JOINT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF WOMEN MEMBERS SERVING IN BOTH CHAMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE

WHEREAS,  January 2007 is the 80th anniversary of a pivotal point in Maine history, when six women first came to serve in the full Maine State Legislature, seven years after the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which granted women the right to vote; and

WHEREAS,  in January of 1927, at the opening of the 83rd Legislature, two women, Dora Pinkham and Katherine Allen, who had both previously served a single term at different times in the Maine House of Representatives, began their terms as Senators in the Maine State Senate; and

WHEREAS,  also for the first time, there were four other women beginning their terms in the Maine House of Representatives in 1927: Mabelle Chaney, Maude Clark Gay, Blanche Folsom and Gail Laughlin; and

WHEREAS,  the swearing-in of these six women marked the first time women were serving in both chambers of the Maine State Legislature; and

WHEREAS,  Mabelle Chaney was the first woman Democrat in the Legislature and Gail Laughlin was the first woman lawyer, and all six of these women represented a diversity of geographic locations, occupations and ages; and

WHEREAS,  these six women broke barriers and established credibility and respect among their male colleagues, and they served as role models for other women to aspire to political positions; and

WHEREAS,  these six women began a long and honorable history of political participation, accomplishment and leadership in the Maine State Legislature that is carried forth to this day, where Maine women continue to play important roles in our State; and

WHEREAS,  on the 80th anniversary of these six women first serving together, we wish to recognize and honor these pioneer women for their individual endeavors as well as for the paths they blazed for the women who have followed them; now, therefore, be it

That We, the Members of the First Regular Session of the One Hundred and Twenty-third Legislature, now assembled on behalf of the people we represent, take this opportunity to recognize the first six women to have served together in the Maine State Legislature as pioneers and honor them for their roles in the history of Maine:

Katherine Allen, Republican from Hampden, Penobscot County, who was a farmer;

Dora Pinkham, Republican from Fort Kent, Aroostook County, who was a school teacher and bookkeeper;

Mabelle Chaney, Democrat from Lisbon, Androscoggin County, who was co-owner of a coal business;

Maude Clark Gay, Republican from Waldoboro, Lincoln County, who was an author;

Blanche Folsom, Republican from Norridgewock, Somerset County, who was a school teacher; and

Gail Laughlin, Republican from Portland, Cumberland County, who was a lawyer.