Mary O’Toole
When Mary O’Toole was a girl in County Carlow, Ireland,
she dreamed of life beyond her small town. To make her
dreams come true, she worked hard. She took on small
jobs, such as mending clothing and doing errands for her
neighbors. She...
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Mary O’Toole
When Mary O’Toole was a girl in County Carlow, Ireland,
she dreamed of life beyond her small town. To make her
dreams come true, she worked hard. She took on small
jobs, such as mending clothing and doing errands for her
neighbors. She saved every penny she earned. At age 16,
all of her hard work and saving paid off when she left
Ireland and sailed to America!
In America, she continued to work hard, trying to make her life
better and learning new things, including stenography (writing
for law). She was the top student in her class and was offered
a position as a stenographer for Judge Monroe Wheeler. Mary
O’Toole moved to Washington, D.C., and while working full
time she started law school. Mary opened her own law office
and became the first female Municipal Court Judge in the US.
Her seal of office had to have the words “his” crossed out in pen
to be replaced with the words “hers.” She was first appointed
Judge of the Municipal Court of Washington, D.C.,
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