Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1912-10-10
MICHIGAN WOMAN
Returns to Champion the Cause OF
Michigan Women.

All recognize the eminence of Rev.
Anna Shaw among the prominent WON
en- OF the world.
1t is because Of her devotion to her
old home state that Miss Shaw agreed
to return long enough to take an active
part i'm the campaign favoring the
constitutional amendment to give Mich
igan women the right of suffrage.
election I'm November.
The cause of equal suffrage in Michi-
gan Is specially favored in having this
noted woman for champion. and in
order that AN who may he SO fortunate
as to hear or read what she has to
say may also have a more intimate
acquaintance with her an extract Is
given below from what she has writ
ten about her early life in Michigan:
1--WE went TO northern Michigan when
was only twelve years old The
country was very wild and very un-
settled. neighbors so far apart that we
seldom saw each other. There were
very little good schooling opportuni
ties, but | made the most of every
chance that was given me and was
considered by the authorites-save the
mark-fit to teach school when | was
fifteen. and so my career of a self sup
porting woman began at that age and
| have kept il up ever since. | taught
five years i'm district schools. all the
time making every possible prepare
ton for college. but before starting for
college | had become interested in the
work of the ministry and was licensed
as local preacher. Then | began my
college work, and after attending the
college at Albion. Mich, for two years
| went to Massachusetts and entered
the Boston university. where ! after
ward took a degree In both medicine
and theosophy.
81 have always considered my life
In Michigan to be among those of the
best preparation for my work. Those
early nard times were admirable train
ing times for endurance In life.
"Of course at the time that we were
living that life in the woods 1t seemed
and yet now | realize that it was lay
ing the foundation of health and
strength which has enabled me to car
~ on more than thlrty-6ve years OF
hard work and still keep young spirit
and growing interest in all lines Of
progress. Then the freedom of that
life made the freedom of thought pos
sible. 1t made 1t possible for me to
break away from established customs
for women and TO be among the very
first women to start out In the study
Of the ministry. The first year that
preached l spoke under the supervi-
sion OF our presiding elder, and at the
spring conference of 1872 / was IL
censed as a local preacher at the an
nual conference of that district at Big
Rapids. where my parents then lived.
There was great deal of opposition
to my preaching, great deal TO my
doing public work. II was not so easy
In those days as II Is now. and yet my
parents were no more conservative
general attitude OF men and women
against public life for women. but
through the Influence of the precep.
tress OF our high school. where ! pre-
pared myself for college. was en-
couraged to take the stand which
did In regard to the ministry. en-
tered heartily into the temperance cru
SADIE and worked with the temperance
women. and so very early I'm life be.
gan to have an active interest in pub
lie affairs which has grown with the
growing years.
This Is not at all Interesting, but the
interesting part Of a pioneer life is its
daily conditions. which one needs to be
philosopher to understand. and. while
the experience is not one which think
would advise anybody to undertake.
and should be sorry for anybody who
did undertake II, yet ! shall never re
greet II. | think II has helped me to live
al. nI 20 o,.1