, she issues building permits and the warrants, keeps records,
attends the twice-a-month meetings. And she keeps house for her
husband, Theodore, a Northwest Airlines mechanic and her five
children ranging in age from 5 to 22; Mrs. NOrman (Judy) Mundahl,
Gloria, 20; Kathleen 18; John 13; and Cheryl 5.
Originally from LeCenter, she attended St. Catherine's College
for two years before taking a secretary course.
Mrs.Kennedy was born in St. Paul, attended Derham Hall and St.
Catherine where she majored in Chemistry. She worked in Minneapolis
and Duluth hospitals and is now in the Department at the
University hospitals .
Both she and her husband, Jim, are active in the Mendota VFW
organization, and who fully approves of his wife, is in charge of
the section in the division of the Veterans
administration.
Although some feminine influence has seeped into the government,
it is still a man' s world in Eagan township. The three super-
visors are men: Arthur Rahn, Louis Trapp and Edward Schwanz.
Herb Polzin is the treasurer. Martin DesLauriers and
Letendre, the constables. Luther Stalland is the attorney and
Silas Palmer is the other JP.
While the scent of perfume is present, the odor of cigar smoke,
chewing tobacco, shaving lotion still dominates the political
air in town.