Verda James

Verda I. James (born September 27, 1901 in Stratford , Ontario , Canada , †  October 15, 1991 in Casper , Wyoming ) was an American politician ( Republican Party ). From 1969 to 1970 she was President ( Speaker ) of the House of Representatives of Wyoming and thus the first woman to serve a full term in this position.

Career

Verda James was born in Canada to Sara and William James, a railroad worker. When she was two years old, her parents moved with her to Iowa , where she High School in Boone graduated and graduated from the University of Iowa purchased. She became a teacher and worked first in Algona and later, after moving to Wyoming, in Casper, where she taught English at Natrona County High School . In the meantime, she also lived in Minnesota and South Dakota and attended the University of Colorado and the University of Maryland . She received her Masters from the University of Denver .

From 1939, Verda James was employed by the Wyoming Department of Education, where she was promoted to head of the Department of Special Education. She also acted as Deputy State Director for Popular Education. During her time in this agency she participated in the establishment of the state school for the deaf in Casper. In 1955 she was admitted to the faculty of Casper College , where she taught English and education. From 1958 she was the assistant superintendent of elementary education in the Natrona County School District .

In 1954, James was elected to the Wyoming House of Representatives as Natrona County Representative, to which she was a member until 1970 after multiple re-elections. For most of her tenure, she was the only woman in the Republican faction. She chaired the Education Committee for three legislative terms. Governor Clifford P. Hansen appointed them to his Committee on Education and Equality. In her last term of office as a Member of Parliament, she took over the post of President of Parliament. She was not the first woman in this role: Democrat Edness Kimball Wilkins had formally held this position between 1966 and 1967, but never actively exercised it, since she had moved to the Wyoming Senate before she could chair a session of the House of Representatives.

After leaving Parliament, Verda James retired. The primary school established in Casper in 1978 was named after her in her honor. She died in Casper on October 15, 1991.

Web links

• Biography at the Wyoming State Historical Society (English)

• Verda James in the database of Find a Grave (English)
• Verda James at The Political Graveyard