| Transcript |
Vol. 1, No. 2
February, 1976
Nurse denied board seat
Despite strong backing from a
County Commissioner, a
professional nursing association,
civic leaders, feminist groups,
and tbe feminist press, a member
of tbe nursing profession was not
appointed to any of the three
positions on the Harris County
Hospital District Board of
Managers.
Instead, the Harris County
Commissioners Court in January
voted to reappoint Dr. George
Alexander, a physician, and
Quentin Mease, executive
director of the South Central
YMCA. In a 3-2 vote the Court
refused to reappoint labor leader
Don Horn and voted unanimously
to replace Horn with Danny
Knowlton, a labor leader from
Pasadena.
Horn, the secretary-treasurer
of the Harris County AFL-CIO
had been in disfavor with the
court since he spoke out publicly
in July against the court-ordered
$2.5 million cutback in the
hospital district's budget.
Knowlton is a representative
for the International Union of
Operating Engineers who sees
himself, according to a Houston
Post story of his nomination, as a
* 'champion of taxpayers.''
The Houston Chronicle
reported that Commissioner Tom
Bass nominated Alison Druck, an
instructor at Texas Women's
University graduate School of
Nursing, to succeed Dr. George
Alexander, but that "his motion
died for a lack of a second."
In a press release issued to
clarify the news media report,
Bass, who has for years publicly
stated his support for the appointment of a nurse to the Board
of Managers, said: "There were
indicators that other court
members might also support (a
nurse)...However, during the
discussion of the appointments..it
became clear that a nurse
nominee would not receive a
majority vote from the Commissioners Court this year."
After his motion of Druck failed
to get a second, Bass said, "I felt
it would be wrong to vote against
the man who obviously had the
support of the other members. (It) would unfairly place
him at a disadvantage in taking
his position on the Board of
Managers."
Bass further stated he was
"cautiously optimistic that with
continued support a nurse might
be appointed to the board next
year.
The strongest support for
appointment of a nurse came
from Marcella Perry, civic
leader and chairperson of the
Board of Regents, Texas
Women's University, and from
the 1200 member Texas Nurses
Association, District No. 9.
Dixie Brown, executive
director of the TNA said, "We are
very disappointed a nurse
member has never been appointed to the Board of Managers
in spite of the fact that over 50
per cent of the hospital district
employees are in the nursing
profession.
"Trie nurse is closer to the
consumer than any other health
provider. She has access to the
Sissy's President!
SISSY FARENTHOLD
Dolph may be governor, but
Sissy's president!
Sissy Farenthold will leave
Houston next month to become
the first woman president of
Wells College in Aurora, N. Y., a
108 year-old liberal arts college
for women. Farenthold, an attorney, served two terms in the
Texas House of Representatives
before challenging Briscoe for
the governorship in 1972.
She was the first woman to be
nominated for the U. S. Vice-
Presidency and won 400 delegate
votes at the 1972 Democratic
National Convention. She was the
first chairperson of the National
Women's Political Caucus.
In announcing her appointment, Wells board chairman
Ralph Poole, Jr., said, "She is a
splendid example of the humane,
educated woman with the
courage to act on her convictions
in the public arena."
There will be a party honoring
Sissy Farenthold at 8 p.m.
February 28 at the Contemporary
Arts Museum. The party is open
to the public.
Commissioner's Court
largest number of consumers and
employees in the hospital
district," Brown continued. "Her
role in the hospital district is
being completely overlooked."
In response to the possibility of
a nurse being appointed next
year, when four positions - that
of one Black, one woman, one
Chicano, one white male - come
up for reappointment, Brown
went on to say:
"Dr. Jim Watson (a Black
physician) is the strongest
supporter of patient services on
the Board of Managers. It is
rumored that he will not be
reappointed when his term expires next year. It is also uncertain whether Ms. Schachtel
will seek reappointment or be
reappointed. What we will see if a
nurse is appointed next year is a
scramble over the minority
seat."
Susan Heavey agrees with
Dixie Brown. Heavey is coordinator of the Woman and
Continued on page 7
Join herstory celebration
Women did more in American history than sew the flag and comfort
men. But look at the Bicentennial literature and ads that are being
published! If women are in the pictures at all, they are spinning yarn,
making candle wax or serving ale at the local pub.
To help change the picture, a Houston group will perform a series of
sketches titled A Pageant of American Women as part of Houston's
Bicentennial program.
Pageant will be presented on Susan B. Anthony's birthday,
February 15 at 3 p.m. in the sanctuary of the First Unitarian Church,
5210 Fannin.
Susan B. Anthony, abolitionist and suffragist, will be one of more
than 20 American women whose lives will be highlighed in this
program.
Peggy Hall, director and organizer of the group, said that involvement in the Pageant has been educational.
"Ever hear of Sybil Luddington, Mother Jones, or Ellen Swallow
Richards?" she asked. "Neither did many of us in Pageant's cast.
But as we researched, wrote, costumed, staged and acted out the lives
of American women, we learned a lot and enjoyed sharing it with the
community."
Both men and women pooled their skills for the event. Many became
involved through the Southwest Houston, Northwest Houston, and
Inner City chapters of NOW as well as the Harris County Women's
Political Caucus, and Coalition of Labor Union Women and the
Women's Equity Action League.
Following the program a wine and cheese fund raising party will
take place for the benefit of ERAmerica, a national coalition of all
groups supporting ratification of the ERA. Texas State WEAL is in
charge of the fund raiser, donation is $1.50. |
