IN A WOMAN'S TOWN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 306, 22 December 1908, Page 4

IN A WOMAN'S TOWN.

> iSVEHVTUINU IMPORTANT MAN- * . AC ED BY "WOMEN". | With one or two unimportant excep- , lions the town of East -Claridon. Ohio, j is completely under petticoat administration. Stranger still, it is not a woj man's rights stronghold. .Xo sull'ragette has ever visited there, and yet women , have all the public oflices and, with two exceptions, are at the head of all commercial enterprises. For years all tlte young men—mid many of the middle aged and old men, too—have left Fast Claridon t« seek their fortunes in Cleveland, tnirty miles away. East Claridon has been a "dead" 1 town for the last quarter of a century. The majority of the women could not leave their homes however, and before long they fell into the men's places. The manner in which Miss Nellie Cleator became the postmistress is typical of the way the women have gained control of this community. Her lather was the postmaster before her, and he had liopes of making one of his sons succeed him. One by one they left the paternal roof to carve out their destinies in Cleveland, and the aged postmaster turned to his daughter to assist him. When she was old enough *he was appointed his regular assistant by the authorities, and on his death she was appointed in bis place. The woman school superintendent occasionally substitute!* for the minister of the village church, and it is said Miat she will eventually become the pastor of the little congregation. The Sunday school and the choir are j both led bv women. Again, the man who i acted as chuveh sexton died, and a wo- : man took care of things temporarily. She did the work so well tliat the place was oll'ered to her and she accepted it. One of the most important person ages in the town is th;> village doctor. She is a graduate of the medical department of Ohio Slate Iniversitv,and has a large practice in the surrounding country. That, the women of East Claridon have fallen lieir to the masculine envvgy which built the houses and farms around that little village is shown by the fact that women drive most of the teams thai traverse the dnstv roads.