NAWSA General Correspondence College Equal Suffrage League National College Equal Suffrage League Affiliated to the National American Woman Suffrage Association Requests for Information and Suffrage Literature May Be Addressed to Office of the Executive Secretary, Educational Building, Room 1214, 70 Fifth Avenue, New York City Telephone, Chelsea 8427 Officers President, Miss M. Carey Thomas President of Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania First Vice-President, Ex-officio, Miss Anna Howard Shaw President of National American Woman Suffrage Association Vice-President, Mrs. Maud Wood Park 585 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts Vice-President, Miss Sophonisba P. Breckinridge Dean in the University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois Vice-President, Professor Lucy M. Salmon Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York Vice-President, Miss Frances W. McLean 1829 Bancroft Way, Berkley, California Vice-President, Miss Mary E. Woolley President of Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts Recording Secretary, Miss Charlotte Anita Whitney 2121 Webster Street, Oakland, California Treasurer, Miss Mary E. Garrett 101 West Monument Street, Baltimore, Maryland Executive Secretary, Mrs. Ethel Puffer Howes Headquarters, Educational Building, Room 1214, 70 Fifth Avenue, New York City Standing Committees Organization: Chairman, Mrs. Maud Wood Park 585 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts Membership: Chairman, Mrs. Stanley McCormick 383 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts Finance: Chairman, Mrs. Herbert Parsons 15 East 72nd Street, New York City Publication: Chairman, President M. Carey Thomas Lectures: (East) Chairman, Mrs. Maud Wood Park 585 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts (Middle West) Chairman, Miss Anna Roberta Van Meter Professor in the University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois (Pacific Coast) Chairman, Mrs. Alexander F. Morrison 2022 California Street, San Francisco, California (South) Chairman, Mrs. Warren Newcomb Boyd 194 Washington Street, Atlanta, Georgia June 27, 1915 My dear Miss Piper: By all means make such use of The National League travelling library as will do the most good. I suppose the small trunk in which it is packed, and the list of books comprising it, was with it: -- we find these things are sometimes mislaid. I would like to ask whether the College Equal Suffrage League of Boston has [?] considered "mothering" any other leagues in other parts of the state. They are beginning in Ohio such a movement, most energetically, on the instance of the Columbus League. With the very large number of college women in such centers as Springfield for instance, it ought to be easy to organize such a league, especially in a campaign year. I should be very much interested to hear what you think of the possibility of such groups. Yours sincerely, Ethel Puffer Howes Collegiate Equal Suffrage League of New York State President Caroline Lexow Vice-President Mrs. Simon Flexner Recording Secretary Dr. S. Josephine Baker Treasurer, Pro Tem. Annette Finnigan 48 West 59th Street New York City Corresponding Secretary Mrs. Charles Edward Knoblauch They Wyoming 55th St. and 7th Ave., New York City 105 East 18th Street New York City. March 13, 1907 Miss Alice Stone Blackwell, Editor Woman's Journal 3 Park Street, Boston, Mass. My dear Miss Blackwell:-- The pamphlet you gave my mother at the Convention has proven such good seed and has fallen on such good ground that I want to order 50 for distribution at a meeting of college women on the 23rd. I think the name is "Objections Answered". You are the author. I am very clear on that point. Will you also send a few representative sample copies of the Woman's Journal, and every thing you have both ancient and modern on the school elections in Massachusetts? Please send the bill to me and oblige. Yours very cordially, Caroline Lexow Caroline Lexow National American Woman Suffrage Association President, Rev. Anna Howard Shaw, Pa. 1st Vice-President, Miss Jane Addams, Chicago 2nd Vice-President, Miss C. Anita Whitney, Cal. Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. Mary Ware Dennett, N.Y. Recording Secretary, Mrs. Susan Walker Fitzgerald, Boston Treasurer, Mrs. Katherine Dexter McCormick, Boston 1st Auditor, Mrs. Harriet Burton Laidlaw, N.Y. 2nd Auditor, Mrs. J.T. Bowen, Chicago Congressional Committee Miss Alice Paull, N.J., Chairman Mrs. Crystal Eastman Benedict, Wis. Miss Lucy Burns, N.Y. Headquarters Congressional Committee: 1420 F Street N.W., Washington, D.C. [*Answered Jan 9 1913*] [*Send 25 of Jan 11 25 sub blanks 1 poster*] [*M 1/10/3*] [*2 Billea 2*] December 31, 1912. Miss Agnes E. Ryan, Boston, Mass. Dear Miss Ryan:-- Miss Gillett has handed me your letter with regard to selling the Woman's Journal at our Suffrage Headquarters. I have already written you concerning the matter, but will now add a few further details in answer to the questions in your letter to Miss Gillett. The office on F Street has been leased for a year. We have a literature table by the door, where we will be glad to put the Journal on sale, and also to take subscriptions for the paper. We hope you can send us copies on terms that will allow our office to make some slight profit out of retailing them. Sincerely yours, Alice Paul Chairman Congressional Committee. [*2 M 9/16/3*] College Equal Suffrage League Columbus, Ohio President Mrs. Ernest S. Jaros 307 Linwood Ave. Vice-President Mrs. Wm. Neil King 52 Jefferson Ave. Secretary-Treasurer Miss Elizabeth Coit Kelton 51 N. Monroe Ave. Corresponding Secretary Miss Lucy Elliot 107 N. Monroe Ave. Chairman Publicity Committee Miss Juliette