




































Mary C.C. Bradford’s Contribution to the Colorado Curriculum: 1913-1918 

 

Heather K. Caldwell 

Texas A&M University 

 

Abstract  

Mary C.C. Bradford became Colorado‟s 6
th

 

female State Superintendent of Public Instruction 

in 1913. She revamped the previous curriculum 

and published its predecessor in 1918. Entitled “A 

War-Modified Course of Study for the Public 

Schools of Colorado,” this curriculum was 

influenced by the current economic and political 

situation affecting America at this time as a result 

of the countries participation in the First World 

War. This article will discuss this new 

curriculum. 

 Mary C.C. Bradford, elected as 

Colorado‟s State Superintendent of Public 

Instruction in 1913, was the sixth female in a row 

to occupy this role (Burlbaw et al 2006). She 

continued programs currently in place, the 

consolidation of rural schools and began new 

initiatives, the plan to standardize all of 

Colorado‟s schools. This article explores 

Bradford‟s tenure as State Superintendent and the 

initiatives she continued and began, concluding 

with the new curriculum that was researched, 

developed, and published under her supervision.  

 In her first term as State Superintendent 

(1913-1914), Bradford continued the rural school 

consolidation plan begun under her predecessor 

resulting in more consolidated schools and 

improved school conditions for the majority of 

Colorado children. Now that the quality of 

buildings and instruction were improving, 

Bradford had to make sure that children 

throughout the state were getting the same quality 

education. She initiated a plan to standardize 

instruction across the state.  

On June 18, 1914, she officially sent out 

the first Standardization Proclamation and laid 

out her plan of “scoring the schools of Colorado" 

to the county superintendents. During the next 

meeting of the State Association of County 

Superintendents, the plan was formally adopted 

and Bradford officially called her plan, “Colorado 

Plan of Standardization” (Colorado School 

Journal 1920, 6). She acknowledged in 1915 that 

this undertaking would require a great amount of 

clerical and administrative work in her first term 

as State Superintendent. According to the 

Colorado School Journal in 1920, “This plan has 

been called by various school authorities 

throughout the nation the sanest and most 

practical plan of standardization yet adopted in 

the country” (1920, 6).  

A state committee, with the help of the 

State Superintendent, developed a plan which 

included grading or re-grading school systems so 

the quality of education could be compared across 

the schools in the state. Once graded, the schools 

were given a ranking of standard, moderate, or 

excellent. Colorado celebrated this process and 

initiated festive activities in nearly 5,000 school 

buildings across the state (Bradford 1915). This 

initial assessment required educators across 

Colorado to spend time making sure their schools 

buildings were adequate and that every child had 

the same advantages no matter if they lived in the 

city or rural communities. Once this was 

accomplished they concentrated on making sure 

the academics were the same across the state and 

that all children had a fair opportunity to learn the 

same material. This plan was successful and 

imitated by other states (Kelly, Saint-Germain 

and Horn 2002). 



32 

 

In Bradford‟s daily correspondence, she 

often mentioned the benefits of the 

standardization plan. One positive benefit to 

citizens that she reported on May 28, 1920, was 

an increase in land value near a standard school 

(Bradford, pers. letters, 13). She encouraged her 

school administrators to promote and celebrate 

this plan within their schools and communities by 

writing in a letter on September 22, 1922, to one 

of her school leaders, “May I suggest that a little 

ceremony incidental to the placing of the tablets 

often stimulates community interest in the 

progress of the school” (Bradford, pers. letters, 

260). The placing of the tablets was a formal 

ceremony in which the school would display its 

current grade or status in a prominent place. This 

is a practice still used today as schools post their 

ratings in front of the school or on a sign for all to 

see. In a letter to teachers of her state in the 

Colorado School Journal, she explained the 

requirements of acquiring a first grade rating,  

 

The first grade will be issued to those 

schools complying with the largest 

number of the following requirements: 

The possession of a professionally 

trained or highly certified teacher, 

convenient, sanitary, and beautiful 

buildings, grounds and equipment, a 

scientifically organized school, full 

length of term, fair salary paid to the 

teacher, and, above all, to the school 

which best succeeds in keeping the 

largest number of school children in 

school throughout the year, and most 

affects the community life” (Colorado 

School Journal 1920, 6).  

