CELEBRATING WOMEN FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO A QUALITY AMERICAN LIFE

UPDATED ON 04/16/2019 TO ADD IN OHIO HOUSE RESOLUTION HONORING IRENE BALOGH SMART

Last month the Stark County District Library (SCDL)  celebrated the contributions of African-American to the well-being of American life.

This month, another "legally-designated 'minority'" takes center stage at the SCDL, to wit:  WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH & INTERNATION WOMEN'S DAY, March 8, 2019.

From Wikipedia:  Women's History Month is an annual declared month that highlights the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. It is celebrated during March in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, corresponding with International Women's Day on March 8, 2010.

On Monday, March, 4th, the McKinley Presidential Library & Museum will be presenting a program on Women's History at the North Branch of the Stark  County District Library.

As readers of this blog know, all Stark County Political Report (SCPR, The Report) blogs tie whatever the topic of a particular blog may be, to in some way, fashion or form tie it to a Stark County factor.

This blogger goes back a considerable piece (since 1974) as an attorney in Stark County and over the years can name a number of women who have contributed mightily to respect that Women have garnered over the years as an emerging leadership phenomenon in Stark County political and government circles.

First, on the list:

Irene Balogh Smart (March 24, 1921 – May 3, 2017) was an Ohio Democratic Party politician and a former member of the Ohio General Assembly. Smart was a graduate of Wittenberg University, Harvard University, and the William McKinley School of Law. An attorney by trade, Smart first ran for the Ohio House of Representatives in 1972 and defeated Republican incumbent Ross Heintzelman in a narrow victory. She won reelection in 1974 and 1976.

In 1977, Smart ran for Canton City Municipal Judge and won. She took the bench in 1978, resigning her House seat to do so, and was succeeded by Robert Regula. She served on the municipal court until 1985, when she moved up to the Stark County Court of Common Pleas. In 1988, Smart again moved up, this time to the Ohio 5th District Court of Appeals.  In 1994, Smart was unable to seek another term since she had hit the 70-year age limit and retired at the end of her term.

Here is an extract (restructured for clarity and essence) of  Ohio House Resolution 151 (2017)

2017 H.R 151 included as sponsors Christina Hagan (the 50^th) Kirk Schuring (the 48^th) and Thomas West (the 49th)

A R E S O L U T I O N

In memory of the Honorable Irene Balogh Smart.

WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the132nd General Assembly of Ohio were deeply saddened to learn of the death of the Honorable Irene Balogh Smart and extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and friends; and

WHEREAS, Irene Smart left an indelible impression on the people whose lives she touched, and she will be remembered as an aspirited individual who contributed immeasurably to the world around her.

An attorney and former member of the Canton City Council,

she was elected by the people of the 49th district to serve as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives for three terms, and

she also served as a judge for the Canton Municipal Court,

the Stark County Court of Common Pleas, and

the Ohio 5thDistrict Court of Appeals, from which she retired; and

WHEREAS, Irene Smart’s regard for improving the quality oflife in our society was clearly evident in her personal sacrifices of time and effort to her family, friends, and community, and her generosity, talents, and seemingly inexhaustible energy will beheld up as a measure for others to aspire to.

A remarkable individual,

she was a skilled violinist,

a gifted artist, and

a devoted member of Christ Presbyterian Church, and

she displayed exceptional concern in all of her endeavors. Her absence will be keenly felt; … [list of family members]

RESOLVED, That we, the members of the House of representatives of the 132nd General Assembly of Ohio, in adopting this Resolution, express a profound sense of loss and sincere regret at the death of the Honorable Irene Balogh Smart; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the House of Representatives transmit a duly authenticated copy of this Resolution to the family of the Honorable Irene Balogh Smart

Next:

JANET WEIR CREIGHTON

From GOVERNING:  STATES AND LOCALITIES:

Janet Creighton plans to end her career in government close to where it started: Stark County, Ohio. Creighton, whose career path has taken her from the mayor’s office to the White House as a national coordinator for federal and local policy, grew up in southwestern Canton, the seat of Stark County. She was drawn to politics early on, first as a “complaint technician” -- the office today would more likely be called “public information officer” -- in 1979, and then to elected office in 1984. A Republican, Creighton had been appointed county recorder to fill a vacancy, but the party backed a male candidate when the election came around. Creighton ultimately launched a petition bid and was successful.

From there, Creighton went on to serve as auditor, followed by [becoming the] mayor of Canton in 2004 -- the first female in the city’s history to hold that office. In early 2008 she was tapped by President George W. Bush to serve as his deputy assistant and director of intergovernmental affairs. She later returned to the Stark County Commission, which she says will be her last post. “I’m a Canton-born woman without a college degree, and for what I’ve been able to accomplish with the help of so many people … I always try to put my best foot forward for them.”

What the above biography does not include is the guff that Creighton had to take from the then white, male leadership of the Stark County Republican Party back in 1983 and 1984 and of effort to seek elective office.

As the Governing:  States and Localities article indicates, Creighton has contributed much to the well-being of Stark County in serving in various roles as an elected official.

But with the SCPR, her most significant contribution has been in being a model for future generations of Stark County women who want to be part of our politics and governance.

