ONLY WOMAN DISTRICT CLERK, PEARL SMITH
Posted By: Marsha Bills
ONLY WOMAN DISTRICT CLERK, PEARL SMITH,
IS SUBJECT OF OLD RED MUSEUM EXHIBIT
Until the end of September, Old Red Museum is featuring a case of memorabilia illustrating the remarkable pubic-service career of Pearl Smith, Dallas County’s only woman District Clerk. She served in that post from 1937 through 1945, but was a ground-breaking and colorful figure before that time: she was the first woman deputy sheriff, the first woman election judge, and the first woman deputy constable.
The accompanying photo shows one side of the display case, which features a photo of Pearl and her identical twin Ruby, who frequently filled in for Pearl at public functions. Also displayed is a photo of Pearl being sworn in as the first woman District Clerk by the first woman District Judge Sarah T. Hughes, made famous later when she swore in Lyndon B. Johnson as President following the assassination of John F. Kennedy aboard Air Force One.
Another old newspaper photo shows Pearl, known for her frugality and resourcefulness, using a wheel confiscated from an illegal gambling operation for the selection of potential jurors. Another part of the case features a photo of Pearl in a room full of male deputy sheriffs with confiscated boot-legged liquor.
“We deeply appreciate the cooperation of Pearl Smith’s family in locating and reproducing this material and the work of curators at Old Red who created this display featuring some of the accomplishments of this Dallas County pioneer,” says District Clerk Gary Fitzsimmons.