In the year of our nation’s Bi-Centennial, Nineteen hundred and Seventy-six (1976), Mary Egerton Miller and Helen Warner Mulholland wrote the first proposal for a new state organization -Ohio Women, Incorporated (OWI). This momentous event transpired by candle light under the portrait of Abraham Lincoln at the Buxton Inn in Granville, Ohio.

Thereafter, came many meetings of a Joint Committee of representatives from the Ohio Commission on the Status of Women (OCSW) and the Ohio Coalition for the Implementation of the Equal Rights (OCIERA). The final joining of these two organizations into one statewide organization occurred on October 1, 1977, at the Ohio State University Center for Vocational Education. Helen Mulholland’s keynote speech has been a guiding force over the years.

But this did not happen in time to spare Ohio’s pro-Equal Rights Amendment women from learning a very hard and bitter lesson on June 11 and 12, 1977, at the Ohio State Fairground’s Lausche Building. It came about at the Ohio International Women’s Year (IWY) meeting that Far Right groups out maneuvered the majority of Ohio’s women and ended up with 45 of Ohio’s 56 delegates to the National IWY Conference in Houston, Texas in November of 1977.

Without a strong statewide network of our own for fast communication and action, Ohio’s majority pro-Equal Rights Amendment women were and can still be quite helpless against certain Far Right tactics. Those who were there in June 1977 will never forget the feeling that this must never be allowed to happen again.

Ohio Women, Inc. was formed to be the rallying point of Ohio’s women. It is not to threaten any already existing pro-Equal Rights Amendment organizations but to strengthen and help them work together toward collective concerns voiced and outlined at the Houston IWY Conference. So as not to threaten we decided against membership in OWI and only ask for financial and working support. The OWI banner led the Ohio Delegations’ March on Washington in the 95 degree heat of the summer of 1978 and OWI has rallied organizations at the Ohio State House on several occasions.

We envisioned a Central Office with an executive director, a regular newsletter, a calendar of events, quarterly presidents’ council meetings, caucuses working on the Houston IWY agenda, regular Board meetings and conferences that would speak to and for the needs and concerns of all our pro-Equal Rights Amendment women.

The purpose was written “TO ENCOURAGE, AFFIRM, SUPPORT, AND SAFEGUARD THE WOMEN OF OHIO AS THEY MOVE TO ACHIEVE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL IN EVERY ASPECT OF THEIR LIVES.”

In explaining how this was to be done, such words as the following were used-

To involve
To provide services
To strengthen
To serve as a clearing house
To create linkages
To provide resources
To improve opportunities
To conduct research
To monitor
To distribute information
To develop an Ohio women’s lobby
In other words, TO NETWORK!

OWI had ten Presidents and one Executive Director in our history from 1977-1991. A summary of accomplishments over this period of time will show that our work has been guided by the above description.

As in King Arthur’s Court, we have had our Lancelots and our Mortimers, but always we have kept in mind the dream of the state-wide network, the Presidents’ Council (now called Leadership Council) - organizations working together in coalition toward common needs and goals - to be aware of those whose goals are to subvert and defeat what we are all about - at the same time offering leadership by developing strategies for solutions based on research and solidly based information.

Our Presidents and their leadership are noted as follows:

ANNE MARSHALL SAUNIER (1977-1978) Moderator at both the Ohio and the National IWY Conferences, she helped us with our beginning organizational problems.

ROBERTA STEINBACHER (1978-1980) submitted to the George Gund Foundation in Cleveland an extensive proposal to build a statewide women’s network, which could “mobilize women of all ages, all life styles, and all economic, racial and religious backgrounds in support of the basic human rights issues which comprise the ‘women’s movement.’”

Specifically, OWI would “(1) develop a broadly based network of women’s groups throughout Ohio with which to share information, training and action planning, and (2) investigate and analyze single issue groups whose activities threaten the realization of full equality for women in Ohio.”

MARY EGERTON MILLER (1980-1981) Vice-President with Roberta Steinbacher, was elected President at the Annual Meeting June 14, 1980. Very shortly thereafter, the George Gund Foundation sent $16,045 for the support of OWI.

