Salina Post proudly presents Flashback Friday in partnership with the Smoky Hill Museum. Enjoy a weekly tidbit of local history from the staff at Salina Post and the Smoky Hill Museum as we present "Salina-Flashback Fridays."
"I have a genuine interest in the education of our young people," said Irene Carlson, the first woman president of Brown Mackie School and one of the first Kansans to serve on the State Board of Education of Kansas.
Women in Academia
Throughout the 20th century, male professors outnumbered women at the college level. Nevertheless, the number of women students and professors increased steadily. However, white men chiefly held leadership roles such as provost, vice president and president.
Women in academia faced many challenges. Negative views about assertive women forced them to conform to meek stereotypes. An attitude that women were inadequate also permeated universities.
Even with societal changes such as the equal rights movement, the Civil Rights Act and Title IX, opportunities for women remained limited. In the late 1960s and 1970s, it was nationally newsworthy if a woman rose to a position of power.
In Command
Irene J. Carlson preferred a career outside the home. Carlson proudly identified as a 'liberated woman' accustomed to navigating a 'man's world.' This began in the 1930s at the University of Kansas Business School, where she was one of the few female students in the field.
READ MORE: 📸 Flashback Friday: Salina Post - Cora Walker Shelton - Vol. 39
In 1938, the KU Business School director recommended Carlson to A.B. Mackie, President of Brown Mackie School of Business. Mackie hired Carlson as a secretary. For decades, she actively weighed in on the strategic development of curriculum and the recruitment of students.
After years of dedication, Carlson reached the noteworthy position of college president in 1964. A role seldom occupied by women during that era. This breakthrough paved the way for other women.
Civic Minded
Beyond the college doors, Carlson remained steadfastly dedicated to her community. She eagerly sought ways to serve. Despite facing obstacles, she spent 12 years on USD 305's Board of Education starting in the 1950s.
She played a pivotal role in the establishment of Salina Central High School, South Junior High School, several elementary schools and a special education center.
Although offered the presidency of the board, she declined. Carlson bowed to societal norms that frowned upon women in leadership roles.
However, Carlson's voice was never silenced. She paved her own way into the local Men's Coffee Club, which met weekly at Neely's Café, where local issues were solved.
In 1969, Carlson ran for the Kansas State Board of Education. At the time, this board oversaw business schools, junior colleges and vocational schools, and secondary and elementary education. Carlson was non-partisan and backed by students, alums and their families statewide. She won by an overwhelming vote, representing 19 counties.
Equal Offerings
Under Carlson's leadership, around 22,000 students received a quality education.
In the 1970s, President Carlson brought a significant course change to Brown Mackie College. She phased out a gender-focused curriculum and implemented the Irene Carlson Finishing Course.
Before this, women were encouraged to enroll in the Nancy Taylor Finishing School. These classes focused on manners and etiquette. Men, on the other hand, took the Mr. Executive Management Course. The new course covered business management practices for both men and women.
LISTEN MORE: 🎙King in the Community: Susan Hawksworth, Smoky Hill Museum director
Find out more about Carlson's story and the legacies of other remarkable Salina women at the Smoky Hill Museum's newest exhibit titled, "Step up to the Task" running from April 12 - Oct. 5
All exhibits at the Smoky Hill Museum are free to the public.