Sessions Chairman Membership Committee Mrs. John Cummings Miss Margaret Wing Mrs. Frank C. Kelton Mrs. Samuel Carrol Derby Sept 12th, 13. Editor Woman Journal:-- Will you kindly see that an 1912-13 index be sent me of the Womans Journal. Yours etc., Edna A. Stone 170 Chamber Commerce Columbus, Ohio -- Coming -- Nation Wide Celebration of Woman's Suffrage You are urged to attend the annual meeting of the College Equal Suffrage League of R.I. to be held at 4 P.M. Thursday April 23, at the home of Mrs. Carl Barnes 30 Elmgrove Av. Mrs. Von Klenze will open the discussion as to the part the League should take in the celebration. Reply before April 20. Lee. [*Providence, R.I. Apr 16 7-30P 1914*] Miss Rosamund Danielson Putnam Heights Connecticut Morris House North Hampton Mass. My dear Miss Piper -- The Suffrage Discussion Club of Smith College is a non-partisan organization, being, as its name indicates, for purposes of discussion only. The president is Agnes Morgenthau. The Club has no correlation with any outside organization, and is prohibited by its constitution from so doing. So I am afraid we must decline your kind offer to audit our representative to membership on your committee. If any member of the faculty were to join you at any of the meetings it would be entirely unofficial. If ever our club should become strictly suffrage, I trust we may then take advantage of your kind offer. Sincerely yours, [Elka? Saul Lem?] Secretary. Tuesday, January 13th - 1914. [*CESA*] Delcevare King 307 Equitable Building Post Office Square, Boston Telephone-Fort Hill 2170 House Phone-Quincy 61 June 30th, 1913. Miss Eleanor Reymond, Secretary, College Equal Suffrage League, 84 Ellery St., Cambridge, Mass. My dear Miss Raymond:- I just have yours of the 28th. I am glad to enclose a check for your League, as it seems to me there is a real opportunity for especial service for the League, if it will only push forward with vigor. Shall I have forwarded to you the box with the thousand names? I shall be away for the nest week, but if you will just advise on the enclosed postal, it will be attended to. With all good wishes, Sincerely yours, D. King Dear Miss Hayes, Miss Eva Channing has offered the City Club the loan of a travelling library of 10 volumes on Suffrage. for this month. The Club would be glad to accept it if they had any place where it could be put to advantage. The shelves of our writing room "library" are already full and overflowing, and the books which are downstairs are behind cupboard doors and so do not attract attention. There is no table room, naturally, and I imagine you would feel that the books should be in someplace where they would "do more good"! Sincerely yours Frances K. Curtis October 5. The College Equal Suffrage League of Boston 585 Boylston Street, Boston Feb. 28/16. My dear Miss Hayes:-- I have your check of $1.18 and report of expenditures for the library work. I am sure you have done splendidly with your trust, to have anything left over. I wonder if you don't want to have on file with the other College League records, an abridged report of your work with the contributions which you secured, expenditures, etc; with a short account of the placement of the books, etc. It occurred to me that it might be [*Sent duplicates of cash accounts info to Nov 1-'15 Feb 5. '16*] The College Equal Suffrage League of Boston 585 Boylston Street, Boston a valuable report to refer to at some future date. Yours very truly, Eleanor Raymond. [*College E. S L --*] Copy Boston Equal Suffrage Association for Good Government 585 Boylston Street, Boston Mrs. Charles Park Executive Secretary April 18, 1912. Dear Miss Thomas:-- The enclosed report has five sections: First. Daily record of meetings, etc. Second. Summary of meetings by states. Third. General plan of work in states visited. Fourth. Memoranda about workers. Fifth. Accounts. I am also sending a few of the newspaper notices. I intended to keep a file of them, but usually left the city or town too soon after the meeting to see the reports. Accounts are summarized, but if you wish a statement in detail I have all the items in my notebook. I want very much to talk over with you plans for the future work of the (College) League and am therefore wondering whether you are to be in New York for the Parade on May 4th. I am not sure of being there myself because work in Boston is urgent; but if it is possible to go I shall do so, and in that case I should be grateful for an hour with you before the Parade. Sincerely yours, Maud Wood Park Ohio report -- page 1. List of Promising Workers in Places Visited. Cleveland Miss Perkins, Dean of women, life-long suffragist, willing to do anything she has time for; Miss Ava Buell, 6001 Curtis Ave., President of Women's College Chapter, much interested. Mrs. O. F. Emerson, 98 Wadena St., President of Cleveland League, interested and faithful. Miss Myrtle Jones, Miss Belle Sherwin, 3328 Euclid Ave. ( very efficient; active ( in Cleveland Woman Suffrage ( Party. Columbus Mrs. William Neil King, Vice-President Columbus League, has not a College degree, (three years only, I think), but is active and efficient, and has much influence in Columbus. Mrs. Samuel Derby, wife of Professor Derby of State University, soon to be retired, a woman of large interests and very efficient, but hampered by small means. Might take responsibility of mothering University of Ohio Chapter. Cincinnati Miss Edith Peck, President of Cincinnati League, suffragist for many years, member of prominent political family, efficient in some forms of work, but does not like to have responsibility of directing others. Mrs. Cobb (sorry that I have lost memorandum of full name) member of Cincinnati League Board seems to have best grasp