In Jefferson County education…

Putting Women on the Map Celebrating Women’s History Month, March 2009.

Display by the Jefferson County Historical Commission, originally prepared for Women’s History Month, March 2009. Panel 2.

Compiled by Margaret Chapman, Rick Gardner, Paula Hutman Thomas, Nina Kite, Rose Lewis, Rita Peterson, Sally White.

Anderson Preschool, Wheat Ridge. Named for Norma

Anderson, Jefferson County Representative (1987-2006). First

woman to be majority leader in both House and Senate.

Instrumental in creating the school finance act and Colorado Dept.

of Transportation.

Thomson Elementary, Arvada. Marjorie

Kratz Thomson, teacher at Arvada High

from 1933-1955.

Olive Swanson, math teacher at Arvada

Junior High. Swanson Elementary,

Arvada, named for her.

Mary and Ilene Deane, sisters and teachers for the

R-1 District (1957-82). Smith Alameda school

renamed in 1983 as Deane Elementary,

Lakewood.

Peiffer Elementary, Littleton.

Named for Esther Peiffer (1895-

1961), local businesswoman.

Kullerstrand Elementary, Wheat Ridge. Named

for Hattie Kullerstrand, early education advocate.

Her daughter, Naomi Kullerstrand Lewis Olson

was Superintendent of Jefferson County schools Litz Preschool, Golden. Named for John and

Karen Litz. She served on the school board and

was an education advocate.

Bell Middle School, Golden. Named for Gertrude

Bell, pioneer and educator at North School and

Mitchell Elementary in Golden.

Adams Elementary, Westminster.

Named for Betty Adams

Lukas Elementary, Westminster. Named

for Amelia Mae Lukas, Jeffco school

teacher and principal.

Rose Stein, Jefferson County teacher

and principal. Stein Elementary,

Lakewood.

Patterson Elementary, Lakewood. Margaret

Patterson, teacher and principal.

Pennington Elementary, Wheat Ridge.

Named for Lila Golden Pennington, math

teacher and counselor at Wheat Ridge High

School (1925-54).

Dunstan Middle School, Lakewood. Irene Z. Dunstan,

principal and assistant superintendent of Jefferson County

schools from date of consolidation of the district in 1950

until 1964.

Dennison Elementary, Lakewood.

Named for Olive Dennison, teacher.

Zina Warder taught at Lawrence and was principal

at Fitzmorris Elementary schools. Warder

Elementary, Arvada.

Martensen Elementary, Wheat Ridge.

Named for Miriam Brown Martensen,

Superintendent of Jefferson County

Schools (1929-32, 1948-56)

Lawrence Elementary, Arvada. Named for Helen

Lawrence, an early teacher in the Arvada School,

which was renamed in 1920 in her honor.

Dr. Cindy Stevenson Jeffco Superintendent of Schools

Dr. Stevenson was not only a graduate of a

Jeffco School (Lakewood), she has more

than 35 years experience as a Jeffco

education leader including a teacher,

principal, and deputy superintendent.

Cindy earned her college degrees (including

a Ph.D. in Administration, Supervision and

Curriculum Development) from the

University of Colorado. She is the first

Jeffco Public Schools alumnus to lead

Colorado’s largest public school system.

Naomi Kullerstrand Olson Jeffco Superintendent of Schools 1933-1941 As a child, Mrs. Olson attended the one-room Prospect Valley

School on West 38th Ave. She unified the county’s educational

program across the 51 school districts in Jeffco at the time. She

helped establish the Wheat Ridge Historical Society and served as

its president. Mrs. Olson was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1988.

Wheat Ridge High School Majorettes, 1944 Courtesy Wheat Ridge Historical Society

Prospect Valley School, 1895 Courtesy Wheat Ridge Historical Society

Fruitdale School, 1936 Courtesy Wheat Ridge Historical Society

Medlen School, ca. 1886 Photo 2008, Turkey Creek Canyon

Morrison School, ca. 1945 Courtesy Morrison Historical Society

Morrison School, 5th and 6th grades, 1919 Courtesy Parsons Family

In 1901, Jefferson County had its

first female elected school

superintendent, Miss Ida L.

Crawford. Thereafter, women

dominated the elected

superintendent’s position until it

was abolished in 1966. Today the

position is an appointed one held

by Dr. Cindy Stevenson.

Women didn’t just keep the home fires burning. From the beginning, they promoted education for their children and laid the foundation for a county committed to educational quality at all levels.

That movement began with one-room schoolhouses set up by remote families across the county, and had, by 1900, created imposing buildings that anchored their communities and educated everyone’s children (at least through 8th grade). The face of historic education is that of the unmarried schoolmarm—a woman caught between childhood and marriage, perhaps temporarily, perhaps for a lifetime. She was expected to be a model of virtue and self-sacrifice for the children. Any other aspirations she may have had went unrecorded.

Women were attracted to teaching more than the other professions because it was more socially acceptable than domestic service, even though they received only an average of $40 per month and made ends meet by residing with the families of their students. By comparison a housekeeper operating a boarding house could earn upwards of $100 per month. Women also were paid a fraction of the salary of male teachers, who earned $85 per month, many of whom were no more qualified than their female counterparts. Once married, a woman was expected and required by contract to end her career.

In 1871, Jefferson County employed twelve male teachers and four female teachers in its sixteen school buildings. Schools also offered women an opportunity for political engagement through the school board.

[Wages and Jeffco facts from: Lois Cunniff Lindstrom Kennedy, A Tribute to Education Jefferson County, Colorado

(Golden: Jefferson Co Public Schools, 2001).]

Laura Miller, South Jeffco

Education Advocate, Legislator, Homemaker

After formation of the consolidated R-1 school district

in 1950, Laura helped pass the district’s first bond issue,

raising money to build the Bear Creek Elementary

School. For 47 years, until 1999, she also served on the

School Names Advisory Committee, making

recommendations to the School Board. Thanks to the

efforts by early members of that Committee, Jeffco

schools still bear names honored in local history, rather

than those of distant dignitaries.