 

To promote competition among the counties to 

have the best rated schools, Bradford said that the 

county with the greatest number of first graded 

schools, “would be ranked the most efficiently 

standardized county in the state” with two other 

counties being labeled second and third (Bradford 

1915, 30).  

During Bradford‟s second term as state 

superintendent (1915-1916), school growth 

continued. Schools continued to consolidate and 

standardize. In her Twenty-First Biennial Report 

of 1916, Bradford reported over one hundred and 

twenty-one consolidated schools and three 

hundred thirty-seven standard schools. Bradford 

categorized the different schools by saying, 

“eighteen are of the „superior class,‟ one hundred 

and forty „approved,‟ and one hundred and 

seventy-nine „probationary‟ (Bradford 1916a, 7). 

This categorization of schools is different than the 

above mentioned rankings of standard, moderate 

or excellent. Research did not give a reason for 

this change. Under Bradford‟s new plan of 

standardization, each school was designated with 

a “tablet of different color” containing the words, 

“State of Colorado, Standard School, and the 

Class of the school underneath” (7).  

According to Bradford‟s 1916 Biennial 

Report, Colorado‟s plan made a positive 

impression on other states, with seven other states 

adopting similar standardization plans. Colorado 

had in place a State Committee on 

Standardization which included six County 

Superintendents, and the State Superintendent of 

Public Instruction. They had a method of grading 

each school in place which included a score card 

which, “when the requirements are met, means, 

even the lowest class of standard school, a 

moderately efficient school, and in the higher 

class, an excellent institution” (1916a, 7).  

One method of promoting and 

encouraging this standardization plan was to 

create a celebration each year called the “Annual 

Standardization Day.” The day was issued by 

proclamation from the office of State 

Superintendent of Public Instruction to all the 

second and third class districts in the state. On 



33 

 

this day, a grading or re-grading of the school 

took place. The fourth Friday in each February 

was designated as this special day with the very 

first one being held on February 25, 1916. 

Bradford reports that the first Standardization 

Day was a huge success with over five thousand 

schools across the state taking part in the 

celebration (1916a). The second Standardization 

Day was set for February 23, 1917, and 

Bradford‟s wish was that more schools were 

added to the roll of honor from the year before.  

Bradford‟s wish came true. Two years 

after the previous report was published, the 

number of one room school houses had grown 

from an original number of approximately three 

hundred and the number of buildings was reduced 

to just over a hundred consolidated school 

buildings. Consolidated schools had grown from 

twenty-one to sixty-six in two years. Standard 

schools had increased from three hundred and 

thirty-seven to five hundred and six – forty of 

those belonging to the superior class (Bradford 

1919, 8). Bradford wrote a personal letter on May 

11, 1920, to Mrs. W.C. Pracht of Arriba County, 

in 1920 explaining a few reasons why 

consolidation was beneficial, “Consolidating or 

rather centralizing, one school is better than two 

to save on coal, lighting, etc.” (Bradford, pers. 

letter, 1920, 438).  

Another issue that Bradford wrote about 

in her personal daily correspondence on August 

12, 1920 was the problem of children living in 

remote areas or high altitudes – a situation 

common in the Rocky Mountains. She suggested 

that children living at less than eight thousand 

feet  in elevation should be given a school term of 

not less than six months and any children living 

above eight thousand feet in elevation should 

have a term not less than four months per year 

(144). Altitude would have been an issue in 

Colorado because schools located in higher 

altitudes would have been surrounded in snow 

longer than schools in lower altitudes. Snow 

would prevent children from reaching school so 

schools in higher altitudes were open fewer days.  

Improvements continued throughout 

Colorado. The Reading Circle participation 

throughout the state had doubled since the last 

report and Normal School attendance was steadily 

increasing. Bradford wrote, “The necessity for the 

training of the teacher in service has been 

recognized, and the extension work of all the state 

educational institutions is reaching a proportion 

of the teaching force in Colorado hitherto 

undreamed of” (1916a, 6).  

Along with these improvements, Bradford 

published a new curriculum. In 1914, she re-

published “A Course of Study for the Public 

Schools of Colorado” that was very similar to the 

1912 version released by State Superintendent 

Helen M. Wixson. She then revised the 1914 

issue and republished it for a second time in 1916. 