of situation made difficult by factions in the League. Oxford Miss Mabel Sard Hughes, Western College, is filling a temporary vacancy due to Sabbatical leave: a new worker, much interested, extremely efficient. Ought to be followed up and kept in work. Report of Work for National College Equal Suffrage League March 10 to April 10, 1912 Sunday afternoon, March 10 and Monday, March 11 Journey, Boston to Cleveland. Tuesday, March 12 - Address before members of Chapter and friends, Women's College, Western Reserve University. Audience about 75. Journey to Columbus. Wednesday, March 13 - Address at Convocation, University of Ohio, Faculty and students. Audience about 1200. Luncheon, Officers and some of the Associate members, at Mrs. John Myers Taylor's house. Columbus College Equal Suffrage League. Evening meeting arranged by Columbus C.E. S.L. at Chamber of Commerce. Audience about 600. At close of meeting conference with Officers and chief workers. Thursday, March 14 - Journey to Oberlin College. Address Oberlin Chapter C.E.S.A. Audience about 60. Dinner and conference with Officers of Chapter. Return to Cleveland. Friday, March 15 - Conference with Mrs. Upton Conference with officers and members of Cleveland C.E.S.L. Journey to Cincinnati. Saturday, March 16 - Large luncheon at Mrs. Samuel Allen's. Debate with Mrs. John Force Scott at University of Cincinnati. Audience about 500. Journey to Oxford. Address at meeting at Miami University, arranged by Western College Chapter C.E.S.L. Audience about 150. page 2 - report of Work for National College Equal Suffrage League March 10 to April 10, 1912. Sunday, March 17 - Conference with Miss Hughes and members of new Chapter at Western College. Journey to Cincinnati. Conference with officers and members of Cincinnati C. E.S. L. and with Secretary of Cincinnati Men's League for Equal Suffrage. Sunday night, March 17 and Monday, March 18 Journey to Lawrence, Kansas. Evening conference with Mrs. Chalkley, President of Kansas C. E. S. L. and with Dr. Alberta Corbin of University of Kansas Chapter C. E. S. L. Tuesday, March 19 - Address at Convocation, University of Kansas. Audience about 1000 students and faculty. Luncheon given by President of Chapter. Address at afternoon reception arranged by University of Kansas Chapter. Audience about 75. Journey to Topeka. Wednesday, March 20 - Chapel address to Academy students of Washburn College. Audience about 50. Luncheon arranged by Mrs. Todd of Washburn Chapter. Afternoon meeting at Washburn College. Audience about 50, including representatives from Bethany College. (Washburn meeting unsuccessful because of the date chosen. College students had no chapel exercises, and afternoon meeting interfered with by bad storm. Mrs. Owens, State Organizer, told me, however, that a Chapter is to be started at Bethany College as a result of Washburn meeting.) Journey to Manhattan. Thursday, March 21- Address at Convocation, State Agricultural College. Audience about 400. (Holidays had begun for all students whose examinations were completed and only a fraction of student body was in Manhattan at the time.) Journey to Wichita. page 3 — Report of Work for National College Equal Suffrage League March 10, to April 10, 1912. Friday, March 22 — Chapel address at Friends' University, Wichita Audience about 300. Address at afternoon meeting Literary Society of girl students, Fairmount College. Audience about 75. Saturday, March 23 — Chapel Address Fairmount College. Audience about 250. Journey to Emporia. Address at afternoon meeting Emporia State Normal. Audience about 125. (Severe snow-storm in Wichita and Emporia.) Sunday, March 24 — Address Methodist Church, students of State Normal School and Emporia College specially invited. Audience about 200. Sunday night, Mar. 24, and Monday morning, March 25 Journey to Chicago. Luncheon with Miss Edith Abbott. Brief speech about Ohio at meeting of Chicago Campaign Committee. Dinner at Hull House. Tuesday, March 26 — Journey to Madison, Wisconsin Luncheon with Professor and Mrs. Jastrow. Short speech at reception at opening of joint headquarters of Madison C.E.S.L. and County League. Audience about 100. Dinner given by Mrs. Rachel Foster Avery. Address at meeting arranged by Univ. of Wisconsin. Chapter, C.E.S.L. in Y.M.C.A. Building, audience about 250. Wednesday, March 27 — Journey to Milwaukee. Address at meeting of Milwaukee Normal School. Audience about 250. Thursday, March 29 — Chapel address, Milwaukee-Downer College. Audience about 600. Luncheon with Mrs. Crystal Eastman Benedict. Address afternoon meeting arranged by Milwaukee-Downer College Chapter, C.E.S.L. Audience about 150. page 4 — Report of work for National College Equal Suffrage League March 10, to April 10, 1912. Thursday, March 29, continued Journey to Ripon. Friday, March 29 — Chapel address Ripon. Audience about 350. Afternoon conference with workers. Saturday, March 30 — Address at meeting hastily called because Oshkosh meeting fell out. Audience 35. Sunday March 31 — Rest at Ripon. Monday, April 1 — Journey to Appleton. Evening address at meeting of women students of Lawrence College. Audience about 150. Lawrence Chapter C.E.S.L. organized with 78 members Tuesday, April 2 — Brief address at meeting for organization of County League of Appleton, at meeting arranged by one of Mrs. Benedict's organizers. 