Mary Shadow

{{Short description|Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Mary Shadow

|image = Mary Shadow.png

|state_house = Tennessee

|district = 10th floterial

|term_start1 = 1949

|term_end1 = 1953

|predecessor1 = Walter White

|successor1 = J.R. Fischesser

|birth_name = Mary Merrill Shadow

|birth_date = {{birth date|1925|07|17}}

|birth_place = Winchester, Tennessee, U.S.

|death_date = {{death date and age|1992|01|02|1925|07|17}}

|death_place = Bad Steben, Germany

|party = Democratic

|spouse = {{marriage|David Lawrence Hill|December 31, 1950}}

|children = 7

|education = {{ubl|Tennessee Wesleyan University | University of Alabama | University of Kentucky}}

|signature =

}}

Mary Merrill Shadow (July 17, 1925{{spnd}}January 2, 1992) was an American politician who served in the Tennessee House of Representatives from the 10th floterial district from 1949 to 1953, as a member of the Democratic Party.

Shadow was born in Winchester, Tennessee, in 1925 and was educated at Tennessee Wesleyan University, University of Alabama, and the University of Kentucky. She defeated incumbent Representative Walter White for a seat in the state house and served until 1953. She was a delegate to the 1956 Democratic National Convention and unsuccessfully ran to be a delegate to Tennessee's constitutional convention and for a seat in the New Mexico House of Representatives.

Early life and education

Mary Merrill Shadow was born in Winchester, Tennessee, on July 17, 1925 to Willis Albert Shadow and Mary Merrill Ermlich. She received a scholarship to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 1943. She graduated from Tennessee Wesleyan University in 1945, University of Tennessee in 1947, and from University of Alabama and University of Kentucky with a Master of Public Administration in 1948. She married David Lawrence Hill, with whom she had seven children, on December 31, 1950.{{sfn|Cornwell|1989|p=426}}{{Cite news |date=May 13, 1943 |title=Wins Way To UC |page=10 |work=Chattanooga Daily Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120137100/chattanooga-daily-times/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304041038/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120137100/chattanooga-daily-times/ |archive-date=March 4, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Shadow became a political science professor at Wesleyan in 1948.{{sfn|Cornwell|1989|p=426}} She was appointed as youth chair of the International Christian University's $10 million fundraising campaign in 1950.{{Cite news |date=March 9, 1950 |title=Miss Shadow Aids Japan University |page=5 |work=Chattanooga Daily Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120187009/chattanooga-daily-times/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304231810/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120187009/chattanooga-daily-times/ |archive-date=March 4, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Shadow was a member of the Garden Club of America, League of Women Voters, American Association of University Women,{{sfn|Cornwell|1989|p=426}} and Zeta Tau Alpha.{{Cite news |date=May 13, 1947 |title=U-T Sorority Gives Party For Seniors |page=4 |work=The Knoxville Journal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120137168/the-knoxville-journal/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304041202/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120137168/the-knoxville-journal/ |archive-date=March 4, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Career