She said about the revised version, “This book is 

practically a different volume from that issued in 

1914, although no radical reorganization of the 

school curriculum is here attempted.” She said, 

“The Department is now making an exhaustive 

study of modern methods and needs in public 

school education. As a result, not later than the 

beginning of the school year 1917-1918, the 

schools of Colorado will be provided with a 

Course of Study based on the research now in 

progress” (Bradford 1916b, 1). The national crisis 

of war would have an impact on the next 

curriculum. 

During Bradford‟s tenure as State 

Superintendent, the United States was dealing 

with its own challenges involving World War I, 

which began in 1914 and ended in 1918. 

Colorado schools under Bradford‟s leadership 

used this national crisis to ready their students for 

service and national aid. When determining how 



34 

 

the schools of Colorado should handle the subject 

of the war with students, the Colorado School 

Journal reports that rather than ignore the 

situation or prohibit talking about the war in 

schools, like some other schools in the a nation 

had decided to do, Colorado used the war as a 

valuable lesson. Through curriculum changes, 

such as an emphasis on Geography and 

Citizenship, the schools used the war to teach 

their student population. The article in the 

Colorado School Journal stated that some 

teachers of geography “were almost jubilant when 

the term opened with the European war on; there 

was current, live geography ready to serve.” 

Along with geography and history lessons, 

Colorado schools could use this war to teach 

peace, “The opportunity afforded by the war to 

illustrate and enforce the arguments of peace is 

too favorable to be neglected” (1913, 30, 19). 

Urban and Wagoner discussed the role of schools 

and the war, “The schools themselves became 

quite active in support of the war. Groups such as 

the Student Army Training Corps brought 

military training to college campuses and spinoffs 

began appearing in high schools” (2004, 233).  

Some schools were given financial 

support by the state government in the war 

efforts. The government used the schools to teach 

students skills that would be useful to the war 

efforts. One example is a school in Denver. 

Bradford reports, “Denver‟s Opportunity School 

has become famous the country over. Originated 

and supported for years by District No 1, City and 

County of Denver, it has now been recognized by 

the United States Government and receives 

federal aid for teachers in the following subjects: 

Radio-buzzer service, auto-mechanics, related 

mechanical drawing and home economics. It can 

readily be seen that wonderful war service, 

industrially speaking, be performed by this 

school” (1919, 7). Bradford admitted that even 

with the Opportunity School‟s great 

achievements, “its highest function has been its 

power to develop citizenship” (7). She recognized 

that in other larger towns, such as, Pueblo and 

Colorado Springs, other schools have been of 

service by creating school gardens, which add to 

the “nation‟s needed store of wealth” and “in the 

child a love for nature and an illuminating 

appreciation of a practical scientific study” (7). 

Both schools and teachers were 

accommodating the war efforts. Bradford 

mentioned this fact, “The teachers of this 

commonwealth have proved themselves the 

„second line of defense‟ in the prosecution of the 

Great War to End Wars. Every war effort asked of 

the schools has been responded to most nobly by 

teachers and pupils alike and this co-operative 

effort has made a record for Colorado schools that 

is recognized by the nation” (1919, 9). She shared 

the news that at least ninety-five percent of all 

school children and sixty percent of schools in the 

state had invested in Liberty Bonds and War 

Savings Stamps, and almost one hundred percent 

of all school children and teachers had practiced 

food conservation, built war and school gardens 

and worked with the Red Cross in the war efforts 

(9). The schools, including students, teachers, and 

administrators, all were part of the war efforts. 

This was a collaborative effort across the nation, 

issued from the government to the school 

administrators. The schools were used for a 

greater purpose, not just educating children on 

basic skills such as reading, writing and 

mathematics, but also ensuring their knowledge 

of useful skills that would benefit them as 

American citizens, patriotism, citizenship and 

government. Bradford, as state superintendent 

met with government officials and travelled to 

national meetings where educators from across 

the country were gathered to learn about and then 

disseminate this national agenda. This 



35 

 

information was found in the state superintendent 

reports and publications from the meetings of the 

National Education Association. Her actions had 

an influence on the new curriculum.  

