By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
Even after all her years of service and into retirement, Mary Ellen Withrow knew how to hold a rapt audience.
The Mid-Ohio Progressives hosted a presentation by Withrow, the 40th treasurer of the United States, Thursday evening at the Bucyrus Public Library. The basement conference room quickly filled up as people arrived to hear the Marion native speak.
“I’m really interested in hearing her speak,” said Tani Eyer, a local attorney. “I think what she has done for women, fascinating career. So I wanted to hear a little bit more about her story.”
Eyer admitted she could listen to Withrow tell her tales all night long.
“She’s living history,” added Billie Weiland, Eyer’s mother. “I can remember when she was treasurer of state, and U.S. treasurer, so I could relate to it because I could remember all those things she was talking about.”
Lisa Miller, a member of the Mid-Ohio Progressives, said bringing Withrow to Bucyrus was a way to engage with the community.
“I think a lot of people don’t realize we have this living treasurer just a county away, and she has some connections here with Crawford County,” Miller said. “She has some really interesting things to say about how far women have come in running for public office.”
The charisma and sharp mind that helped Withrow win her first public service seat as an Elgin school board member in 1969 shone through as she shared stories of her time in various offices.
Withrow’s career began in 1969 by becoming the first woman to serve on the Elgin Board of Education and continued when she was elected as Marion County treasurer in 1976 and 1980 before holding the office of Ohio State Treasurer from 1983 to 1994. She was appointed U.S. Treasurer in 1994 by President Bill Clinton, a position she held until 2001.
“It was very exciting, all of it. I think that I enjoyed all the different offices a lot. I think my name on the money made it easy for people to remember what I did,” Withrow said.
As U.S. Treasurer, Withrow’s department redesigned all the currency except the $1 and $2 bills. The $100 had not been redesigned since 1928 until Withrow led the change. She also helped create the state quarter program, striking the first quarters of most of the states, and oversaw the creation of the Sacagawea dollar coin.
Withrow also discussed the difficulty of running for office as a woman in 1969.
“People weren’t used to women running for office. When I ran for Elgin school board, it was very unusual,” Withrow said. “When I would go door to door … that was the first thing people would say: ‘I think there should be a woman on the board.’”
She explained that the Marion Star would not print her name, using Mrs. Norman Withrow instead, until 1976 when she ran for county treasurer. Withrow added that she could not get a credit card in her name even when she was Marion County treasurer.
Eyer questioned Withrow about the future of physical money with the influx of debit and credit cards.
“Credit cards have a lot of fraud. Money is more secure, really, than credit cards,” Withrow said simply. “I still think people like to have cash. I know I do.”
As Withrow closed out the presentation, she had one final piece of financial advice to impart: “Yesterday was a canceled check, tomorrow’s a promissory note, but today is cash.”