Permeal J. French

Permeal J. French
Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction
In office
1899–1903
Succeeded byMae L. Scott
Personal details
Born1867 (1867)
Died10 October 1954(1954-10-10) (aged 86–87)
EducationCollege of Notre Dame

Permeal J. French (1867 - October 10, 1954) was Dean of Women at University of Idaho, and the first woman elected to state-wide office in Idaho.

Early life

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Permeal J. French was born in Idaho City, Idaho, in 1867, the daughter of Richard G. French and Ann Lange. [1] [2]

In 1887, she graduated from the College of Notre Dame in San Francisco.[3]

In 1921, she was granted an honorary degree in Master of Arts by the George Washington University. [4]

Career

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Permeal J. French was Dean of Women at University of Idaho. During her time as dean, she was responsible for building the student union, and establishing the women's residence halls.[3] After thirty years of active service she was named dean of women emeritus. She retired in 1936. The Permeal J. French House, a dormitory, was dedicated in 1954 on the campus at Moscow, Idaho. [1] [5]

In 1898, she won the election for Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction,[6] becoming the first woman to be elected to state-wide office in Idaho, just two years after women received the right to vote in Idaho.[7] She was Superintendent of Public Instruction from 1899 to 1903; at the time it was a novelty for women to hold such offices. [1] [8] [9]

She was member of the American Association of University Women and Pi Lambda Theta. [1]

Personal life

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Permeal J. French lived for a time at San Francisco, California. [1]

She died on October 10, 1954, in Seattle, Washington, and is buried at Hailey Cemetery, Hailey, Idaho. [2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Binheim, Max; Elvin, Charles A (1928). Women of the West; a series of biographical sketches of living eminent women in the eleven western states of the United States of America. p. 122. Retrieved 8 August 2017.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ a b "11 Oct 1954, Mon • Page 9". The Daily Herald: 9. 1954. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Permeal Jane French". Idaho's Women of Influence. Retrieved 2019-10-29.
  4. ^ "23 Feb 1921, Wed • Page 5". The Washington Herald: 5. 1921. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  5. ^ "30 Jul 1936, Thu • Page 1". The Daily Herald: 1. 1936. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  6. ^ (1898). Woman's Journal, 29, 377-384.
  7. ^ Press, Cheyenna McCurry, intern-Idaho County Free. "Idaho celebrates 100 years of women's suffrage". Idaho County Free Press. Retrieved 2019-10-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Weatherford, Doris (2012). Women in American Politics: History and Milestones. SAGE. ISBN 9781608710072. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  9. ^ "24 Jun 1932, Fri • Page 6". Chicago Tribune: 6. 1932. Retrieved 8 September 2017.