In her ongoing efforts to help with the 

current conditions of her country, on April 19, 

1918, Bradford wrote a letter to the children and 

teachers of allied countries, from the school 

children and teachers of the United States in 

response to the world conflict of the War. She 

wrote, 

 

The love of the school children of 

America is sent to warm and bless you. 

The protection of the teachers of 

America is extended to you through 

deeds of tenderness… We love you. 

Believe it. Call on us. Use us. Let us 

serve you. The soul of your country is 

also the soul of our land. We offer our 

Mother America to help be a mother to 

you, that childhood may be united in an 

all-everlasting love (Bradford, pers. 

letters, Box 50125, p. 293, Colorado 

State Archives). 

 

Bradford, as president of the National Education 

Association, sent this message to other countries 

to show support during this time of distress. She 

did not take this honor lightly, just as she did not 

take the fact that she was one of the few female 

state superintendents in the country for granted. 

In a letter to Annie Webb Blanton on February 7, 

1919, she wrote in regards to a meeting of state 

superintendents that she hosted a few years 

before,  

 

It was my pleasure some few years ago; 

to call a conference of women state 

superintendents and we had a most 

enjoyable meeting in my office…. At the 

time there were only four women in the 

United States. Add Chicago we shall 

have doubled our forces. Surely this is a 

wonderful mark of progress in relation to 

the filling of positions of administrative 

power and trust, by women capable of 

performing such functions (Bradford, 

pers. letters, Box 50125, p. 462, 

Colorado State Archives). 

 

This letter showed that she believed that women 

held these positions and were very successful, 

growing in number over the years. Bradford 

recognized the progress women had made in 

filling these important positions and the capability 

they had proved in doing so.  

As State Superintendent, Bradford 

published the promised new course of study for 

the State of Colorado in 1918, during this time of 

national focus. This new version, rewritten after a 

thorough investigation of what was lacking in the 

current curriculum and after much research with 

the contribution of many educational experts was 

influenced by the war efforts of the country. The 

new curriculum entitled, “A War-Modified 

Course of Study for the Public Schools of 

Colorado,” was an effort to rewrite and improve 

the previous curriculum, which was written under 

the direction of the previous State Superintendent, 

Helen M. Wixson  (1911-1913) then 

republished with slight changes by Bradford in 

1918. This new curriculum was more complete 

and included the aid of many school professionals 

in its creation. It focused on new subjects, created 

as result of the war, such as Flag Ritual and 

Patriotism. Some subjects were deleted as noted 

by Urban and Wagoner, “As might be expected, 

America‟s war effort has substantial effects on its 

schools. Whereas the German language had been 

taught together with English in many cities with 

sizeable German populations, the coming of 

World War I put an end to the study of the 

German language in most public and private 

schools” (2004, 232). Bradford explained why 



36 

 

and how Colorado‟s curriculum was rewritten at 

the beginning of the document,  

 

The War-Modified Course of Study, 

here presented for the use of the Public 

Schools of Colorado, has been prepared 

with the assistance of the best 

pedagogical talent in the commonwealth. 

The co-operating educators have 

performed a labor of love for the 

children of the Centennial State, and the 

Department of Public Instruction offers 

this service as a contribution toward and 

enlightened and patriotic citizenship.  

 

The form of this State Course of study is 

different from any that has preceded it. 

Its issuance in a series of volumes 

affords convenience and ensures „up-to-

dateness.‟ The subject matter, of course, 

is correlated closely with war conditions, 

and standardization and the examination 

grades will be connected with the use of 

the material in these study helps, making 

an intellectual foundation for 

community, state and national service” 

(Bradford 1918, 1, 2).  

 

Although published as one book (Bradford, 

1918), the work is organized by volumes, each 

addressing a specific group of courses and skills. 

Volume One of this course of study included the 

Social Subjects: Citizenship, Civics, Flag Ritual, 

History, Patriotism, Prehistoric Colorado, and the 

Story of Colorado. The second volume included 

the “Tools of Education.” (Democracy, Reading, 

Spelling, Penmanship, Language & Grammar, 

Autocracy vs. Democracy, and Arithmetic). 