14 present. A small league organized. Journey to Milwaukee. Wednesday, April 3 — Chapel address, Carroll College, Waukesha. Audience about 250. Conference with about 25 officers and members of new College League. Thursday, April 4 — Journey to Milton. A brief address at afternoon reception arranged by girl students. Audience about 50. Evening meeting in Chapel. Audience about 100. (Few names taken for committee in college and in town.) Friday, April 5 — Journey to Cleveland. Saturday, April 6 — Conference with workers, reporters, etc. Luncheon given by Miss Myrtle Jones of Cleveland C. E. S. L. Address at ward meeting Woman Suffrage Party. Audience about 30. Sunday, April 7 — Letters about work and conference with Press Chairman, Cleveland Woman Suffrage Party, and with Secretary Cleveland Men's League. Monday, April 8 — Meeting of Executive Board Cleveland Woman Suffrage Party. page 5 — Work of National College Equal Suffrage League. Report for March 10 to April 10, 1912. Monday, April 8 continued — Address at Mass meeting in Knickerbocker Theatre arranged by Cleveland C.E.S.L. Audience about 300. Journey by night to New York. Tuesday, April 9 — In New York. Journey to Boston. Summary of Meetings. March 10 to April 10, 1912. Number of Addresses 30 Approximate number in audiences. 7764 Business meetings. 2 Conferences with workers. 13 "Social Functions." 7 Thetime spent in colleges was too brief for any systematic organization work. However, there seem to have been a few results as follows: OHIO — New Chapter at Western College, Oxford (formed after Miss Grim's visit) set to work; KANSAS — According to report in "Woman's Journal", four new college organizations are under way; WISCONSIN — Lawrence College Chapter organized with 78 charter members, joint town and college Committees organized at Ripon and at Milton. (It is interesting to note that the two organizers most in demand in Wisconsin, Miss Harriet Grim of Illinois and Miss Alice Curtis, came into suffrage work through the College League several years ago. Perhaps the chief service of the League will prove to be as a kindergarten for training workers for the regular association.) GENERAL PLAN OF WORK IN STATES VISITED: OHIO — I tried particularly to interest the members of the three Leagues in campaign work, paying less attention to Chapters, because during the college year members of Chapters can do little to reach voters, and the time during which they could work in summer on the campaign is likely to be too brief to justify much effort with students. I did, however, recommend to Mrs. Upton and to Mrs. Emerson, President of the Cleveland College Equal Suffrage League, that they call a conference of the officers of the Oberlin and Women's College, Western Reserve, Chapters, in order to carry out a plan suggested by the Oberlin Chapter, of sending out an appeal from the organized colleges to the unorganized colleges. (About 50 ???) The Cleveland College Equal Suffrage League has largely page 2. General plan of work in states visited. undertaken the organization of the Woman Suffrage Party, and I therefore devoted as much time as I could spare to the members of the Executive Board of the Party. In Columbus the College Equal Suffrage League has built up a considerable associate membership of women of social prominence, and has opened headquarters in Columbus with the older Association. I therefore tried to make members of the Columbus League feel responsible for the organization of Columbus and the County. In Cincinnati, the most difficult place to work in, I found that the College Equal Suffrage League has two factions, and tried, to little purpose, to suggest compromises. The College League has undertaken to organize two wards in Cincinnati for the Woman Suffrage Party, but the League is not doing the important work needed there at present. I hope that Miss Whitney will inspire it, so that it may become the most important factor in suffrage work in the eastern part of the State. KANSAS: In Kansas, Dr. Alberta Corbin had a plan, which seems to me excellent, for enlisting college students all over the State in campaign work. She proposed that the State University Chapter should send an appeal to all the other colleges in the State and to the Normal Schools to form suffrage amendment campaign leagues with the idea of canvassing the colleges and then getting all students interested in suffrage to give their home addresses so that they might be used in the summer work in the country districts. Moreover, she proposed to make the organization of these Amendment Campaign Leagues a pretext for canvassing the graduates of the colleges and thus getting an influential body of workers throughout the State. Dr. Corbin said that if I would advocate in my speeches the formation of these leagues without membership fee or affiliation outside Kansas for the current year, she would pledge herself to try to have as page 3 - General Plan of Work in States Visited. many of them as we wish organize regularly next year after the vote is taken and join the National College Equal Suffrage League. I therefore spoke of the Leagues wherever I could, and I see by the "Woman's Journal" that four are likely to be formed. This number includes all the colleges at which I spoke which were not previously organized. Meetings in Kansas were much interfered with by heavy storms and consequent delay in trains, etc. WISCONSIN: So far as possible, I tried the Kansas plan of getting Chapters to send in to the Central Committee at Milwaukee the home addresses of students in favor of suffrage so that these students might be used in the summer work. I also tried to get names of townspeople for the Wisconsin organizers in places where there was no local organization. I found a good many difficulties in the work. Two meetings were cancelled and the arrangements for some of the others had been perfunctorily made. I did not understand why this was until I had a talk with Miss Allen at the New York office the other day and learned that Mrs. Benedict, into whose hands the arrangements were put, had been rather indifferent or opposed to undertaking the