Women in Applied Politics Seminar

(left to right)  Linda Ross Aldy, Lillian Wade, Elaine Evans, Mary Libby Payne, Deborah Hodges, Kay Cobb, and Lydia Quarles.  Not pictured are Betty Lou Jones and Jimmie Moomaw

Jimmie Meese Moomaw (c/o 1958 ) gave the Keynote speech at the Women in Applied Politics seminar sponsored by the Stennis Institute and the Mississippi Commission on the Status of Women. Coordinated by MUW alumna Lydia Quarles, Senior Policy Analyst for the Stennis Institute, the presentation focused on (1) getting women to run for public office and (2) then getting them elected when they do.

An amazing group of women were in attendance, including a large contingency from the W: Judge Mary Libby Payne (c/o 1954), Judge Kay Cobb, Betty Lou Jones, Deborah Hodges (c/o 1990), Elaine Evans (c/o 1970), Linda Ross Aldy,(c/o 1973) Lillian Wade (c/o 1969), and Lydia Quarles (c/o 1971).

Attendee Deborah Hodges remarked: "The panels were extremely impressive, well-spoken funny, informative and inspiring. I think I learned more in this 6 hours than I learned in 60 hours of continuing education last year, and not just about politics. I learned about how to be a citizen and most of what I learned can be applied to my daily life on a practical level. I even learned what the Tea Party is supposed to really be about!"

The program included a panel of women from different parties. MUW alumna Kay Cobb represented the TEA party, Rita Wray, the Republican Party and Gloria Williamson was from the Democratic Party. According to Judge Mary Libby Payne "One person from the League of Women Voters said that panel was worth the whole $75 registration fee!"

"Women aren’t running for office in Mississippi. Mississippi women make 73% of what their male counterparts earn. When you look at 'women’s issues', they are LIFE issues – healthcare, education, jobs with good wages. We need more women in elected office at ALL levels (not just in Mississippi, either)" said Deborah. She continued "So, W girls, we’ve got to do better. If we can’t run, we can at least influence. At a bare minimum, we need to get active and work to elect those who share our vision locally, nationally and statewide"

Still, electing women is not the whole job. Judge Mary Libby Payne told us "There was a man there who had been in elective office for 37 years who is retiring this year. He brought his daughter and raved about getting to be in a group like this where he could just listen to women telling of their experiences. Folks, we have got to get more ways to get men to hear us because when they do they become our cheerleaders."

According to Jimmie " Women who are motivated to service and who want to make the most profound impact with their work should consider this: The institutions that offer the greatest opportunity to affect real change are Education/teaching, Church/preaching, and politics/holding elected office. I decided a long time ago that the path to making the greatest impact on the most people lay in the political realm. I challenge all of you with an impulse to serve to consider running for public office."

Thanks to the supporting institutions:  Stennis Center for Public Service, the Foundation of the Mid-South and Newk's of Jackson.

Holiday Memories from the Dining Hall Era

Photo of Shattuck and Franklin compliments of Erin Goia

It seems that no matter what the era, when W students start remembering, mealtime memories are forefront.  "Back in the day", W students ate in the dining hall in Shattuck, where meals were served family style.  Francis Hairston, Class of 1961 tells us:  "Miss Ethel Summerour, the dietician, always planned something special for each holiday, and Christmas was certainly special. The cooks in the kitchen would come out and sing Christmas carols."  Francis also remembers "We exchanged gifts with each other on our wing. I can't remember if we drew names, but we probably did. The door to each room was decorated at our own discretion."

Myra and Mary Libby

Mary Libby Biggerstaff Payne, 1954, recalled "My sophomore year I lived on 3rd floor of Shattuck (before the fire took off the top two floors the next summer.)  All of the girls who sat at my table in the dining hall drew names to share Christmas gifts.  I do not remember whose name I drew nor what I gave.  However, I still have the lapel pin I received from my cherished friend, Myra Bishop.  It is a decorated pair of scissors. Because some girls less kind than my friends at that table were often heard to say 'I'd rather be a well rounded person than make straight A's,' I felt less than significant in my college environment.  Well, in order to prove I was not an 'egg-head,' that spring I rented a portable sewing machine and made my lavender organdy Easter dress.  Also, I taught 3 home ec majors how to darn socks so beautifully that one could hardly notice they had ever had holes.  I always associate my scissors pin and Myra's love with that next semester's project."

This post is the first in a series about the holiday memories of MUW alums.  If you'd like to share your memories, please complete the survey.