History Blog: Francis Robie

In the early 1900s, local politics were dominated by men. It was not until late 1911, that women were granted the vote in California. Despite this, men still dominated local politics. There was one woman that was elected to a local office, less than a year after women were allowed to vote.

Francis Robie was a school board trustee for the Alvarado Grammar School for 32 years, starting in 1912.

Francis Robie was born on April 7, 1867. She married Walter Starr Robie and raised a family in Alvardo. In 1912, at the age of 45, Francis started getting active in the community. She was elected to the Alvarado Grammar School Board and became a polling inspector for voting in Alvarado.

By 1922, Francis was clerk of the school board and became the public voice of the school board, announcing events and activities of the school board, to the press and public. In 1924, Francis, along with trustees John Scribner and F. C. Harvey, oversaw the building of a new grammar school, designed by noted architect Henry Haight Meyer.

By 1942, Francis was the longest serving woman school board trustee in Alameda County. By the next year, 1943, Francis was the longest serving school board trustee in Alameda County. In, July 1944, Francis resigned from the school board, at the age of 77.

While serving on the school board, Francis also continued her work volunteering to work polling stations for elections in Alvarado. She was also involved in a number of local organizations, including, the Alvarado Whist Club, Alvarado Senior Bridge Club, Alvarado Ladies Birthday Club, Order of the Eastern Star, Washington Township Parent Teacher Association (president in 1926), First Presbyterian Church of Alvarado, Toyon Branch of the Children's Hostpital, Women of Woodcraft, and the Country Club of Washington Township (President in 1926).

Francis passed away November 11, 1957.