meetings. She therefore transferred her responsibilities to Mrs. Jastrow, who did her best but was handicapped by too brief notice and by a local controversy. page 2. List of Promising Workers in Places Visited. KANSAS: Emporia Mrs. William Allen White, not a college woman, I think, ardent suffragist, understands conditions at Emporia College. Lawrence Dr. Alberta Corbin, University of Kansas, knows college conditions throughout the State, seems extremely efficient. Manhattan Dr. Alberta Corbin of State University undertook to form organization and will know best workers. Topeka Mrs. Todd, wife of Professor Todd, Washburn College, interested and agreeable but seems to lack power to set others to work. Wichita President Edmund Stanley, Friends University, promised to see that college organization was formed. Mrs. Brown, Women's College, Head of dormitory, and Miss Esther Lee, 1551 Park Place, Wichita, both much interested, promised to help the organization. WISCONSIN: Milwaukee Miss Gwendolen Willis, Milwaukee-Downer College, understands conditions. Madison Miss Janet Van Hise knows the situation but not very hopeful. Ripon - Miss Jessie Thomas Appleton - Miss May Carter, Dean of Women, Lawrence College ( promising Milton - Miss Cornelia Kelley ( new Waukesha - Miss Currier, daughter of President Currier of (workers. Carroll College, Waukesha. H. C. LODGE, CHAIRMAN. C. F. REDMOND, CLERK United States Senate, COMMITTEE ON PRIVATE LAND CLAIMS, May 31, 1918 My dear Madam: I have received your note with the copy of the resolution of the College Equal Suffrage League of Boston, which I shall be glad to present to the Senate as you request. Very truly yours, H. C. Lodge Miss Lillian M. Landy, 898 Beacon Street, Boston, Mass. Helen Leah Reed Riverbank-Court Cambridge My dear Miss Young, I am much obliged for your letter regarding the work of the College Equal Suffrage League. I regret that at present I can give no time to clerical work in the office. A little later it may be different ,and at any rate I will try to see you soon and perhaps then there may be something that I can do. If you will tell me when the meeting at Mrs. McCormick's is to be, and the price of tickets, I will take at least one. Sincerely yots, Helen Leah Reed, April 13, The College Equal Suffrage League of Massachusetts 2 Regent Circle, Brookline. 8/2/1910 Dear Miss Richards, I have meant to answer your card and failed until now. The Secretary has been too busy to attend much to League matters this year, altho' she has tried hard but there is a new one elected, Mrs. Buckminster, and as soon as she can arrange we will go on the mends. But I have never been informed, neither as Chairman of the Membership Committee nor as Treasurer, that your degree and diploma were not qualificatory, especially since the School is affiliated with Wellesley, so I followed my card catalogue (which says "paid to May 1909, page 124") in sending the bill. I suppose I am to take you off our list, which of course I regret. Glad you are both enjoying and earning this summer - in a cooler place than Brookline. Hope Mrs. Richards is comfortable. Very sincerely, Marie Ada Molineux Boston, June 1, 1910 Miss Marian Dudley Richards 247 Fisher Avenue, Brookline To The College Equal Suffrage League of Massachusetts, Dr. Annual Dues from May, 1909, to May 1911. $1.00 cents Received Payment, Tresurer. Please return to Miss M. A. Molineux 2 Regent Circle, Brookline COPY. 1626 Rhode Island Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C., June 28, 1917. Hon. Josephus Daniels, Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D. C. Dear Sir: At a meeting of Washington Branch of the College Equal Suffrage League, held June 25, 1917, a resolution was unanimously passed that it is the sense of said League that the rank of the trained war nurse should be raised to that of Second Lieutenant, or Brevet Second Lieutenant, and that you should be informed of the passage of the resolution, and respectfully requested to recommend that legislation to that end be enacted. It is the understanding of the League that this elevation in rank for the trained war nurse would place them just below the lowest rank of physicians, and it is the judgement of the League that it would be in the interest of greater efficiency, would develop more logical cooperation between the physicians and nurses, and would serve as a greater protection for the nurses, whose present status is that of the enlisted men. Very respectfully yours, Corresponding Secretary [*Original sent to New York*] Iowa Suffrage Memorial Commission (ORGANIZED AND INCORPORATED IN 1922) Memorial Tablets placed in Capitol Building, 1936. Cabinet and Historical material turned over to Iowa Historical and Memorial Art Ass'n., 1937. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MRS. FRED H. HUNTER, President Brown Hotel, Des Moines, Iowa MRS. GEORGE E. HIMES, Secretary 2825 Brattleboro Ave. Des Moines, Iowa MRS. FRANK O. GREEN, Treasurer 1420 Penn Ave., Des Moines, Iowa HONORARY PRESIDENTS MRS. CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT New York City REV. ELEANOR E. GORDON Hamilton, Illinois MRS. H.K. EVANS Corydon, Iowa MRS. HOMER A. MILLER, President Emeritis Beverly Hills, California HENRY H. GRIFFITHS, Attorney Des Moines, Iowa MRS. ALMEDA B. HARPEL, Registrar 511 29th St., Des Moines, Iowa MISS FLORENCE HARSH, Research Des Moines, Iowa DR. NELLE NOBLE, Research Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines, Iowa, Feb. 10. 