Bradford explained, “As Volume One interpreted 

the Social Subjects of History, Civics, Patriotism, 

etc., in the light of the recent world events, so the 

present volume endeavors to link subject matter 

to live experience at a great crisis in the history of 

the world” (Bradford 1918, 2, 3). Again, with this 

statement, Bradford explained the reason for this 

new curriculum. 

  Despite the fact that World War I ended as 

these volumes were being written, Bradford 

continued to keep the same name, “War-Modified 

Course of Study,” on each volume, she explained,   

 

Since the first volume appeared the 

Great War to End Wars has come to a 

triumphant conclusion. Peace has been 

won from under the shadow of 

victorious swords, and civilization has 

vindicated its right to a permanent 

existence. Nevertheless, the title, “War-

Modified Course of Study” belongs of 

right to each volume of this series, the 

changes that have been wrought in the 

living and thinking  of the people by the 

great struggle, „carrying on‟ into the near 

and even remote future. Therefore, the 

plan adopted when the issuance of this 

new Course of Study was undertaken, 

will be followed throughout” (1918, 2, 

3).  

 

The third volume, called, “The World of Nature 

and of Man,” contained the subjects “that are 

essentially interpretive of matters in relation to 

nature and society, including, Geography, Nature 

Study and Science, Agriculture, School Gardens, 

Home Economics, Manual Training and 

Vocational Education, Good Roads, School 

Architecture, and the Junior Red Cross as a 

Permanent Educative Agency.  

 The fourth volume, entitled, “Special 

Subjects,” included the subjects of Drawing, 

Humane Education, Hygiene and Sanitation, 

Music, Physical Education, Manual of Physical 

Training, Scientific Temperance, and Fire 

Prevention. The fifth and final volume was 

dedicated to the “latest and most advanced 

educational suggestions in High School work” 

(Bradford 1918, 5, 3). It included a reprint of the 



37 

 

previously published outline for the Four Year 

High School by the Department of Public 

Instruction, currently in use in Pueblo, Colorado, 

and included new information being used in other 

parts of Colorado and other states. The 

curriculum was divided into Junior High School, 

Senior High School, Four-Year High School 

Course and contained the following 

miscellaneous subjects, An Outline in 

Americanization, Military Training, Teachers‟ 

Reading Circle, School Libraries, and the Boys‟ 

and Girls‟ Clubs (1918, 5, 4). The new curriculum 

was more comprehensive than the previous one 

published by Wixson and reflected the current 

events of the country, as Bradford mentioned in 

her forward comments.  

One attribute of Bradford that is seen 

throughout her tenure as State Superintendent was 

her ability to show her concern for her 

administrators, teachers and students. When 

granting teaching certificates, Bradford personally 

sent a letter to each recipient. In her 1916 biennial 

report, she stated that five hundred and fifty-two 

certificates were recommended and issued. The 

report mentioned that she traveled thirty thousand 

miles in the performance of her duties 

“centralizing, consolidating, and standardizing 

schools and visiting educational meetings” 

(1916a, 8). Her number of miles traveled almost 

doubled over the previous biennium. In her 

travels to these schools, she visited with teachers, 

administrators and the community. Colorado is a 

large state with a diverse and harsh terrain and 

weather pattern. Despite these challenges, visiting 

the schools was a priority for Bradford. She 

traveled more miles, visited more schools and 

attended more meetings than in her last term and 

still she was not recognized with an increase in 

pay or adequate funding to accomplish all that she 

needed to during her tenure. Bradford was 

appointed as a member of a new committee 

formed by the superintendent‟s association of the 

NEA. Her committee worked to improve the lives 

of children through the improvement of home 

conditions (Rocky Mountain News, February 2, 

1916, 3).  

