Edwynne Cutler "Polly" Rosenbaum

Legislative Resolution

View Legislative Resolution File for Edwynne Cutler "Polly" Rosenbaum

Biographical Information

From House Resolution No. 2005 (2/11/1982):

Petite, silver-haired, energetic Polly Rosenbaum, now in her eighty-third year, dean of the Arizona Legislature, was appointed to fill the vacancy created by the sudden death of her husband, William George "Rosie" Rosenbaum, on January 12, 1949, who had served continuously since 1927, was speaker pro tempore of the Tenth and Eleventh Legislatures, elected speaker of a special session of the Eleventh Legislature and was dean of the House of Representatives at the time of his passing.  Together their years of legislative service to the State of Arizona have spanned over half a century, a combined total of fifty-six years from the Eighth Legislature through the Thirty-fifth.

Mrs. Rosenbaum was born in Ollie, Iowa, grew up and attended schools in Fort Morgan, Colorado.  On a four-year scholarship, majoring in history and political science and taking commercial subjects on the side for her own satisfaction, she received her bachelor of arts degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder.  Later she received her masters degree in education from the University of Southern California.

She has been a resident of Gila County since 1929, living first in the Hayden-Winkelman area, where she taught in the Hayden schools and was active in community affairs, and residing in Globe since 1952.

Her work background has been varied and has provided experience in Arizona history, mining, law, real estate, appraisals, savings and loan associations, the post office, county clerk and recorder's offices, a dental office, Red Cross Disaster Relief, as well as teacher in grade school, high school and night school.  It was in the early-day mining camp of Hayden that she taught typing, shorthand and Arizona Constitution for high school students.

Having served as secretary to the Appropriations Committee and having worked with her husband in the 40's when the legislature was in need of secretaries, she was well qualified for the appointment to fill his chairmanship of the Committee on Printing in 1949.

Although she is quick to emphasize that it took at least thirty other votes to do it, she sponsored and worked hard for bills that have provided education for homebound students, improved old age assistance, social security and retirement benefits, vocational education, and the compact in higher education that enabled Arizona students to be admitted to medical, dental and veterinary schools in other states.  Additional legislation which she has championed has been in the fields of administration, criminal justice, election reform, highway safety, public health and workmen's interests....

Her present legislative district, No. 4, is unique in that it covers part of eight counties-Apache, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, Maricopa, Navajo, Pinal and Yavapai.  An active campaigner, she has garnered more votes than any other candidate in the district.  She takes pride in serving her constituents and being helpful to others outside her district who often seek her aid.

Over the years, Mrs., Rosenbaum has served faithfully and conscientiously and has an enviable record of seldom missing a meeting, either in a committee assignment or a daily session of the House.  She has served on the following committees:

Administration (as Chairman and Vice-Chairman); Aging; Appropriations; Banking, Insurance and Corporations; Board of Library, Archives and Public Records; Budget Overview; Commerce and Industry; Constitutional Amendments and Referendum; County Affairs (Vice-Chairman); Education (Chairman); Education Commission; Enrolling and Engrossing; Groundwater Management Study Commission; Human Resources;Joint Legislative Budget Committee; Judiciary; Judiciary, Suffrage and Elections; Labor; Livestock and Public Lands; Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities; Military Affairs; Municipalities; Natural Resources; Planning and Development; Printing and Clerks (Chairman); Public Assistance; Public Health and Welfare; Public Institutions; Rules; School Emergency Facilities Aid; Special Education Study Committee; State Lands; Ways and Means (Vice-Chairman); Welfare

As senior member during the Thirty-first through Thirty-fifth Legislatures, Mrs. Rosenbaum was honored by serving as Chairman Pro Tempore of each opening session....

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona:

That the members of the House of Representatives recognize the many years of exemplary and devoted service given by the Honorable Polly Rosenbaum, the influence for good she has had on the lives of others, and the honor and privilege of association with her as colleagues, and do, therefore, with sincere love and affection designate her as First Lady of the Arizona House of Representatives.

This is from the Legislative Death Resolution:

An Arizona treasure and icon, the Honorable Edwynne C. "Polly" Rosenbaum, passed away December 28, 2003 at the age of one hundred four....

In 1929 she accepted work as an unpaid secretary for the state legislature where she met William "Rosey" Rosenbaum, a state representative and later Speaker of the House, whom she married in 1939. Following his unexpected death in 1949, Mrs. Rosenbaum was appointed to his seat in the Arizona House of Representatives.

Thus began Mrs. Rosenbaum’s remarkable service in the legislature, where she capably and energetically represented her constituents in Globe and district 4 for an unprecedented forty-five years. During her tenure she championed the many causes dear to her heart, including the improvement of education, museum and library services throughout the state and the preservation of Arizona's rich heritage and the place of women in our state's history. She served as chairman of the House Administrations Committee for sixteen years, fighting against spending abuse in the House budget, and she later served as chairman of the House Education Committee. Throughout nearly seven decades of exceptional service to the legislature, she shared a unique historical perspective and institutional memory that brought a sense of stability and continuity to the House. She served twelve governors and fifteen House speakers, and in 1982 her colleagues passed a legislative resolution honoring her with the title "First Lady of the Arizona Legislature." Between 1973 and 1995, she served as the Speaker Pro Tem on the legislature's opening day. Mrs. Rosenbaum continued to win reelection to her legislative seat until she was unseated in 1994's Republican electoral landslide.

With her extensive knowledge of Arizona's past and as unofficial protector of our state's heritage, Mrs. Rosenbaum was at the forefront of projects to preserve Arizona's history. She served as an adviser in the restoration of the old Capitol Museum, sharing her unique perspective as one of the few remaining legislators at that time who had actually worked in the old House chambers. She was influential in protecting Arizona's mining heritage and led the fight to acquire a historic building as the permanent site for the Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum. Polly Rosenbaum also was instrumental in the establishment of the Arizona Women's Hall of Fame in 1981, serving on both the steering and selection committees. Although she was older than the adopted state she loved so much, Polly Rosenbaum remained active and spry in her later years and continued to bring her legendary energy and enthusiasm to countless worthwhile endeavors....

Education

Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters: Northern Arizona University, University of Phoenix, Arizona State University, (n.d.)

Masters: Education, University of Southern California, (n.d.)

Bachelor Arts Degree, University of Colorado, (n.d.)

Additional Information

LEGISLATIVE FAMILY:  wife of Rep. William George Rosenbaum

See also:  Polly's Arizona Women's Hall of Fame biography online at:  https://www.azwhf.org/inductions/inducted-women/polly-rosenbaum-1899-2003/

Employment

Arizona Legislative Service

Sources

Birth: Arizona Legislative Biography sheet, SSDI; Death: obituary: Connie Cone Sexton. "Arizona Icon Dies at 104." The Arizona Republic, 12/30/2003, p. A 1,SSDI; Cemetery: Find A Grave Memorial 47220436 created by: Edward, record added: Jan 27, 2010; Occupation(s): Arizona Legislative Biography sheet; Rep. William George Rosenbaum died January 12, 1949 and he was replaced by his wife, Mrs. W. G. (E. C. "Polly") Rosenbaum who took the oath of office as Representative for Gila District 3 on January 17, 1949 (Journal of the House of Representatives, 19th Legislature, 1949, pp. 36, 41, 42, 43, 44, 55, 71). Education:1993 Greenbook, Arizona History Makes Biography. (1997). Edwynne "Polly" Cutler Rosenbaum. Retrieved March 24, 2017, from https://www.historicalleague.org/historymaker-inside.aspx?historymakerid=50