Mary Lilly
Encyclopedia
Mary Lilly was a Progressive era
activist who had a prominent role in New York City
's social reform movement
s during the last decades of the 19th Century and early decades of the 20th Century. In particular, Lilly supported prison reform
in the form of separate facilities for females who were first time offenders.
Lilly was an advocate for women's suffrage
and other legislation to better the lives of women and children. After women gained the right to vote in New York in 1917, Lilly ran for elected office in the November 1918 election, and was one of two females elected to serve in the 1919 session of the New York State Assembly
.
Lilly graduated from Hunter College
teachers school in 1876 and took a job teaching in the New York City public school system. While still teaching school, she attended New York University School of Law
on a full scholarship, reported to be the first grant earned by a woman by taking a competitive exam. In 1895 Lilly was one of ten women in a class of seventy law students to receive her Bachelors of the Laws Degree.
teachers school in 1876 when still a teen, and took a job teaching at P.S. 37 in Manhattan
. In total, Lilly worked as a public school teacher for thirty-six years until she retired. Lilly joined The Association of Retired Teachers of the City of New York and held the position of secretary.
Additionally, Lilly was member of the political organization, The Women's Democratic Club.
For a brief time Lilly had a joint law practice with Eve P. Radtke who as admitted to bar in 1906.
.
Late in Lilly's re-election campaign for her seat in the New York State Assembly, The Citizens Union charged that Lilly as an assemblywomen and superintendent of the women prisoners on Blackwell's Island drew two salaries contrary to state law. Lilly answered the charge by asserting that she was assured by her counsel that she had the right to accept a job with the City of New York while employed in a public office with the state.
Progressive Era
The Progressive Era in the United States was a period of social activism and political reform that flourished from the 1890s to the 1920s. One main goal of the Progressive movement was purification of government, as Progressives tried to eliminate corruption by exposing and undercutting political...
activist who had a prominent role in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's social reform movement
Social movement
Social movements are a type of group action. They are large informal groupings of individuals or organizations focused on specific political or social issues, in other words, on carrying out, resisting or undoing a social change....
s during the last decades of the 19th Century and early decades of the 20th Century. In particular, Lilly supported prison reform
Prison reform
Prison reform is the attempt to improve conditions inside prisons, aiming at a more effective penal system.-History:Prisons have only been used as the primary punishment for criminal acts in the last couple of centuries...
in the form of separate facilities for females who were first time offenders.
Lilly was an advocate for women's suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
and other legislation to better the lives of women and children. After women gained the right to vote in New York in 1917, Lilly ran for elected office in the November 1918 election, and was one of two females elected to serve in the 1919 session of the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
.
Family and early life
Mary married John F. Lilly. Mary and John Lilly were the parents of J. Joseph Lilly, an assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of NY.Lilly graduated from Hunter College
Hunter College
Hunter College, established in 1870, is a public university and one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Hunter grants undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees in more than one hundred fields of study, and is recognized...
teachers school in 1876 and took a job teaching in the New York City public school system. While still teaching school, she attended New York University School of Law
New York University School of Law
The New York University School of Law is the law school of New York University. Established in 1835, the school offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in law, and is located in Greenwich Village, in the New York City borough of Manhattan....
on a full scholarship, reported to be the first grant earned by a woman by taking a competitive exam. In 1895 Lilly was one of ten women in a class of seventy law students to receive her Bachelors of the Laws Degree.
Public school teacher
Lilly graduated from Hunter CollegeHunter College
Hunter College, established in 1870, is a public university and one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Hunter grants undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees in more than one hundred fields of study, and is recognized...
teachers school in 1876 when still a teen, and took a job teaching at P.S. 37 in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. In total, Lilly worked as a public school teacher for thirty-six years until she retired. Lilly joined The Association of Retired Teachers of the City of New York and held the position of secretary.
Suffragist
Attended the Seneca Fall Conference sponsored by the Women's Party to commemorate the Women's Rights Convention of 1848.Community civic groups
Lilly belonged to and founded civic groups that advocated for social and political reforms. She was a member of The Society for the Aid to Mental Defectives and was the editor of its Journal. She was a Founder of The Kickerbocker Civic League and served as its president.Additionally, Lilly was member of the political organization, The Women's Democratic Club.
New York City Federation of Women's Clubs
Lilly was the recording secretary and the Chairwomen of the Probation Committee of the City Federation of Women's Clubs. Through her affiliation with the Federation, in 1913 she worked to establish the Kingsboro House, a detention home for young women first offenders in Brooklyn.Law practice
Lilly was editor of the Women Lawyers' Journal from 1915 to 1916.For a brief time Lilly had a joint law practice with Eve P. Radtke who as admitted to bar in 1906.
Political career
After women gained the right to vote in New York in 1917, she ran for elected office in the November 1918 election, and along with Ida Sammis was one of two females elected to serve in the 1919 session of the New York State AssemblyNew York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
.
New York State Assemblywoman
Lily sponsored a number of bills regarding children. She introduced legislation to establish paternity of children born out of wedlock, to protect the rights for children, and worked to abolish the death penalty.Late in Lilly's re-election campaign for her seat in the New York State Assembly, The Citizens Union charged that Lilly as an assemblywomen and superintendent of the women prisoners on Blackwell's Island drew two salaries contrary to state law. Lilly answered the charge by asserting that she was assured by her counsel that she had the right to accept a job with the City of New York while employed in a public office with the state.