Picture & clipping bring back days of open buses and mighty women

“An old picture and an old newspaper clipping, both of the 1920 vintage, were brought to the Whidbey Record office this week by readers, both perhaps revealing some facets of 1920 South Whidbey life remembered only by old-timers.

“The picture was brought in by Mrs. Rowena Jensen and is of South Whidbey’s first school bus. It was taken about 1922 and Mrs. Jensen could identify all of those in it but wasn’t too sure about the spelling.

“From left to right, those pictured are Emil Reddeman, Gladys Cram, Frenchy Geist, Charles Burke, Bill Tiemeyer, Walter Dassell, Elsie Dahlman Mackie and Eldon McMaster. In the front row seat is Rowena Corliss Jensen and the driver is Fred Jensen.

“The newspaper clipping came from Mr. Walt Hunziker, Sr., and, while not dated, it appears to have been printed about 1920. It tells the tale of the days when the Town of Langley residents turned over all of their official jobs to women.

“Datelined Oak Harbor, the newspaper clipping declares: ‘Langley, on Whidbey Island, which has the distinction of being the first municipality in this part of the world to be governed entirely by women, is quick to challenge the claims of Jackson, Wyo., announced recently in a press dispatch printed in daily papers, that it would become the first city to yield to the domination of women, following the result of a recent city election.

“’Langley has had a woman mayor and a full council composed of women for nearly a year and a more earnest or assiduous bunch of officials never directed the officers of that town. During 1919, under man rule, no meetings of the council were held for four months, as no quorum could be obtained. So far, the women have not missed a single meeting.’”