1938. Dear Miss Blackwell:--- Your letter concerning the biographical material about your parents and yourself, together with the tragic news as to the condition of your eyesight, has been received. The last shall be answered first. It is needless to say that I am grieved for you; there is nothing that makes approaching old age more acceptable that fairly good sight; and nothing that so reduces a bearable existance to tragedy. I wonder if you know about a mutual friend in suffrage work, Rev. Eleanor E. Gordon of Hamilton Ill. who is experiencing exactly the same situation you are; one eye is gone and the other so painful that life is almost unbearable at times. It is too bad that both of you seemed unable to stop work when you felt the first signs of failure of sight; but, alas, what is done is done. I am so sad with you. About the cabinet; you need have no fear whatever, that it will be closed for many months; we have been working over tha material to arrange it under four sections; this takes a great deal of time and we have not much of it to spare from other tasks. The cabinet has a glass top and is as high as ones breast bone; below the top under the four natural divisions, two on a side, are 26 slides with glass to protect the material assembled beneath for any one to read. Under these slides are compartments with doors and we are placing the historical data which is source material for the slides and for the research worker of the future. The four divisions are to contain; the S.W. 1/4 painted on a strip above the slides, Presidents of the Iowa Equal Suffrage Ass'n; biographical sketches, (brief,) photographs, etc. will be placed in the order of their service in the slides: there were 22 of them, which will give us four for extra data. In the cup board below you would delight in seeing the eight large filing boxes with inherited suffrage data from 1954 to 1920 placed there by Corinne Coggeshall Lingenfelter during the 1920's; for years she toiled over it and we fear it may have hastened her death. She and a co-chairman, Carrie Harvison Dickey, made a thoro research of early newspaper files for every reference to the Woman's Rights movement and made a card index of the items; these later became the introductory material in the files. It was a beautiful piece of work. There are one or more other files with The Woman's Standard records, etc, she did, also. These are placed under the N.W. 1/4 devoted to Iowa Suffrage Workers; the 26 slides will be devoted to the different counties where work was done and will be a furious task. In the N.E. 1/4 we will place over the section the words, National Suffrage Worker in Iowa; this will be the section where your parents and yourself will be memorialized and the material you send preserved below as source material; here also are the complete history of W. S. by Stanton, Anthony and Gage. In the corner S.W. 1/4 will be the records of the Memorial Commission, as a justification of the whole collection. You may imagine what a task we have undertaken. As the memorial task has been carried thru 18 years, we feel we must close it in as workmanship a fashion as we may have strength for. Mrs. Catt is well pleased with what we have done; she wrote last week that "it is the best and most satisfactory record of a suffrage campaign in the entire United States;" as she is not one to over praise, we feel highly pleased over that. Mrs. Dan Ernst, grand-daughter of Mrs. Campbell is still living in D.M. and is greatly interested in the record we are placing for Mrs. Campbell; she will be so happy to know about the tribute you plan to send us about her work; if you can send us the new edition of your mother's biography containing this tribute, we will copy it for the slide, quoting it as from your mother or yourself, as the case may be. You may readily understand with this job full upon us, that you need feel no hurry about your donation; we shall probably be all thru the spring months at it and possible the summer also; things interfere with the best laid plans, as you know. We have several newspaper pictures of you all, but if you have any photographs you would like us to use and want to donate them, we should be grateful. We will have to have photographs taken from the clipped pictures otherwise. So plese do not worry, we shall wait for a long time for what ever you want us to have, you may feel assured of that. Very affectionately, Mary A. Hunter P.S. I am including three Outline blanks for you to fill out; they will be filed with the historical material; I trust that you have some one with you to do this sort of work for you; otherwise, please do not attempt to fill them out; we can search the records for a few facts anyway. M.A.H. [*Mrs Fred Hunter*] Des Moines, Iowa. April 17th, 1922. My dear Friend: Working in co-operation with Mr. E. H. Harlan, Curator of the Historical Department of Iowa, Mrs. Dickey and I as co-chairmen of the Research Committee of the Iowa Suffrage Memorial Association are planning to permanently commemorate the movement in Iowa for qual suffrage, as well as the pioneers in that movement. The problem for our committee is to determine who were the pioneers and to secure the essential facts and materials illustrative of their identity and their contribution. Will you suggest the names of such persons? It is intended to make a repository of materials in the Iowa State Library or the Historical Department, which will forever be accessible to students of every phase of the suffrage movement. Each object will be so entered and so taken care of that the object itself and the record will be permanent. The materials we most need are personal letters, manuscripts, pamphlets, books, hand bills and other materials that so much were used by public speakers or agitators. A picture or portrait of any one who devoted time, attention or energy to the movement; an oil painting, water color, half-tone, steel engraving, photograph, tintype or daguerreotype. With the picture ought to come