Shadow was an opponent of E. H. Crump's political machine.{{sfn|Cornwell|1989|p=426}} Following the Battle of Athens she wrote a research paper on the government of McMinn County, Tennessee.{{Cite news |date=January 30, 1949 |title=She Checks Before Starting |page=82 |work=The Tennessean |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120142944/the-tennessean/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304065802/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120142944/the-tennessean/ |archive-date=March 4, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} She became secretary-treasurer of the Meigs County Young Democratic Club in 1949.{{Cite news |date=September 11, 1949 |title=Meigs YDC Meets, Chooses Officers |page=25 |work=Chattanooga Daily Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120143643/chattanooga-daily-times/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307022418/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120143643/chattanooga-daily-times/ |archive-date=March 7, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} She became chair of the college activities divisions in the Young Democratic Clubs of America.{{Cite news |date=March 6, 1950 |title=YDC Offer Awaited by Mary Shadow |page=9 |work=Knoxville News Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120187527/the-knoxville-news-sentinel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304232511/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120187527/the-knoxville-news-sentinel/ |archive-date=March 4, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=May 12, 1950 |title=Mary Shadow Named To YDC Chairmanship |page=3 |work=The Jackson Sun |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120187540/the-jackson-sun/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304232637/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120187540/the-jackson-sun/ |archive-date=March 4, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Shadow announced her campaign for the Democratic nomination for a seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives from the 10th floterial district on April 25, 1948.{{Cite news |date=April 26, 1948 |title=Co-Ed To Seek Meigs Office |page=1 |work=Chattanooga Daily Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120137518/chattanooga-daily-times/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304041916/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120137518/chattanooga-daily-times/ |archive-date=March 4, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} She defeated incumbent Representative Walter White and Republican nominee Earl Mack Smith in the 1948 election after spending $270. She was the only woman elected to the state legislature in that election and the first unmarried woman elected to the state legislature, and received fourteen marriage proposals after her victory.{{Cite news |date=November 3, 1948 |title=Professor Is Elected To State House |page=8 |work=Bristol News Bulletin |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119945204/the-bristol-news-bulletin/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230301074729/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119945204/the-bristol-news-bulletin/ |archive-date=March 1, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=January 6, 1950 |title=Mary Shadow May Seek Frazier Job, Says Collier's Story on Meigs Girl |page=12 |work=Chattanooga Daily Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119947382/chattanooga-daily-times/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304041619/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119947382/chattanooga-daily-times/ |archive-date=March 4, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=November 5, 1948 |title=Tennessee Notebook - Edward B. Smith |page=4 |work=Knoxville News Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120137904/the-knoxville-news-sentinel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304042809/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120137904/the-knoxville-news-sentinel/ |archive-date=March 4, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} She announced her reelection campaign on June 2, 1950, and defeated White in the election.{{Cite news |date=June 2, 1950 |title=Mary Shadow To Run for House Seat Again |page=9 |work=Knoxville News Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120188972/the-knoxville-news-sentinel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304234957/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120188972/the-knoxville-news-sentinel/ |archive-date=March 4, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=November 15, 1950 |title=Mary Shadow's Lead Officially 318 |page=5 |work=Knoxville News Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119947715/the-knoxville-news-sentinel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230301115113/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119947715/the-knoxville-news-sentinel/ |archive-date=March 1, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} She did not seek reelection in 1952, and was succeeded by J.R. Fischesser.{{Cite news |date=November 14, 1952 |title=County-by-County Vote Canvass |page=8 |work=Knoxville News Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120338538/the-knoxville-news-sentinel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307015333/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120338538/the-knoxville-news-sentinel/ |archive-date=March 7, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Shadow was selected as secretary of the Democratic caucus in the state house in 1949.{{Cite news |date=January 4, 1949 |title=Six-Member Election Body Sought For State |page=2 |work=The Knoxville Journal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120142185/the-knoxville-journal/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304063249/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120142185/the-knoxville-journal/ |archive-date=March 4, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} The Tennessee Press Corps voted her as "one of the five most able and effective members of the House of Representatives" during the 77th session.{{sfn|Cornwell|1989|p=426}} She was a member of a delegation sent by the Tennessee General Assembly to the second inauguration of Harry S. Truman.{{Cite news |date=January 12, 1949 |title=New Adoption Bill Presented; Backed by Social Groups |page=15 |work=Knoxville News Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120142610/the-knoxville-news-sentinel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304064547/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120142610/the-knoxville-news-sentinel/ |archive-date=March 4, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} During her tenure in the state house she served on the Finance and Ways and Means committees.{{Cite news |date=January 16, 1949 |title=State's Only Female Legislator On Her Activities In Assembly |page=11 |work=Kingsport Times-News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120142785/kingsport-times-news/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304065139/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120142785/kingsport-times-news/ |archive-date=March 4, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Shadow ran to represent Davidson County, Tennessee, as a delegate to a constitutional convention in the 1952 election, but lost.{{Cite news |date=October 26, 1952 |title=Mrs. Mary Hill Enters Race |page=8 |work=The Tennessean |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120338397/the-tennessean/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307015201/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120338397/the-tennessean/ |archive-date=March 7, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=November 9, 1952 |title=Political Pinwheel |page=18 |work=Kingsport Times-News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120338283/kingsport-times-news/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307015032/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120338283/kingsport-times-news/ |archive-date=March 7, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} She was a delegate to the 1956 Democratic National Convention from New Mexico and supported Adlai Stevenson II.{{sfn|Cornwell|1989|p=426}}{{Cite news |date=August 16, 1956 |title=Mrs. Hill, Once a Political Success In Tennessee, Rises in New Mexico |page=6 |work=Chattanooga Daily Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120340170/chattanooga-daily-times/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307021822/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120340170/chattanooga-daily-times/ |archive-date=March 7, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Later life

