Frazier, Maude, 1881-1963

Maude Frazier was born on April 4, 1881 in Wisconsin, where she was educated as a teacher. After moving to Nevada, she taught in schools throughout the state and in 1921 she was appointed Deputy State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Superintendent of Public Education. In 1927 she become the superintendent of the Las Vegas Union School District, and principal of Las Vegas High School where she continued serving until her retirement in 1947. In 1950 she was elected to the state legislature and appointed to the Education Committee. Frazier was instrumental in appropriating funds to establish the Nevada Southern University as a satellite campus of the University of Nevada, Reno. The first building on the new campus (now University of Nevada, Las Vegas) was named in her honor. In 1955 she received an honorary doctorate of letters from the University of Nevada, Reno. On July 13, 1962, at the age of 81, Frazier was appointed Lieutenant Governor of the state of Nevada to replace Rex Bell, who had died in office. This was the highest political position ever occupied by a woman in the state. Maude Frazier passed away on June 20, 1963.

Source: "Maude Frazier," Nevada Women's History Project, accessed July 23, 2018, http://www.nevadawomen.org/research-center/biographies-alphabetical/maude-frazier/