The long dreamed of office for OWI was opened in September 1980 with Joyce Garver Keller (hired in 1980) as Executive Director, and fast progress was made toward implementation of the Gund Proposal.

The proposal involved a number of actions. Seventy-two women’s organizations across Ohio were identified as working for full quality for women. An OWI President’s Council was formed to meet quarterly. Consultation services were offered to assist the identified network with coalition building and program development. Ohio Far Right single-issue groups were identified. OWI continued to exchange information with national organizations regarding activities of Far Right single-issue groups. A training session was developed for leaders of women’s organizations to help them understand the impact of the Far Right. Caucuses were developed and supported on politics, rape and domestic violence, media, welfare/human services, education and employment, Equal Rights Amendment, reproductive freedom, insurance and pension, minority women, and sexual preference. A quarterly newsletter, entitled Ohio Women’s Reporter, was published. The Ohio women’s calendar was published quarterly and listed programs, conventions, fundraisers, etc.

DONNA HART (1981-1982) “The Changing Political Climate,” the statewide conference on the politics of the New Right and their increasing activity in Ohio, took place in September 1981 and had been projected in the June 1981 Annual Report.

The is no doubt that this was a productive time when we had a full time Executive Director to keep the office open, always having a real voice to answer the telephone and a person to see people if they should come to the office - to follow through with the Board on decisions and plans, to see that our newsletters and Calendar of Events were published regularly, to see that the Presidents met on a quarterly basis, to coordinate the Conferences and attend to a host of other activities, including out of state travel and statewide travel.

Joyce Garver Keller left OWI on June 30, 1982 to open a Columbus office for People for the American Way.

NANCY EVANS (1982-1983) The George Gund Foundation awarded a grant for a project entitled “The New Day” to document Ohio’s administrative and legislative progress in implementing the 1975 Governor’s Task Force Report for the Implementation of the Equal Rights Amendment and documenting those sections of the agenda which still were unmet.

A fourteen person Advisory Committee, chaired by Mariwyn Heath, was appointed along with a Director for the Project, Roxi Liming, to do the necessary research. Roxi Liming was released in February 1983.

Nancy Evans resigned as President when she was hired by OWI to direct a Jobs Training Project, funded by the Ohio Department of Employment Services, to train unemployed women to enter the job market.

LOUISE VETTER (1983-1985), Vice-President with Nancy Evans, took over as President and then was elected for two terms of her own. She was President when the “New Day Report” was presented to the Governor on October 15, 1983 and when we had the statewide conference to develop “A Women’s Platform” for use during the 1984 elections. The Gund foundation gave another grant of $10,000 to OWI to conduct four additional Women’s Platform Workshops around the state and for publicizing the “New Day Report.”

OWI elected its first man Don McTigue, to the Board. This was a wise decision. He was always a consistent “power behind the throne!”

Two of our Board members, Mary Egerton Miller and Mariwyn Heath, were inducted into the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame November 16, 1983.

Louise Vetter directed a study of OWI’s structure, which resulted in the adoption of the Planning Committee Report on June 15, 1985. This reviewed the Purpose of OWI, discussed its Network and Newsletter, a computerized database, the network services, the Board of Trustees Structure, the duties of the committees, and recommended seven Caucuses and proposed staff and funding.

OWI’s bylaws were revised to comply with the planning committee report.

SUE A. BLANSHAN (1985-1986) started her term August 21, 1985 with this planning committee report and the revised OWI bylaws.

OWI nominated Helen Mulholland for the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame, into which she was duly inducted on November 14, 1985. Dr. Roberta Steinbacher, Administrator of the Ohio Bureau of Employment Services and past President of OWI, presented awards.

In January 1986, Faith Crampton was hired to fill the part time position of Program Manager. OWI contracted with Civic which is housed at COSI for computer use to assist in the development of a data base for our growing network and later for the updating of the Directory of Boards, Commissions and Advisory Bodies of the State of Ohio, which was originally published by Mary Egerton Miller’s WOVEN (Women’s Ohio Volunteer Employment Network) in 1979. OWI received a grant of $9950 from the Labor Market Information Division of the Ohio Bureau of Employment Services for this project, as well as a grant of $5000 from the Ohio State University Mershon Center, to print it.

