The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • 57

.90 INTOWN EXTRA, JULY 18, 1985 Woman's place: House and Senate By Carolyn Grant Staff Writer IMP ill: i Mable Thomas Betty J. Clark six are women. They include Carolyn Long Banks, Myrtle Davis, Mary Davis, Debby McCarty, Barbara Asher and Elaine Valentine. In addition, women have been elected to post on school boards in the city and suburbs of Atlanta. Three women also represent Georgia on the Democratic National Committee.

On the Republican National Committee, there is one worn-, an from Georgia. State Rep. Betty Clark, who is the only female chairperson of a standing committee in the state Legislature, said her appointment to that post is more than a milestone in the acceptance of women in state government "It was significant because it puts a woman in a 'leadership' position," said Ms. Clark, a DeKalb representative for 13 years and chairman of the Human Relations and Aging committee. "When all the House leaders get together to decide how the House will operate, I'm on the inside and have input on how things should be done." "We women think it's definitely a threshhold.

It definitely was a landmark decision," said DeKalb Rep. Eleanor Richardson. Although some male representatives still tell her that a woman's place is in the home, Ms. Clark said Women in Atlanta and in other districts throughout the state of Georgia have made their mark in becoming active and well known in the political arena. This year, of the 30 women who ran for a political office in Georgia last year, 23 are currently holding legislative positions.

According to the National Directory of Women Elected Officials 1985, there are 21 women in Georgia's 180-seat House of Representatives and two in the 56-seat Senate. Of the 21 women in the House, 17 are Democrats and four are Republican. Both women in the Senate are Democrats. There are also three women holding county official' positions in. counties with populations above 100,000 according to the directory.

In Dekalb County, which has a population of over 475,700, two women hold the position of Commissioner. In Cobb County, which has a population of over 295,400, a woman holds the office of Commissioner. A woman, Lillian Webb is the commission chairman in Gwinnett County; In Atlanta, out of the 19-mem-ber Atlanta City Council members, IfjfJ women are gaining and will continue to gain power in the Legislature as more women are elected. Twenty-one of the 180 representatives are women, six of them are from DeKalb County. Two of the 56 state senators are women.

Cathey Steinberg, a Democrat, represents the 46th district, DeKalb County's Briarcliff area. She is an outspoken supporter of the right to abortion and she lobbied for ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment Rep. Steinberg received a master's degree in education from the University of Pittsburgh and served as a 'social workertrom 1965 until 1977, when she was elected to the state House. She said women today are better accepted than when she entered the House. Betty Jo Williams, a Republican, has represented the Lakeside area of the 48th district since 1980.

Rep. Williams said she favors issues like road development and legislation to stiffen penalties for criminals. Eleanor Richardson, a Democrat has represented the Oak Grove community of DeKalb County since 1975. She graduated from Atherton Hall in Boston and has a history of community involvement with the Atlanta Regional Commission and the Georgia Mental Health Institute. "We now have more women moving into professional and responsible positions than before, but we'd have more if quality day-care were more available," Rep.

Richardson said. "I don't think women, as such, will have any more power (in the General Assembly) until more of us are there." Peggy Childs, a Democrat, has represented the Druid Hills area since 1975. She received a masters degree from the University of Georgia in 1962 and worked as an elementary school teacher and then as college instructor until 1969, when she became chairman of the board of Tallulah Productions, Inc. Joanita Williams, a Democrat was elected in 1984 to represent portions of Atlanta and Decatur; She succeeded her husband, Hosea Williams, who had resigned to wage an ultimately unsuccessful bid to unseat U.S. congressional Rep.

Wyche Fowler Jr. Betty Aaron has represented the 56th district in south DeKalb County since 1980. She and her bus- 17 fi I KM Georganna T. Sinkfield band own and operate a seafood business. Dorothy Felton, a Republican, represents District 22 in Fulton County.

In the House, she serves on the Education and Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment committees. She is also on the State Planning and Community Affairs Committee. Mable Thomas, a Democrat, represents 'the 31st district in Fulton County. In the House she serves on the Defense and Veterans Affairs and Education committees. She is also on the Industrial Relations Committee.

Helen Selman, a Democrat, represents District 32 in Fulton County. In the House, she serves on the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs and Industry committees. She also serves on the Health and Ecology Committee. Georganna T. Sinkfield, a Dem- Eleanor L.

Richardson ocrat, represents the 37th district in Fulton County. In the House, she serves on the Education and Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment committees. She is also on the State Institutions and Properties Barbara H. Couch, a Democrat from Atlanta, represents District 40 in Fulton County. In the House, she serves on the Industry, Public Saf-tey and Rules committees.

Bev Engram, a Democrat, represents portions of Douglas, Fayette and Fulton Counties of the 34th district She is vice-chairperson of the Education and Interstate Cooperation committees in the Senate. Janice S. Horton, a Democrat, represents portions of Butts, Clayton and Henry Counties in District 17. She is vice-chairperson of the Economic Development and Tourism Committee and secretary of the Rules Committee in the Senate. ii -1 i Geraldine Ferraro was the first female candidate for Vice President.

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