WOMEN'S SUCCESSES

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 28, 3 February 1938, Page 18

WOMEN'S SUCCESSES

YEAR OF BIG ACHIEVEMENTS

HISTORY MADE, RECORDS

BROKEN

The year 1937 was one of big achievements for women. They scored new successes in sport, art, politics, aviation, and even in seamanship, states a writer in the "Sydney Morn-1 ing Herald." At the head of the list Is the Queen, who became the first woman to be admitted to the Order of the Thistle. The Order was bestowed on her by the King in July in St. Giles* Cathedral, Edinburgh, when the Queen, wearing the green velvet robe of the Order and a black plumed Hat, took the solemn oath "never \o bear treason about in my heart against the King, but discover the same to him. . i» ■ ■ . ■ '■.. Miss Jean Batten again made aviation history. '■ With her record-smash-ing flight from Australia to England in October, she obtained the distinction of having made the fastest .flight in,both directions. Another record-breaker was .Mrs. Kirby-Green, who, with Flying-Officer Clouston, flew from London ;.to the Cape and back in 5 days 17 hours and 30 minutes. The previous record for the double flight—held by Amy Johnson—was 7 days 22 hours 42 minutes. A FLYING DOCTOR. A novel achievement in aviation was that of Dr. Jean White, who, in July; was the first Australian woman to become a flying doctor. ,■ .■■;.- ' ■■ Important successes were won by two British women civil servants. Miss MyraCurtis was appointed Assistant Secretary and Director of Women's Establishments by the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury. She is the third woman to hold this post, which gives her direction over 70,000 women civil servants.' ' . . - The other woman civil servant to win distinction was Miss Minnie Johnson, of Londonderry, who was elected first woman president of the Civil Service Clerks' Association, and was thus placed at the head of the 29,000 men members of the association. ' In art, Dame Laura Knight again headed the list of women urtists' achievements ,by becoming the first woman to be appointed to the selection committee of the Royal Academy. She assisted in the judging, of the thousands of works submitted for.the great Coronation year exhibition of the, academy. - •: OWNER OF DERBY WINNER. In the world of sport, history was made by Mrs. G. Butt Miller, who became the first woman to Vin the Derby. Her horse was Midday Sun, which she owned in partnership' with her mother, Mrs. Talbot. During the year two women were admitted to the male strongholds of the City- of London, companies. Miss Austin Balls was admitted to the freedom of the. Worshipful Company of Innholders, and Miss Robinson, for twenty-one years headmistress of the Drapers' Company School, Denbigh, was admitted; to the honorary freedom of the Drapers' Company of the City of London. Miss Robinson was the first woman'-to. receive such an honour iii the 500 years of the • company's history: - SPHERE OF SEAMANSHIP. Two notable successes have been scored by English . women in the sphere of seamanship. Miss Lita Clare Edwards, daughter of General R. F. Edwards, of Southampton, obtained her .yachtmaster's certificate after nine months'study in the Department of Navigation at University College, Southampton. She has already accepted the mastership of a yacht. Miss Margery Ragless, daughter of a Bognor Regis fisherman, fulfilled a similar ambition by becoming the first woman to hold the Board of Trade's Master's licence allowing her to take fifty-six passengers to sea.