The grant from OBES also covered the research on policy level employment positions in state government, which was to be published separately, and printed by OBES. Lynne Bratka was hired as Research Associate for this project.

Marilwyn Heath became Editor of the OWI News and Views and Christella Bogan managed its publication.

The Presidents’ Council was held in conjunction with the Annual meeting on August 16, 1986 and featured Dr. Sheila Davis who spoke on “Making Things Happen: Networking to Excellence.”

LINDA HENGST (1986-1988). A preliminary report on the Directory of Boards, Commissions and Advisory Bodies of the State of Ohio was sent to OBES by mid October 1986. It was published in 1987. Seven hundred copies went to the Ohio libraries, one hundred to the OSU Mershon Center for Research, and three hundred to the Ohio Bureau of Employment Services. The remaining 2000 copies were to be sold by OWI for $13.50 each, $15.00 if mailed.

Because of the Mental Health Board’s need for more space, OWI’s office was moved from 447 East Broad Street to the YWCA, 65 S. Fourth Street, Columbus in January 1987.

With the publication of the directory and the approval of her Ph.D. dissertation by OSU, Faith Crampton left OWI to accept a teaching position at the University of Oregon at Eugene.

On May 30, 1987, Helen Mulholland directed an OWI conference, “Women, Private Lives and Public Policy - The Social, Emotional, Economic and Community Investments of Being a Woman Today.” Dr Michele Zak, Director Academic Development of the University of California, was the Keynote Speaker. There were workshops plus a Reader’s Theatre Production that presented “Whatever Happened to Nannerl Mozart and Fanny Mendelssohn?” supported by the Ohio Arts Council and the Ohio Humanities Council.

The development of a Women’s Agenda was started at the Presidents’ Council meeting on April 30, 1988, with a presentation by Marsha Miller. This was for the purpose of helping women achieve a true sharing in Ohio’s economy. Two subsequent meetings brought together representatives from twenty-eight organizations to develop the Agenda. This Agenda was reviewed for endorsement by organizations across the state.

CAROLYN HAST (1988-1990) OWI President as of June 30, 1988, an excellent administrator, inspired and motivated the Board so that much was accomplished during her two terms that ended July 14, 1990. Mary Egerton Miller was Vice-President during her first term and Joyce Garver Keller during the second term.

The OWI Brochure was updated. A telephone chain was devised for fast communication with Board members. It was decided to keep one copy of all OWI materials, by year, in the OWI files.

OWI’s history (1977-1988) was pulled together by Mary Anne Saucier and she was appointed Historian. She also put all the past board members on cards and it was decided to form an OWI Alumni Group with the proper changes made in the by-laws, dated April 15, 1989. There were fourteen charter members of the alumni group.

There was OWI participation in the Governor’s Interagency Council on Women’s Issues that had been started in June 1987.

OWI assistance was offered to the Women and Children’s Budget Coalition, sponsored by State Senator Linda J. Furney. In 1990, it published its Recommendations for the 1992-1993 State Biennial Budget that was “an effort to ensure the State Budget addresses and provides for the needs of Ohio’s women and children.”

Seven OWI Board members attended the National Women’s Agenda II in Kansas City, January 6-8, 1989. Our Ohio Women’s Agenda was completed and endorsed by thirty-five women’s organizations. The Ohio Women’s Agenda was updated at regular intervals, widely distributed to state and local government and endorsing organizations that used it throughout the state.

The name of the Presidents’ Council that was sponsored by Ohio Women, Inc. was changed to Leadership Council. This Council met April 15, 1989, to discuss with Senator Linda Furney (Women’s Budget Commission), Diane Poulton (Women’s Information Center), and Marsha Miller (Women’s Division, Ohio Bureau of Employment Services) information about state legislation affecting women. The Council met January 24, 1990, to discuss a possible Ohio Commission on the Status of Women, the issues surrounding “choice”, and “gender balance on state boards and commissions.” And the Council met March 31, 1990 to hear candidates for state office respond to issues in the Ohio Women’s Agenda.

