1997 Assembly Resolution 12
ENGROSSED RESOLUTION
Relating to: commending Ruth Doyle's championship of women's rights and her accomplishments.
Whereas, in 1951 Ruth Doyle, who was then a member of the assembly, introduced a resolution condemning the man who was then the sergeant-at-arms for refusing to hire a woman as a messenger; and
Whereas, although Ms. Doyle and her ally, representative Sylvia Raihle, were defeated in their efforts to secure employment for the applicant, Thelma Windrow, they made a strong stand for women's rights and against discrimination; and
Whereas, on this day when the assembly elects the first woman to serve as its sergeant-at-arms, it is appropriate to recognize Ruth Doyle's support of, and advocacy for, women, both in this body and in general, as well as her own accomplishments; and
Whereas, Ruth Doyle was the 4th generation of her family to serve in the Wisconsin legislature, following in the footsteps of her father, grandfather and great-grandfather; and
Whereas, she was elected to the assembly in 1948 and was reelected in 1950; and
Whereas, she also served on the Dane County Board from 1957 to 1960 and was the only woman on that board, and she served on the Madison School Board, from 1964 to 1973, serving as the board's first woman president, and the latter service was recognized by naming the school district's administration building for her; and
Whereas, between 1961 and 1969 she worked in the Dean of Women's office at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and she worked at the University of Wisconsin-Madison law school from 1969 to 1979, where she established the Five-Year Program which greatly increased the number of minority law students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; and
Whereas, in addition to her professional accomplishments, Ruth Doyle was a loving and devoted wife to Judge James Doyle and a loving and devoted mother to their 4 children, all of whom became attorneys: Mary, Catherine, Anne and Wisconsin's Attorney General Jim Doyle; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the assembly, That the members of the assembly today both elect their first woman sergeant-at-arms and salute one of her forerunners, Ruth Doyle; and, be it further
Resolved, That the assembly chief clerk shall provide a copy of this resolution to Ruth Doyle.