Shadow and her family moved to New Mexico in 1952. She ran for a seat in the New Mexico House of Representatives in the 1956 election and was the only female Democratic nominee for state house, but lost to Republican nominee Thomas R. Roberts.{{Cite news |date=February 26, 1956 |title=Mary Hill Announces For Mary Lou's Post |page=6 |work=The Santa Fe New Mexican |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120339257/the-santa-fe-new-mexican/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307020433/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120339257/the-santa-fe-new-mexican/ |archive-date=March 7, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=November 7, 1956 |title=Hill Goes For Ike, Strong For Simms |page=1 |work=The Santa Fe New Mexican |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120339600/the-santa-fe-new-mexican/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307020929/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120339600/the-santa-fe-new-mexican/ |archive-date=March 7, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=November 8, 1956 |title=Democrats Capture Majority Of State Senate, House Seats |page=22 |work=Carlsbad Current-Argus |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120339682/carlsbad-current-argus/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307021209/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120339682/carlsbad-current-argus/ |archive-date=March 7, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} Their family moved to Connecticut in 1958, where she became a lecturer in gardening and nutrition.{{cite magazine|title=Eat your weeds |journal=House & Garden |date=August 1979 |volume=151 |issue=8 |page=80 |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_house-garden_1979-08_151_8/page/n85/mode/2up |language=English}}{{cite news |last1=Harley |first1=Ruth W. |title=Some Weeds Are Delicious As Well As Nutritious |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/05/04/archives/some-weeds-are-delicious-as-well-as-nutritious.html |work=The New York Times |date=May 4, 1975 |access-date=March 15, 2023 |archive-date=March 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315200847/https://www.nytimes.com/1975/05/04/archives/some-weeds-are-delicious-as-well-as-nutritious.html |url-status=live }} Her husband worked as a theoretical nuclear physicist.{{sfn|Cornwell|1989|p=426}} She died on January 2, 1992, in Bad Steben, Germany.{{Cite news |date=January 4, 1992 |title=Mary S. Hill |page=4 |work=Stamford Advocate}}

Political positions

Shadow supported rewriting the Constitution of Tennessee,{{Cite news |date=December 17, 1948 |title=Unlimited State Constitutional Meet Proposed |page=5 |work=Bristol News Bulletin |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120138128/the-bristol-news-bulletin/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304043345/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120138128/the-bristol-news-bulletin/ |archive-date=March 4, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} proposed legislation to allow women to serve on petit and grand juries,{{Cite news |date=January 11, 1949 |title=Assembly |page=10 |work=Kingsport Times-News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120142539/kingsport-times/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304064217/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120142539/kingsport-times/ |archive-date=March 4, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} supported legislation to repeal anti-closed shop legislation,{{Cite news |date=January 12, 1949 |title=Opposition Forms to Closed Shop Repeal |page=15 |work=Knoxville News Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120142628/the-knoxville-news-sentinel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304064659/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120142628/the-knoxville-news-sentinel/ |archive-date=March 4, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} supported the elimination of poll taxes,{{Cite news |date=February 11, 1949 |title=Browning's Work Praised At Fiery Political Panel |page=3 |work=The Tennessean |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120143151/the-tennessean/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304070825/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120143151/the-tennessean/ |archive-date=March 4, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} and proposed a repeal in 1951 of the Butler Act which prevented the teaching of human evolution in state schools.{{Cite news |date=March 10, 1951 |title=Mary Shadow Seeking Evolution Law Repeal |page=9 |work=Chattanooga Daily Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120336535/chattanooga-daily-times/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307012257/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120336535/chattanooga-daily-times/ |archive-date=March 7, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} The act was not repealed until 1967.Hariman, Robert. Popular Trials : Rhetoric, Mass Media, and the Law. Tuscaloosa, University Of Alabama Press, 1993, p. 57.

Electoral history

{{Election box begin no change|title = 1950 Tennessee House of Representatives 10th floterial district election}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Mary Shadow (incumbent)

|votes = 3,402

|percentage = 52.45%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Walter White

|votes = 3,084

|percentage = 47.55%

}}

{{Election box total no change

|votes = 6,486

|percentage = 100.00%

}}

{{Election box begin no change|title = 1956 New Mexico House of Representatives election}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Thomas R. Roberts

|votes = 2,464

|percentage = 53.68%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Mary Shadow

|votes = 2,126

|percentage = 46.32%

}}

{{Election box total no change

|votes = 4,590

|percentage = 100.00%

}}

References

Works cited

{{cite book|last=Cornwell |first=Ilene |title=Biographical Directory of the Tennessee General Assembly Volume IV: 1931-1951 |publisher=Tennessee Historical Commission |date=1989 |isbn=0874020085}}

Category:1925 births

Category:1992 deaths

Category:20th-century American women educators

Category:Democratic Party members of the Tennessee House of Representatives

Category:People from Franklin County, Tennessee

Category:Tennessee Wesleyan University alumni

Category:University of Alabama alumni

Category:University of Kentucky alumni

Category:University of Tennessee alumni

Category:Women state legislators in Tennessee

Category:Women in New Mexico politics

Category:20th-century American women politicians

Category:20th-century members of the Tennessee General Assembly