OWI pushed the sales of the Directory of Ohio Boards and Commissions as a continuing effort to achieve gender balance. Some were also distributed free of charge because of their importance in the issue of gender balance on boards and commissions.

OWI co-sponsored the Coalition for Change Conferences on March 11, 1989, and March 3, 1990. This coalition meets once a year and members include OWI, American Association of University Women, Business and Professional Women, DKG, Ohio Education Association Women Committee, Ohio League of Women Voters, Ohio National Organization for Women, Planned Parenthood, WEAL, and the YWCA.

The need for a state of Ohio Commission on the Status of Women surfaced in 1989 as more women recognized the need for “a permanent, statutory, funded and staffed entity assigned to institutionalize attention to women’s issues at the state government level.” The Leadership Council, with OWI, League of Women Voters, YWCA, and 100 Black Women spearheading the effort, helped write H.B. 825 that was introduced March 20, 1990 with much bi-partisan support by forty co-sponsors. The final commission, called The Women’s Policy and Research Commission, was signed into law by Governor Richard Celeste on June 26, 1990.

OWI set about planning how best to help the Commission fulfills its role. All members of the OWI Board were encouraged to submit necessary information for consideration of their appointment to the commission. OWI by-law changes were made to encourage and promote more leadership development within the Board. OWI committees were streamlined and continuity of leadership was established with the Vice-President being considered the President-elect and the immediate past president a voting member of the Executive Committee. Bylaw changes were made July 14, 1990.

JOYCE GARVER KELLER (1990-199?), former OWI Executive Director (1980-1982) and OWI Vice-President (1989-1990), became OWI President July 14, 1990 at the Annual Meeting that was held at Inniswood Park. Her vast knowledge, assurance, humor, and inclusiveness has made her ideally suited for this role, and she continues dynamic leadership with extensive Board involvement. Diane Studer is Vice-President.

OWI called a Leadership Council September 22, 1990 to discuss updating the Ohio Women’s Agenda, appointments to the new Women’s Policy and Research Commission, and the 1990 elections. Appointments to the Commission from OWI were Mariwyn Health (appointed by Governor Celeste) and Nancy Rose and Anne Maroukis (appointed by the Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives). Donna Hart, past President of OWI, was appointed to the Commission by the President of the Ohio Senate.

At the Leadership Council on January 9, 1991, there was a report on the appointments to the new Women’s Policy and Research Commission, the second draft of updates to the Ohio Women’s Agenda was presented, and there was a report from the Women’s and Children Budget Coalition, with calls for action in needed areas. There was another Leadership Council on April 20, 1991 during which the African-American Women’s Agenda was presented and the Ohio Coalition of Nurses with Specialty Certification discussed issues that relate directly to advanced practice. There were also reports on the Ohio Women’s Agenda (and its final adoption), the Boards and Commissions Directory, Civil Rights Bills, the state budget, and the Women’s Policy and Research Commission, with corresponding calls to action.

Following the meeting, the updated Ohio Women’s Agenda was distributed to the Governor, the legislature, and all members of the Women’s Policy and Research Commission.

OWI co-sponsored the yearly Coalition for Change meeting, March 9, 1991. Dr. James Brazoli gave a presentation on teen pregnancy, and Kelly Gorey and Nancy Rose were speakers at a workshop on the Women’s Policy and Research Commission.

Plans for the coming year include: (1)For Women’s Equality Day, OWI will furnish an information packet regarding the most pressing issues women face today, as a means of raising awareness and assisting women’s organizations with press conferences for the day. And (2) there will be a concerted effort to update the Directory of Boards and Commissions, with $500 set aside for a student to do the necessary research.

As we review these fourteen years, it seems like yesterday and yet a long time ago. So much as happened, so much still to be done, so much is the same, so much depends on us now. OWI is needed today as it was in 1977. We still do not have the Equal Rights Amendment and our reproductive freedom rights are threatened by State Government and federal courts.

Our Founders have done their best and they are still trying. Fortunately, feminists are especially long lived. They urge us on to do ever better. As was said on our Founding Day “ use us well, use us well!”