Next:

Sheila Farmer

Retired judge Sheila Farmer like Irene Smart and Janet Weir Creighton has been a trails blazing woman for younger Stark County women in taking their right places in Stark County government and politics.

An article was written by Ed Balint of The Repository at the time of her mandatory retirement (by a rule of the Ohio Supreme Court) contains a paragraph that articulates Farmer's importance to women achieving parity with men in Stark County public life.

Farmer served on the 5th District’s first panel comprised of three women; the other judges were Patricia A. Delaney and Julie Edwards. She also joined former Canton Municipal Court and 5th District Judge Irene Smart as pioneering women who first served as judges locally.

Next:

Mary Regula

An excerpt from the National First Ladies Library website on Mary Regula:

Mary Regula has had a varied career as a schoolteacher, Congressional spouse, and mother of three children. 

She has distinguished herself in service to her community and nation through dedication to education, her involvement in numerous volunteer activities, and personal leadership. 

She also reaches out to people through her inspirational and historical programs.   

Mary received an honorary doctorate in Humanities from Mount Union College in May 1999, and, in May 2004, The University of Akron bestowed on her an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science in Education.   She was inducted into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame in October 1999.   Her most outstanding accomplishment is being the founder of the National First Ladies’ Library.

Lastly:

CONSTANCE (CONNIE) RUBIN

"Connie" Rubin is perhaps the least recognized by the Stark County public among the women listed in this blog.

However, in her own way she is every bit the equal of Smart, Creighton, Farmer, and Regula notwithstanding her lack of notoriety when compared to them.

Here is a website link that lays out all the achievements of Connie (be sure to "click on" the red link categories on the webpage in order to gain an appreciating of her personal/civic contributions to the Stark County community.

In 2006/2007 Connie was selected as "Democrat of the Year" in North Canton and Stark County politics.

Presently, Connie is a plaintiff (see above and to the left) in a lawsuit the trial of which is to begin on Monday, March 4th, with the objective of ending gerrymandering of Ohio's 16 congressional districts (to be 14 in 2022 elections) which now stands at 12 Republicans and 4 Democrats.

While presently, in statewide elections, not including the gerrymandered legislative districts, Republican candidates are faring much better than Democrats/

However, races for governor, state attorney general, auditor, treasurer and secretary of state were recently won by Republicans but in more or less competitive races which were not 3 to 1 in the outcome as have been in 2018 the gerrymandered congressional and statehouse legislative seats.

While Ohio presently is "leaning" Republican, the Ohio General Assembly has run roughshod over those citizens who are registered Democrats and non-partisans.

So kudos, to Ms. Rubin for stepping forward as one of a number of plaintiffs in the aforementioned lawsuit.

To be sure there are many other Stark County women who come to mind from this bloggers' knowledge of county political subdivision governance and politics.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE

As anyone who follows the SCPR knows, this blogger is especially proud of the women who are part of the Olson family.

Wife Mary continues to this day as an elected member (vice president) of the Stark County Educational Service Center (SCESC) having been first elected in November 2005.

As is the case with many boards of education, the superintendent recruits candidates to run when an existing member decides not to run for reelection.

In 2005, longtime SCESC member John Regula (brother of then 16th district congressman Ralph Regula) decided to stand for reelection.

It appears to Mary and me that then-superintendent Larry Morgan and, likely, existing members of the board had decided on someone other than Mary to succeed John.

If such was the case, then one has to say Mary (then a member of the Lake Local Board of Education) delivered quite a surprise on November 8, 2005.

Mary was first elected to the Lake Board in 1991.

It is likely that Mary lost in the elections of 1995 because of her leadership in convincing three of five board members to place a 13.9 mills "continuing" levy on the May 2, 1995 ballot.

It took political courage and fortitude for Mary to place her reelection hopes aside in doing what she was convinced had to be done to ensure the fiscal viability of the Lake Schools finances for years to come.

Hearkening back to the 1991 election, you have another case of Mary not being the preferred choice of those who fancied themselves as being the "powers that be" in Lake educational circles.

It was somewhat amusing to this blogger who was at the Stark County Board of Elections that night how then superintendent Bob Dunnerstick changed his interaction with me as the early results made it clear that Mary was going to be elected.

Mary?

She was in bed and asleep before I called to inform her that she had been elected.

In all her years as an elected education official, Mary brought her 35 years experience as an educator (Akron Public Schools) to the table in dealing with the challenge of the board of education being effective in providing leadership to the students, parents, faculty, administration and the community of the Lake Local School Districts.

It is with pride that this blogger commends wife Mary for being an elected-leader-woman among women for the contribution she has made for the well-being of education in Stark County.

America, the state of Ohio and Stark County are better off because of the work of Irene Smart, Janet Creighton, Mary Regula, Connie Rubin, and, yes, wife Mary Olson.

Our nation, state and local community has much to celebrate for the contribution of women to our advances and well-being notwithstanding that they have been deemed by the law as being a minority even in the face of being by number count the majority in most areas of America.

Much remains for women to achive to achieve a full partnership with men in providing quality leadership across America!