In 1917, she was named president of the 

NEA. Her tenure as leader of this organization 

enabled Bradford to make a national impact on 

education. The same year she wrote a speech for 

the NEA on the subject of the schools and their 

role in this national time of need, entitled, “The 

Public School and the Nation in 1917.” Her words 

were a bit more dramatic and alluded to her 

feelings on the role of schools in America. The 

nation was still at war and her speech relayed the 

importance of public schools to the war effort and 

to the nation. She said,  

 

The title of the subject under discussion 

this morning reflects the most vital 

reality in the life of present-day 

America. To the inflexible test of results 

it summons the one public institution in 

which Americans profess the most 

profound faith, and which non-

Americans have considered the 

supremely distinctive feature of the 

national development. A crucial time is 

this. How is American to meet the 

testing process? Will the mighty mother 

of over a hundred million people – 

America – find her children „arise and 

calling her Blessed?‟ Will she prove to 

the world of nineteen hundred and 

seventeen that America spells adequacy, 

as in earlier years the magic letters of 

that name were interchangeable with 

opportunity? Does she stand as the 

incarnate will to righteousness of all 

humanity and the incarnate will to 

sacrifice for all mankind? Does the 

fluttering of her flags on blood stained 

soil of France mean the beating of pulses 

in over a hundred million American 



38 

 

bodies – that beating attuned to the 

victorious music of mankind arising 

from the sepulcher of dead traditions and 

moldering governmental and social 

forms into the sunlight of a rehabilitated 

world?  

 

If so, it will be because the American 

public school has, in some degree at 

least, fulfilled the august task confided 

to it by the commands of democratic 

government. And if, after this great war 

to end wars shall be over, America 

functions as the supreme idealistic force 

in the reorganization of the world, it will 

be because the public schools of 

nineteen seventeen have given to the 

people of the nation a higher vision than 

the world has ever before seen (Bradford 

1917, 233).  

 

Bradford then outlined the tasks that the schools 

should make in this effort, “The great task of the 

public school of nineteen seventeen is the mighty 

effort which must be made by the school people 

of today” (1917, 234). She first suggested that 

schools should continue to, “Demonstrate the 

sacredness of the intellectual integrity of the 

nation.” This point meant that the country needed 

to continue to show the world that it is intelligent 

and full of honor, qualities that it has always 

portrayed. This could be done by exemplifying 

quality education and providing a good model for 

the rest of the world. Her suggestion was for the 

schools to keep this in mind as they were teaching 

the children, making this the end goal, by 

providing innovative curriculum, quality school 

facilities, and graduating the majority of students. 

 Next, she said that schools need, “to hold 

aloft the standard of straight thinking.” This point 

suggested that schools should continue to keep 

high standards of thought in the curriculum, not 

swaying from this purpose and keeping a strong 

work ethic as she next suggested that schools 

continue, “Incessant and consecrated work.” She 

also pointed out that schools need to teach the 

present curriculum and focus on national goals of 

Americanization and citizenship and she 

recognized the importance of having the support 

of the government by telling school 

administrators to “Point out the necessity of the 

incorporation of mighty loving in the legislation,” 

which would ensure legislative and financial 

support (1917, 234). 

She said a new vision was needed 

including a “vision that reveals to itself as the 

molder of the soul of the nation in the likeness of 

the ideal humanity, so to fit the framework of 

educational activities that the translation of the 

ideal republic into the terms of practical 

democratic living may speedily and beautifully be 

made more effective” (Bradford 1917, 234). She 

then challenged the representatives of the school 

people attending this meeting of the NEA to offer 

themselves “to the nation as one unit in the great 

army of those who stand ready to give all to the 

nation‟s summons” and “as the body of people to 

whom is confided the guarding of the grail of 

future citizenship let us urge the President of the 

republic to use in some unified, direct way in the 

present national crisis” (234).  

Finally in this speech, Bradford called the 

public school of 1917 the “Casket of the Grail” 

and she called the school people its “bodyguard.” 

Challenging everyone, “Let us examine ourselves 

searchingly and fit ourselves reverently for the 

high enterprise of keeping safe and stainless the 

cup containing the draught commingled of 

thought and work and love, the immortal draught 

without which the national ideals must perish” 

(1917, 234). Her interpretation of the schools as 

the “casket” or keeper of the grail is an interesting 

analogy, one which provokes a rich response 

upon hearing the words. The statement also 

reflected her religious beliefs by including words 



39 

 

that pertained to religion. Her family history 

included several religious officials, as noted in 

Chapter II, and her upbringing and marriage 

prove she was a religious person, which could be 

seen in her references to religious figures and 

objects in her writing. She gave the speech to 

educators across the country and her passion for 

education and the role that it holds in society is 

evident in her words.  

