Elementary school teacher Alice Driscoll Burke of Massachusetts was the first woman in New England to serve as a city mayor. Photo credit: The Boston Globe
There are many excellent educators who have established a career in the political sphere, even becoming trailblazers. One of these is Alice Burke, a teacher who also served as the first woman mayor in New England.
Alice Driscoll Burke was born on June 19, 1892, in Whitinsville, Massachusetts. At only four years old, she became an orphan. After her parents passed away, she was raised by her paternal grandparents. As a teenager, she graduated from Northbridge High School, with honors, and in 1911 she earned her teaching degree at Fitchburg Normal School.
Once she completed her education, Alice accepted a teaching position in Hampden County, Massachusetts. She taught sixth grade in schools in the town of Westfield.
In the mid-to-late 1910s, Burke also taught n Westfield’s Americanization program, teaching immigrants about United States history, government, and culture to prepare for their citizenship tests. Ironically, she did this at a point in history when women were denied the right to vote.
Unfortunately, the Westfield School Committee adopted a policy of allowing only women who were single to be employed as teachers in their district, so Alice, who was married, lost her job. That fall, she was elected to a position on the Westfield School Committee.
After teaching for 20 years, Alice was elected mayor of Westfield, the first female to be elected mayor in the state of Massachusetts or in the region of New England. She served in the position from 1940—1943, from 1954—1955, and from 1958—1958. From 1968 to 1973, she served as a member-at-large of the Westfield City Council. However, her career as a politician was also marked by significant defeats. A Democrat, Alice ran unsuccessful campaigns for the Massachusetts Senate in 1944 and for the House of Representatives in 1946. With the passage of the 19th Amendment, Alice was eager to exercise her own right to vote.
Alice Burke passed away on May 14, 1974, in Springfield, Massachusetts. She was 81 years old. To learn more about this remarkable educator and politician, click on this link to a biography about her published by the Historical Journal of Massachusetts.
