Rosa Phillips Stonestreet
Born: February 18, 1859
Died: April 7, 1936
Rosa Phillips Stonestreet began teaching school after the death of her husband when she was thirty years old. Eight years later, in 1897, the City and County Executive Committee nominated her for County School Superintendent. The newspaper announcement provided more information about her male relations and family connections then it did about her credentials. Social standing mattered, especially for elections.("Miss Simcoe") In the November election she took 56% of the votes, handily beating both her male opponents.("This Lady") She was the first, and only, woman elected to be County School Superintendent for Jefferson County. This was more than twenty years before women would be given the right to vote in all elections, although unmarried women who owned taxable property were allowed to vote on issues concerning school bonds and trustees.("Women's")
During her twelve year tenure Stonestreet addressed the financial situation of the school system and pushed for the dismantling of the dysfunctional trustee system. Within months of taking office she sued the trustee of District 21 for "obtaining money by false pretenses."("Trustee") The trustee had taken a check for school house repairs for his own use. She also disciplined teachers and sued trustees who padded the census lists of their schools in order to receive more money.(Record) In a 1901 report to the Kentucky Department of Public Instruction, Stonestreet wrote,
On entering upon my official work in 1898, I found almost every district in the county burdened with a large debt and accumulated interest for four or five years. I have been untiring in my efforts to liquidate these obligations, and in many instances have succeeded.
I will not mention the dissatisfaction and confusion caused by the present trustee system, for I feel convinced that the Legislature can and will make many changes in the law governing our district trustees.(Bienneial 1901)
A few years later she made her point stronger, "I have had much trouble with incompetent trustees, and I am thoroughly satisfied that the present trustee system is a perfect farce, and that it should be abolished."(Biennial 1907) Stonestreet campaigned to have the trustees replaced by professional educators. She got her wish. At a Jefferson County School Board meeting in September 1908, the trustee system was abolished.(Doyle 1975) She continued to hold the position of superintendent until 1910.