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Flashback Friday Archive 2021-22: Flashback Friday: Week of November 12

November 11, 1871 – 150 YEARS AGO
Rockland County Journal

The Last Sensation—Ladies Voting
[Image: Mr. George Dickey. Photo by Ten Eyck of Albany, 1879. Photo courtesy of the Nyack Library, J. Elmer Christie Collection, via NYHeritage.]
       Last Tuesday afternoon, about four o’clock, the fifty or sixty of our citizens who were engaged in witnessing the polling of ballots in Van Houten’s Hall were considerably taken aback when Mr. L. D. Mansfield escorted four ladies to the ballot boxes who then and there offered their votes to the inspector. Mr. George Dickey, one of the inspectors, politely received the ballots, but having doubts as to the legality of the transaction placed them in a hat contiguous to the boxes, and the clerks recordrf the names of Mrs. Mansfield, Mrs. Merrill, Miss Pettis and Miss Hendricksen, two of which, as Mr. Mansfield explained, represented Republican principles, and two Democratic.
       After the ballots were deposited, Mr. Mansfield, on behalf of the ladies, stated that, owing to the wording of the XVth amendment of the Constitution of the United States, the ladies believed they had a right to vote, and they wished the question to be tested by the Stated Canvassers; that of course, it was optional with the inspectors whether they counted the votes or not. The utmost stillness and the decorum prevailed while the ladies were present, and we think that everyone present was gratified that such a test had been made.
       The following are the provisions of the XVth amendment:
       Section I: The rights of citizens of the United States, to vote, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

November 11, 1921 – 100 YEARS AGO
Rockland News

BIGGEST VOTE FOR WOMEN WHO SUCCEEDED HUSBANDS
       Mrs. Helen E. Essex, Republican running for town clerk of Orangetown, and Mrs. Kate Buchanan, Democratic nominee for town clerk of Clarkstown, received the largest number of votes of any candidates on the ballot in their respective townships Tuesday and were returned to the office for two years each.
       By a peculiar coincidence, each woman succeeded her husband in office. Mrs. Essex took the town clerk’s job in place of her husband and Mrs. Buchanan filled the vacancy caused by the death of her husband, Edward Buchanan of New City, he having died during this campaign, after holding the office thirty-two years. In each instance the town clerk elected assisted her husband when he held the same office.

November 4, 1971 – 50 YEARS AGO
Rockland County Times

OLD SHEP HITS THE TRAIL
       Dogs, reported to be man’s best friend, have turned out to be more of an enemy than a friend for the Pearl River school district. Dogs the district once contracted from American Guard Dogs, Inc., on Long Island have failed miserably int their mission to ward off intruders.
       “We found the service just was not performing,” commented Dr. William Endicott, assistant to the superintendent for business. “Dogs were frequently not on the job, and we often found the attendants sleeping in their cars.”
       The dogs, on duty for only a few weeks, caused no major incidents during the duration of their stay. Consequently, Dr. Endicott said the district is presently investigating a new and better supplier of guard dogs and the possibility of purchasing its own.
       Until a decision is reached, the schools are being guarded by more conventional means, such as alarms and watchmen. But watch out, burglars, vandals, and other intruders! The dogs may be back.
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