Bradford‟s outstanding reputation in 

education and with the war effort was recognized 

through different roles outside of her office. 

During the war she was a member of “Captain of 

Hoover‟s Legion of Life for the State of 

Colorado” and a member of the National Thrift 

Committee and vice-chairman of Thrift activities 

in Colorado. President Wilson called her to 

Washington in January of 1918 to attend the first 

conference for inaugurating the Junior Red Cross. 

She went to Washington D.C. nine times to attend 

educational conferences and she served as a 

member of the National Education Commission 

on the Emergency in Education (Colorado School 

Journal, 1920, 6). In 1921, the government put 

forth a bill, The Smith-Towner Bill, which would 

for the first time create a Federal Department of 

Education with a secretary serving in the 

Presidential Cabinet. Bradford was mentioned in 

the press as a possible candidate for this cabinet 

position. When asked her opinion on whether 

there should be a demand for a woman secretary 

of education, she said,  

 

Whether a man or woman fills this 

important position is of small moment. It 

has been said one reason women have 

lent their adherence to the creation of the 

department of education is that they 

intend to urge the appointment of a 

woman as the first secretary of 

education. Personally, I do not believe 

this is so.  

While all the thinking women would 

be glad to see as first appointee a woman 

fitted by nature, training and experience, 

to discharge the functions of such an 

office, yet I do not believe that this hope 

has motivated the action of the hundreds 

of thousands of American women who 

have indorsed the bill.  

It is my hope that the bill will be 

enacted into law and that the first 

secretary of education, whether man or 

woman, may be ideally fitted to serve 

the nation (Denver Times, February 23, 

1920).  

 

The Smith-Towner Bill was not passed in 

Congress during the next session but the 

recommendation of Bradford to this important 

position gave credence to her importance and 

value as an educator. Simply being considered for 

the position on the President of the United States‟ 

cabinet was recognition of her popularity and 

reputation.  

In her role as State Superintendent and as 

president of the NEA, Bradford knew many 

important educators. On August 4, 1917, she 

wrote a letter to Texas State Superintendent of 

Public Instruction, Annie Webb Blanton, 

accepting an invitation to speak in Waco, Texas 

(Box 50125, p. 8). She also wrote letters 

requesting guest speakers for the upcoming 1918 

convention of the NEA.  

On August 22, 1917, she wrote a letter to 

Chicago Superintendent, Ella Flagg Young, 

former NEA president (the first women to be 

elected to this position) and progressive educator, 

requesting her to speak at the convention (9). She 

also requested the presence of Dr. Granville 

Stanley Hall (12), esteemed Psychologist, 

William C. Bagley, known as one of the founding 

fathers of essentialism (27), Dr. M.L. Burton, 

President of the University of Minnesota, Dr. 

W.A. Jessup, President of the University of Iowa, 



40 

 

Dr. Parson Smith, Commissioner of Education of 

Boston, The Honorable J.H. Finley, 

Commissioner of Education of Albany, New 

York, and many other educational experts across 

the country. She called upon others to submit 

names of potential speakers and asked that they 

find speakers who represent the different views of 

major organizations within the country. For 

example she wanted, the Secretary of the Army to 

discuss “The role of the American Army in 

education,” the Secretary of Treasury to discuss, 

“The financial aspect of the War,” different 

senators to discuss, “How state governments view 

education,” and she also wanted the Speaker of 

the House, the Secretary of the Interior and the 

Secretary of Labor to discuss their office‟s views 

on education (Bradford, pers. letters, 1917, Box 

50125, Colorado State Archives).  

On September 24, 1917, she received a 

response from the U.S. Speaker of the House, 

declining her invitation to attend the national 

convention, and her response to him was, “You 

know the saying that „when a woman will she 

will, and when she won‟t she won‟t, and I have 

just made up my mind that I won‟t take no as an 

answer from you.” On December 19, 1917, 

Bradford received a letter that Ella Flagg Young 

would not speak but would attend. Bradford 

responded delightfully, “Wherever Ella Flagg 

Young sits at an educational conference; she will 

be at the head of the table! The very fact that you 

will be at the Pittsburgh gathering will tend to 

make the meeting a success” (Bradford, pers. 

letters, Box 50125, 131, Colorado State 

Archives). Flagg was considered was an 

influential educator, studied under John Dewey 

and dedicated her life to improving education in 

the United States, publishing on various 

educational topics including, literature, peace and 

ethics.  

