June 24, 1977

ERA not the issue

       The following letter to the editor was printed in today's Daily Journal newspaper and reprinted with permission:
 

To the editor,

Seems most likely that 11 men out of 17 should be able to know their own minds after working with Mrs. Pat McDaniel for one full year, which was her probation period, they should be able to tell if, when, and whether she is able, capable and reliable enough to have the confidence of the other firemen. Regardless of whether it be a male or a female for this person to become a fireman or not; regardless as to whether the person has a perfect score in firemen’s training tactics, which is either taught or is read out of a book, when it comes time to put this training to actual use and do it according to training, this then becomes another story. Her probation is over and the results were the beliefs of 11 men that she could not make it as a fireman. You can cry about ERA and discrimination which is not the issue in this matter. There could be the same circumstances whether it be a male or female joining the volunteer fire department. We are a volunteer department. We receive no pay. We perform voluntarily and freely, do the most dangerous and hazardous work on this earth and we feel that we should have the most capable manpower to serve the community in any and every way possible. If you were a employer, would you pay a person for a full year for which this person, male or female, was incapable of performing the duties of this job? Hopefully, this will be the last issue on the matter of this woman fireman. This nothing but childish play to continue to harp on this issue. Let’s drop it where it lays and let’s go on to bigger and better things.

                                                                                                Respectfully,
                                                                                                A White River Volunteer Fireman
                                                                                                (Name withheld by request)
 
   

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