memoranda in your own writing or the writing of some on you know to be trustworthy, identifying it. The suffrage movement came along at a most interesting period in the fashions of wearing apparel. If by chance you can obtain any object worn upon important public occasions, which would aid in reproducing pageantry, or in art, actual trustworthy styles, that ought to be sent. It may be a dress, hat, shoes -2- or a bit of jewelry or other ornament. Every one of us observes with interest the adornments of old portraits and we wonder whether a jewel were an amethyst or an emerald. Many of the objects belong in a museum. We expect sometime to place them in the Historical Department of Iowa, partly with the wish to have them securely and appropriately preserved. When you send anything, which will carry a bill of expense for transportation, it may be sent to the Historical Department of Iowa, with the charges following, to be paid by that institution. But the letters, documents and similar materials may be sent to me. I feel sure you will appreciate and approve our purposes and that you will know we will regard your participation in one or all the ways above suggested. All this is in the effort to create the foundation of fact upon which the great suffrage memorial on the capitol grounds will some day be produced. Sincerely yours, Corinne Coggeshall Lingenfelter, Carrie Harvison Dickey, Co-Chairmen. Address - Mrs. Corinne C. Lingenfelter, #4300 Grand Avenue. My dear Miss Jessie— We do hope you and your Father have saved many things that the State of Iowa and our Suffrage History will appreciate and use - Let us hear from you. Kindley regards, Coe C. L. Ada Chree Reid, M.D. 102 East Twenty-Second Street New York May 16th 1939 Miss Alice Stone Blackwell 3 Monadnock Street, Boston, Mass. Dear Miss Blackwell: The doctors who are now working in the New York Infirmary are trying to assemble a collection of books, pictures, letters, instruments, or other items connected with the history of the Infirmary. Would you be interested in sending us either as a loan or as a permanent gift, any such items you may have of your aunts, Dr. Emily and Elizabeth Blackwell? Dr. Helen Baldwin told me recently that when she took over the house occupied by Dr. Blackwell she found in the attic some personal belongings and letters of Dr. Blackwell's which she sent to Dr. Blackwell's nephew; among these was Dr. Blackwell's diploma. We would be very grateful for any additions to our collection you would be able to send us. They will be very carefully protected. We are planning to place our collection as a permanent exhibit in the library of the Infirmary and expect to have it on view so that the younger doctors may learn of the inspiring history of the Infirmary in which you aunts played so wonderful a part. Very sincerely yours, Ada Chree Reid Ada Chree Reid, M.D., Chairman Archives Committee, New York Infirmary ACR:AF [*Collection*] THE ALICE STONE BLACKWELL FUND COMMITTEE 21 ASHMONT STREET, MELROSE 76, MASSACHUSETTS Trustees MRS. ADA COMSTOCK NOTESTEIN MRS. MAUD WOOD PARK MRS. EDNA LAMPREY STANTIAL May 23rd [*1950*] Dear Mrs. Slade: I have just found an envelope addressed to you, but somehow I feel that I wrote you last week to say that we wanted all of the things on your list. I think Mrs. Park would love to have the little brass model you spoke of in your letter. I remember having seen it in Mrs. Catt's dining room when I visited her in 1940. We have nothing in the collection, except papers, from Mrs. Catt, and would welcome this if you want to part with it. The Library of Congress wants Miss Blackwell's papers, and I have been discussing with one of the librarians the possibility of preparing as complete a history of the National American Woman Suffrage Association as the papers we have will allow. Mrs. Catt talked with me once about it but she said at that time that the men at the Library of Congress had not asked her for her papers. She wrote me that "in the process of working up the collection at Radcliffe it might be possible to put together a complete history of the N.A.W.S.A. - at least beginning with the great Atlantic City Convention." I have had this constantly in mind when working on Mrs. Park's papers. The papers you now have to add to my collection here will make the work a good deal easier. I certainly am looking forward to the work in the autumn, but if possible I'd like to have your papers here to pack away before I close the house for the summer. I'm going over on June 9th for a visit with Mrs. Wilson, and how I'd love to see you then. Affectionately, Edna Cape Cottage, Me. July 25, 1920. Dear Mrs. Stantial, Thank you very much for so promptly sending off all those letters of mine! I didn't mean to make you work after hours - And it was a great comfort to have you type the letters because I don't want to worry about not seeing them. Please add my appreciation for you and Florence because of you both in choosing gift for Mrs. Quinn. I'm sure it was most satisfactory. And tell Florence and Mrs. Boyce that I looked over the "Manual" and that it's splendid. Gratefully yours, Maud Wood Park [National College Equal Suffrage League letterhead] March 17, 1911. My dear Miss Winsor, I am sending my bill for expenses, for my trip to Philadelphia for the Limited Suffrage League. Very sincerely yours, Martha Greening. 