15
A meeting of women officers from the Salem chapters, photographed one day after
work by Robert Stanley of the H ighway Bridge Department. Seated from left to right: Sara
McNeil, Ruth Penny, Lillian McCall, Jessie Singleton, Hetty Kreikenbaum, G ladys Jones,
Elsie Boston. Standing, left to right: Barbara Ortman, Marcia Hill, Elizabeth Dotson, Hilda
Bartels, Blanche Munson, M agdelene Erpelding, and Lois Manning.
Watnen, JWejni&iA ctfebp,
/IctiuVtied,
The number of women employees joining the OSEA and taking an interested
part in its activities is steadily growing. Charter members of the Association in the
Highway Department remember when the number of women members could be
counted on orie hand. By electing "one of them secretary of Highway Chapter No.
1, the presence of that one could be pretty well counted on. Frequently, ope or
two others came and gave her a little support.
Because of the predominately masculine field staff of the Highway Depart-’
ment,.it was not until Chapters 18, 19, 20, H 22 and 2;3 were organized in Salem
by Forrest Stewart during the fall of 1944 that the number of women members
began to noticeably increase. A women’s membership committee appointed in the
spring of 1945 found, however, that it was still difficult tb'recriuC new mem
bers. Many of the women working then were planning to leave state employment
when their husbands returned from unilitary service and lhany employees worked
only a short time before leaving.
During 1946 and so far this year, the increase has been constant. The latest
chapter added, Public Welfare No. 3l r,is starting its career with 86 women mem
bers and a woman president, Mary DeSantis. There are, however, many who are
still potential members, who should be willing to. give the Association their support.
. Women are seeing increasingly that they havea vital stake in the success of
the OSEA. N ot only -are they members in-Aiame apd financial support ; they are
giving of their time and energy as officers and committee members. Twenty-six
of the officers of our 31 chapters are women.