Norma Paulus

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Norma Paulus
Norma Paulus

Norma Paulus
In office
1977 – 1985
Preceded by Clay Myers
Succeeded by Barbara Roberts
In office
1990 – 1999
Born March 13, 1933 (1933-03-13) (age 75)
Belgrade, Nebraska
Political party Republican
Spouse William G. Paulus (d. 1999)
Children Elizabeth & William
Residence Oregon
Occupation Retired

Norma Paulus (b. March 13, 1933) is a Republican politician from the state of Oregon, United States. She first held political office as a representative in the Oregon House of Representatives, and then became the first woman to hold a statewide elected office in Oregon when she became Oregon Secretary of State in 1977. Paulus later served as Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction for nine years.

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[edit] Early life

Norma Jean Petersen was born in Belgrade, Nebraska, on March 13, 1933.[1] She was raised as one of seven children in Eastern Oregon, where she graduated from Burns Union High School in Burns, Oregon.[2] Paulus started her working career as the secretary for the district attorney for Harney County in Burns, Oregon.

After recovering from polio she moved to Salem, Oregon (the state's capitol), and worked as a legal secretary, including working for Oregon Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl C. Latourette.[2] At this time Latourette recommended Paulus to attend law school, which she did without a college degree enrolling in 1956. While in law school she met her future husband William G. Paulus.[3] Paulus graduated from Willamette University College of Law in Salem in 1962.[2] Following law school Paulus worked in private practice until entering politics.

[edit] Political career

Norma Paulus began her political career by winning election to the Oregon House of Representatives where she served from 1971 to 1977. Paulus was then elected as Oregon's first female Secretary of State, and served two terms in that office (1977-1985). This was the first time a woman was elected to a statewide office in Oregon.[2] Paulus keeps a small statue of a lion on a desk in her downtown Portland home that was given to her in October 1981 by the northeast Portland Lions Club when she was inducted as their first female member. The next day, Paulus, who was Oregon’s secretary of state at the time, was visited in her office at the Oregon Capitol by the president of the statewide Oregon Lions Club. He had come to ask Paulus to return the Portland club’s gift. He did not think the statue – or membership into the club – should have been given to a woman.[2]

After her terms as Secretary of State Paulus ran for governor, losing to Democrat Neil Goldschmidt in the 1986 election. Goldschmidt later appointed her as Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction (1990-1999), where she was then elected to two terms.[4] Paulus was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to oversee the 1986 Filipino presidential elections.

Paulus then ran for the United States Senate in the December 5, 1995 special primary election. The election was for the nominations to replace Bob Packwood who resigned. Paulus lost to Gordon Smith in the Republican primary. Smith then lost to Ron Wyden in the general election before he was elected later in 1996 to fill the vacancy left when Mark Hatfield retired.[5]

As state superintendent, Paulus helped introduce statewide assessment testing for grades 3, 5, 8, and 11 in 1991. Then in 1996 introduced the Certificate of Initial Mastery and Certificate of Advanced Mastery that were designed to replace the high school diploma in Oregon.[6] In April, 2007, the Oregon House of Representatives voted 55-2 to eliminate the Certificates.[7]

[edit] Later life and family

Norma and her husband William (Bill) have two children, Elizabeth and Fritz.[5] In 1996, she was named to National Assessment Governing Board by US Secretary of Education Richard Riley. She has been conferred with honorary degrees by Willamette University in 1999, Whitman College, Lewis & Clark College, and Linfield College.[5] In December 2000, she was appointed as the executive director of the Oregon Historical Society and served in that position until 2003.[8] Since April 2000, Paulus has served on the Oregon State Capitol Foundation Board. She is an original member of the organization and has served as chair of the group.[8] She also serves on the boards of the High Desert Museum in Bend, the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, and Portland's City Club.[9] In 2004, she received UO Distinguished Service Award.[10]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Turnbaugh, Roy (September 2001). Secretary of State: Administrative Overview (PDF). Oregon State Archives Division (official website). Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on 2006-12-06.
  2. ^ a b c d e Compton, Jocelyn West. Alumni Close Up. Willamette University College of Law. Retrieved on 2006-11-03.
  3. ^ Green, Virginia. Norma Paulus. Salem Online History. Salem Public Library. Retrieved on 2006-11-15.
  4. ^ Robbins, William G. (2002). People, Politics, and the Environment Since 1945: Women in Oregon Politics. The Oregon History Project. Oregon Historical Society. Retrieved on 2006-11-03.
  5. ^ a b c December 5, 1995 Special Election. Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on 2006-11-03.
  6. ^ Department of Education - Agency History. Oregon Blue Book. Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on 2006-12-07.
  7. ^ Carter, Steven. "Vote kills two school mastery certificates", The Oregonian, 2007-04-19. Retrieved on 2007-04-20. 
  8. ^ a b May 2006. Oregon State Capitol Foundation, Volume 6, Number 2. Retrieved December 4, 2007.
  9. ^ "Norma Paulus", The Statesman Journal, March 28, 2007. 
  10. ^ University Awards. University of Oregon. Retrieved December 4, 2007.
Preceded by
John Erickson		 Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction
1990-1999		 Succeeded by
Stan Bunn
Preceded by
Clay Myers		 Secretary of State of Oregon
1977-1985		 Succeeded by
Barbara Roberts