14 Ashford St., Allston, Mass. Sept. 13, '13. Secy. College Equal Suffrage League. As I shall be unable to be present at the next Board meeting I should like to present the following brief report for my committee. Mrs. Hutchins has the list of speakers used by the Boston association last year, which is at our disposal. We will endeavor to add the names of new speakers names. Tentative plans are for one evening meeting each week, charging a fee of 5¢ a meeting to cover cost of postage and suffrage leaflets distributed. We hope to find a trained elocutionist who will volunteer to give instruction on the use of the voice. We would like to know whether the Board approves of the plan. Very truly, Florence H. Luscomb Chairman Comm. on Speakers as we hear of them. The most useful work which occurred to the committee was to conduct a class for "Practice in Speaking," hoping to develop new speakers, and to assist some who are still inexperienced speakers. We are very desirous of securing the names of persons who would be "promising material" for such a class, in order to extend an invitation to them to join. Perhaps the College League Board can help us to get such [*CESL*] June 8, 1952 Home Dear Constance': * I am enclosing a copy of a letter I have just had from Miss Louise Young who has been compiling the files of the National League of Women Voters for the Library of Congress. I wonder if we made a mistake in putting your League papers into the Radcliffe Archives instead of first finding out what disposition was to be made of the other years of the League records! However that is done and I must not worry you about "what might have been". I have contacted Florence Luscomb and others about the College League and she seems to think that groups met with Miss Woolley and you and organized the list of books for the library. Also that various local leagues throughout the country raised the money so that the shelf could be maintained in the local library or in the suffrage headquarters. That informatuon has been gleaned from old records. I imagine that you have some further material in your College League files and we'll plan to go over it in the autumn when you come back home. I think we ought to suggest that Miss Young write the final chapter in the History of the Suffrage Movement. She would do it well. I'll be at the Hospital tomorrow and we can talk this all over but maybe you'd like to read this letter from Miss Young and be thinking it over before I come in. Guy and I are so happy that you are getting along so well. Dr. Thorp says you are a good patient and that probably accounts for your rapid recovery. Soon we'll be at our beloved Vineyard and we'll forget all about doctors and hospitals and "sich"! Affectionately, (Edna) *The Stantials' name for Mrs. Park (Copy) Original in files of Edna L. Stantial Louise M. Young 2836 Chesapeake Street, N.W. Washington, 8, D.C. June 4, 1952 Mrs. Guy Stantial 21 Ashmont Street, Melrose, Mass. Dear Mrs. Stantial: I had the very great pleasure of talking with Mrs. Borden, of the Women's Archives, recently; and was more than impressed with her vivid account of her doings -- and yours -- in connection with the historic documentation of the emancipation movement. I showed her the collection of books which had once been the library of the New York College Equal Suffrage League; and she agreed with me that it would make a desirable addition to the room in which Mrs. Park's interesting collection is housed. The collection, two sets of which Mrs. Ethel Puffer Howes left me, includes twenty two or three items. Taken together it represents an important bit of intellectual history; and reflects the fact, too often forgotten, that the most significant aspect of emancipation was the transformation in the attitudes of women toward themselves and their status. Among the items in this collection are: J.S. Mill: Subjection of Women Mary Wollstonecraft: Vindication of the Rights of Women S.B. Anthony: Life and Letters (3 vols.) (ed. This was written " History of Suffrage (Vol.Iv) by Ida Husted Harper Anna H. Shaw: Story of a Pioneer Sylvia Pankhurst: The Suffragette Olive Schreiner: Story of an African Farm Elizabeth Robins: The Convert G.B. Shaw: Qyintessence of Ibsenism M. Maeterlinck: Sister Beatrice, etc. K. Anthony: Feminism in Germany and Scandinavia W.I. Thomas: Sex and Society Helen Bosanquet: The Family Charlotte P. Gilman: The Home T. Veblen: Theory of the Leisure Class E. Abbott: Women in Industry Helen Sumner: Equal Suffrage I think you will agree that this list of books was expertly calculated to undermine a Victorian mainden's (sic) prepossesions, regarding her status and function! If you agree that the books, kept together as a kind of special exhibit, would make a valuable addition to Mrs. Park's collection, Mrs. Borden and I will find a way to execute the matter.* (Copy, page 2. Louise Young to Edna Stantial) June 4, 1952 Perhaps seeing the list, and being reminded of those exciting days, might help Mrs. Park recall who chose the books and whether all college suffrage Leagues were furnished with the same assortment. I recently met a woman who was in the University of Michigan when Mrs. Park arrived on the campus to organize a suffrage league. The authorities wouldn't permit any such gethering on the campus and frowned on the whole project; but this woman (who by the way is a grand neice (sic) of Olympia Brown) was the daughter of a faculty member and their home was opened to Mrs. Park for her organizing activities. But the little League fell apart almost immediately, said Mrs. Nelson, and never got so far as to have a library. Does anyone know hoe many such college Leagues there were - - and where? These are deeply interesting matters. I can't tell you how my imagination gets stirred, even when I sit down to write a letter about some aspect of it. Please give Mrs. Park my warmest good wishes. Most cordially yours, (signed) Louise M. Young *I don't mean to imply that any books shouldn't be used - merely that the collection should be kept intact and not dispersed. Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.