Woman of the Century/Susan Helen Wixon

WIXON, Miss Susan Helen, author and educator, was born in Dennisport, Cape Cod, Mass. She is of Welsh descent. Her father was Captain James Wixon, a man of sturdy independence and honesty. Her mother, Bethia Smith Wixon, was a woman of firmness, integrity and uprightness. Miss Wixon was from infancy a thoughtful child, of a dreamy, studious and poetic nature. She was an apt scholar and, before she was thirteen years old, she was teaching a district school. The committee hesitated about appointing her, on account of her extreme youth and diminutive size. SUSAN HELEN WIXON. "Indeed, I can teach," she said. "Give me a chance, and see!" They did so, and her words proved true. She followed teaching with success for several years, and desired to make that profession her life-work. Early in life, after the loss of four brothers at sea, all at one time, the family removed from their country home to Fall River, Mass., where Miss Wixon now lives with her sister. In 1873 she was elected a member of the school board of that city, serving three years. In 1890 she was again elected to that position, where she is now serving. For several years she has had the editorial charge of the children's department of the New York "Truth Seeker." She is a contributor to several magazines and newspapers, and at one time was a regular reporter on the staff of the Moston "Sunday Record." She is an easy, graceful writer, both in prose and poetry. Her poem, "When Womanhood Awakes," is considered one of the most inspiring among the poems written in the behalf of women. She is the well-known author of several books, "Apples of Gold" (Boston, 1876); "Sunday Observance" (1883); "All In a Lifetime" (Boston, 1884); "The Story Hour" (New York, 1885); "Summer Days at Onset" (Boston, 1887), besides tracts and pamphlets. She is a lecturer of ability on moral reform and educational topics. She is interested in scientific matters and is president of the Humboldt Scientific Society and president of the Woman's Educational and Industrial Society, of Fall River. She is a member of the Woman's Relief Corps, and takes an active interest in several other organizations. She was elected a member of the committee on woman's industrial advancement, World's Columbian Exposition, in the inventors' department. She is an ardent supporter of all reformatory measures, and it was her suggestion to Gov. Russell, and her able representation of the need of women as factory inspectors in Massachusetts, that caused the appointment of two women to that position in 1891. She is a member of the executive council of the Woman's National Liberal Union, whose first convention was held in Washington in February, 1890. She especially espouses the cause of women and children. In both politics and religion she holds radical views, boldly denouncing all shams and hypocrisies, wherever they appear. In 1892 she made a tour of Europe, studying principally the tariff question. Upon her return her opinions, published in Fall River, aroused much interest and discussion.