The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-03
REFORMS BY WOMEN
They Propose to Push the Tagging
War Against the Wine Rooms,
And They Are Going to Have a Woman
on the School Board or Know
the Reason Why.

There was a large attendance OF presi-
dents and delegates of the several socie-
ties which belong 10 the Local Council of
Women of Indianapolis at the Propylaeum
yesterday afternoon, and there were about
forty societies represented. Mrs. Josephine
r. Nichols was in the chair.
The first business was the report of the
committee TO secure action of the City
Council in regard to the suppression of the
wine rooms. Mrs. J. l.. Ketcham. who is
the chairman of the committee, made her
report. A petition was prepared and taken
to the City Council, and at the meeting
following it was the first matter heard.
TIL petition was referred to the
on public morals, and a resolution was
passed showing hat the Council appre-
ciated the work Of the Local Council. A visit
was also made to the city attorney, and
while the uni was there the chief
Of police came in The chief report made
was that the committee was very courte-
ously received, but up to date there had
been no notice given in the newspapers
that any action had been taken by the
City Council. A visit to the committee on
public morals will be made later. The
women of the committee, in making the
iCpOit, cctlQ IHdl lL0y HdQ ldhtn great IL
terest in the matter and hoped to be con-
tinued on the committee. Mrs. Nichols
stated that there was no city ordinance re-
lating to wine rooms. and that they were
an evil that had been allowed to grow I'D
and no attention had been paid to them.
In reference to the wine rooms the fact
that the murder OF Saturday night had
been melted by visits to a wine room was
hald M 90 on ipc+opoo 90 +ho oooo-.;.. g
something being done.
The second COMMITTEES to report was the
one appointed to learn about the neces-
sary legislation with a view to having
women represented on the school board.
Mrs. j. S. Jenckes, Mrs. j. l.. Ketcham and
Mrs. O.. II. Hasselman were on the COM
mittee, and Mrs. Jenckes. as chairman,
made the report. She said in brief that the
next election of members of the school
board would occur Saturday. June 2. The
law says that any women, married or
single, OF twenty-One years of age or more
ana possessed of the same qualifications
required as of a man was eligible TO mem
oershlp; that the requirements were that
the member be a resident of the district
in which he Tor she) would serve. There
will be vacancies in the First, Second,
Tenth and Eleventh districts at the June
TO find a woman TO make the race. Mrs.
Jenckes said that she felt that a school
board composed entirely of men or of
women could not do the most good. There
are privileges of electing women on the
school boards In every city and town of
Massachusetts,. In Indiana the women have
no right to vote, but they are allowed to
serve on the board if elected. The notice
made by the Journal In reference to the
Teachers Association by Mrs. Davis, the
president of the Terre Haute School Board,
and the editorial comment were both
spoken CT by Mrs. Jenckes as a part of
her report. The following was then Of
fered:
whereas, 1t being the opinion of the Local
Council or Women OF indianapolis, assembled
together this I'd day of January, 1894, that
the best interests of the public schools of
this city would be greatly enhanced by the
as members of the school hoard; and where
as, during the year of 1894 there are to be
vacancies filled in four districts. in one or
more OF which a woman might possibly be
elected, therefore, be it resolved, that we as
a body of women interested in all things
that will tend to raise the standard, already
so high, of the educational interests OF our
city do nominate a candidate or candidates
for such district or Districts; resolved, that
we pledge ourselves as individuals, and as
a council. to support such candidate or can
didateS who may be induced to run for this
high Office. with all the influence we may
command"
Mrs. Ketcham then gave a description of
the districts ana she said that it had been
very interesting to study the fantastic
shapes of the school DISTRICTS; they looked
as IL they belonged to the study of some oc-
cult science, they were so irregular. The Ques-
ton was raised as to whether politics would
! play any part in the election of a woman
and the answer was that it ought not, in
+ this instance. but that it did. A special
meeting of the council will be called when
the ways and menaS of the election or NOM
nation will be considered and the candi-
dates Will be chosen. The committee Will
be continued and two others will be added
TO 1t. 1t was also decided to have two cam
didateS for two districts.
The third committe to report was on mu-
niclpal legislation, and Mrs. Grace Julian
Clark, the chairman, read the report. 1t
told of a visit to the police matron, Mrs.
Buchanan. She was found TO live in a
small room, which had to answer for sit
ting room, bedroom, office and receiving
room for the women prisoners, and that the
sewerage was very bad, and altogether the
surroundings were very unhealthy. Mrs.
Buchanan told them of the many cases
which are brought there, and that there
had been thirty-SiX children under ten
years Of age In there last year. Two laws
were also found to be thought necessary.
be allowed to carry messages to houses of
Ill fame, and next that keepers of such
houses should be compelled TO notify the
police when young girls were taken to
them. Notification of these matters will be
called TO the attention of the proper au-
thoritieS by the local council.
The subject of hygienic and suitable dress
will be considered at a future meeting.
Mrs. Jenckes spoke of a course of lee
lures on the subject of parliamentary law
TO be given by Mrs. Strickland, of Chicago.
and Mrs. John NJ. Judah, of Memphis. who
had listened to a course of the same kind
by Mrs. Strickland, indorsed them. Mrs.
work done by the local council in her city.