On March 23, 2022, the Arlington Science Focus School in Arlington, VA enthusiastically installed a Pomeroy marker honoring Mary Morris Lockwood. Mary Lockwood was an active suffragist, both nationally and locally. She founded the Alexandria County (now Arlington County) branch of the Equal Suffrage League in 1912, and became active in the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage where she served as national treasurer for two years. Mrs. Lockwood participated in the 1913 suffrage parades in Washington, DC and New York City. She was arrested for picketing the White House in 1917, but successfully sued to have her sentence overturned and did not serve prison time.
(L to R: School Board Chair Dr. Barbara Kanninen, Superintendent of Schools, Francisco Duran, Asst. Superintendent Renee Harber, Asst. Director of Maintenance Services Steven Bernheisel, NVWT Representative Nancy Tate, Director of Maintenance Services James Meikel, Principal Mary Begley)
The Arlington Science Focus School is on the grounds of what had been the Lockwood home. Although previously unaware of the connection, the Arlington County Public Schools system immediately embraced the idea of a roadside marker in Mary Lockwood’s honor and supported it enthusiastically. The school principal created suffrage sashes and armbands for the 4th and 5th graders, wrote a suffrage song for them to sing to the tune of “Yankee Doodle Dandy”, and wore a suffrage outfit herself. The PTA provided cookies labeled with “VOTE. Mary Lockwood, 1871 – 1936”.
The speakers were Superintendent of Schools Dr. Francisco Duran, School Board Chair Dr. Barbara Kanninen, Principal Mary Begley, 2 students, and NVWT representative Nancy Tate. The event was well attended, with guests from the county government, various historical organizations, the League of Women Voters, plus faculty and parents. The event was a big success!
Submitted by Nancy Tate, VA State Coordinator, NVWT