New-York tribune., 1918-04-28
Preparing Women to En-
joy Their New
Privilege
a GENUINE effort is being made
N to prepare women for an in
K "a telligent use of the ballot. In
"The Woman Citizen" the mat

ter is thus presented:
fewer than six months ago the women of
New York City were waging m intensive
campaign for the political emancipation of
the million or more women in Americas
greatest metropolis. To-day these same en-
ergetlc, tarseelng women are engaged in
new task, different, but equally as impor-
tant as the old one, the preparation of these
hundreds of thousands of women voters for
the enjoyment of the fruits of the great vic
tory. NO sooner had the Empire State got
1s coating OF white on the suffrage man
than the suffrage leaders set about devsing
means by which the women could be given
the most intelligent appreciation of their
new duties and responsibilities
Under the leadership of Miss Mary Gar
rett Hay, the New York City Woman Suf-
frage party announced that the great work
of preparation for citizenship would he
undertaken by newly created committee,
the Woman Voters Council. Mrs. John
Blair, secretary of the council, was given
the responsibility Of inaugurating this work
The solution Of the problem. she believed,
was IN schools OF citizenship, and within a
very short time the women Of New York
found themselves going to school again.
Nov, the word school presents to ones
mind orderly rows of desks and seats, sur
rounded on all sides by blackboards and
presided over by a deity-or ogre-accord-
ing to the point of view. But not so with
these schools of citizenship. They have
broken all bounds OF convention, and one
day the school room has been a charming
tea room, with glstening mirrors and tables
with snowy covers, and next the school room
has been the assembly room of one of the
great department stores or insurance or
banking firms. Perhaps the next day a
tremendously interesting group of new cit-
zens may be called to order in the green
room or on the stage of theatre, with
members Of the chorus as pupils and the
chairman of the movement, Mrs. Blair, as
the presiding genius.
"ln the month of March 312 classes were
held, reaching out to many groups There
is busy corner in the city headquarters.
where Mrs Blair devotes large part of
her time to perfecting the movement for
the making of good citizens. When she is
not to be found there she may be found in
one of the scores of places where the
women of the city are becoming better ac-
Quainted with the government under which
they live and under which they are now full
partners with the men,
"A staff of paid teachers is employed by
the department of citizenship of the city
party. exceptionally we'll quelncd,' says
Mrs. Blair, with enthusiasm, 'to teach the
rules OF government To those who stand
on the side lines and view with critical eye
the work OF the citizenship committee it can
be said that the promoters of this move
ment are we'll aware that a course of six
lessons in citizenship does not entitlc one
to diploma, but it is believed the classes
take big step in the right direction
"They have awakened a keen interest in
matters relating to government and will
enable thousands of women to 60 to the
polls and exercise their right Of suffrage
with more than an elementary knowledge
OF their duties. And as one Of their re-
suits, thousands of women will vote who
mfght otherwise have remained away
through the embarrassment Of ignorance
conc thing these classes have done