Her letters show other activities she was 

involved in during this time, including a response 

she wrote to Dr. J. L. McBrien, School Extension 

Agent for the Bureau of Education, and “Thank 

you for the suggestions in reference to the use of 

the one hundred million dollars of federal aid for 

the improvement of rural schools about which we 

are dreaming…. By the way, this is a dream we 

intend to make come true.” On February 5, 1918, 

she wrote a letter to the school superintendents 

advising them to have two lessons per week, 

lasting not less than ten minutes, on the “humane 

treatment to animals.” On February 9, 1918, she 

wrote a letter to Dr. R.W. Corwin, Chief Surgeon 

of the Minnequa Hospital in Pueblo, Colorado. 

She asks his opinion on textbooks including one 

called, “Elementary Hygiene.”   

Bradford dedicated her life to improving 

the lives of Colorado‟s children through their 

education. Her six terms as State Superintendent 

gave her the power to make major improvements 

in education. Consolidating rural schools and 

through her state plan of standardization, she 

insured that the children of Colorado would have 

equal school experiences and new opportunities. 

The 1918 curriculum published by Bradford 

demonstrated a thorough and intricate new 

learning program that reflected the state of the 

country at this time – dealing with the affects and 

consequences of World War I, and was a more 

expansive and progressive model than those 

published before. She spent countless hours 

traveling the state to personally see the conditions 

of the schools and she traveled across the country 

meeting with politicians and educators to 

advocate for education across the nation. In her 

1917 speech mentioned above (1917, 234), she 

challenged the country to be the “bodyguard” of 

its schools – Bradford knew what this meant, as 

she used her position as Colorado‟s State 

Superintendent of Public Instruction to be the 



41 

 

bodyguard of Colorado‟s children and their 

schools.  

References 

 

Bradford, M. C. C. (1915). Twentieth Biennial 

Report of the State Superintendent of Public 

Instruction for the Official Period Ending 

1914. Denver, CO: Smith-Brooks Printing 

Company. 

Bradford, M.C.C. (1916a). Twenty-First Biennial 

Report of the State Superintendent of Public 

Instruction. Denver, CO: State Superintendent 

of Public Instruction, State ofColorado.  

Bradford, M.C.C. (1916b). A Course of Study for 

the Public Schools of Colorado. Denver, CO: 

Eames Bros.  

Bradford, M.C.C. (1917). The Public School and 

the Nation in 1917.  Address at the 

Annual Meeting of the National Education 

Association, Portland, OR, July 7-14.  

Bradford, M.C.C.  (1917-1919). Personal Letters. 

Denver, CO: State of Colorado Archives, Box 

50125. 

Bradford, M.C.C.  (1918). A War-Modified 

Course of Study for the Public Schools of 

Colorado. Denver: Eames Bros. 

Bradford, M.C.C.  (1919).Twenty-second Biennial 

Report of the State Superintendent of Public 

Instruction for the Official Period Ending 

1918. Denver: Eames Brothers. 

Bradford, Mary C.C. 1920-1922. Personal 

Communication. Denver, CO: State of 

Colorado Archives.  
Burlbaw, Lynn M., Heather K. Caldwell, Jennifer 

Maldonado-Castillo, and Michelle F. 

Merricks.  (2006). "Female chief state school 

officers. The field in 2005."  American 

Educational History Journal, 33(2) 147-155. 

Colorado School Journal. (1913). Letters to 

Teachers, 29, 10-11.  

Colorado School Journal. (1920). Mrs. Mary 

C.C. Bradford. 36, 6-7.  

Kelly, R. M., M. A. Saint-Germain, and J. D. 

Horn. (2002).  "Female Public Officials: A 

Different Voice?" Annals of the American 

Academy of Political and Social Science, 515, 

77-87. 

Urban, W. J, & Wagoner, J.L. (2004). American 

Education: A History. 3
rd

 ed. Boston: 

McGraw Hill. 


