'She Town' revolt of yore

"The womenfolk are doing nicely, thank you." The opening line of a news story in Colliers magazine written on Nov. 4, 1950, is a lead I doubt would appear in today's media. Especially under the headline "She-Town."

A truly beautiful Virginia Piedmont town, Washington, Va., County seat of Rappahannock County known as "the first Washington" or "Little Washington," made a national political splash more than a half-century ago.

A contentious election was held, votes counted and six town "councilmen" and the mayor were seven women "four wives, a widow, a secretary and the town beautician." "The girls" went to work immediately to replace all burned-out streetlights within 24 hours. The men had ignored the problem for months. The word went out to clean the streets and cut the weeds on the courthouse lawn.

Mayor Dorothy Davis mother of three who "quit high school" to get married and "could qualify in any beauty contest," immediately appointed a finance committee to study city expenses and draft a budget - a device never utilized by the males.

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The women of Washington proved in 1950 they had the courage of their convictions and could be a force for good and with bold audacity they put up a sign entering the town for all to see, "Caution: You are now entering She Town."

 

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