Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-01-29
CITIZENSHIP SCHOOL
FOR WOMEN VOTERS
TO Be Held in Burlington Febru-
airy 16 and Followed by
Others During the Spring in
Various Parts of the State
Preliminary Meetinr

At meeting of the Burlington branch
u the Equal Franchise League. he'd In
rhe New Sherwood hotel Thursday night
he women of Burlington were told Of
The plan for the citizenship school, to
be held here February &c, when Mrs.
Schoonmaker of Connecticut will instruct
them IN the science of voting. The meet
ing was in charge of Mrs. F. O. Sdat-
tuck. president Of tho local league, who
introduced the speakers DR.. Marion Hor-
ton Of Windsor, president of the State
association, spoke briefly, telling why
the school was held In Burlington now
rather thar in tho spring II want the
school to succeed IN Burlington" said
Dr.. Horton, because Burlington sets the
pace for the rest Of tle State, and in or
der that .he school shall succeed the
Equal TraDchiac League must stand be-
hind It,
vermont is MAIDS up of lot Of small
isolated communities, houses distant
from every other habit alton, and in every
one OF those houses there Is living some
woman who is going to be a voter in the
state OF Vermont. II these women can
be reached at ali, mort of 1t must be
lone in the warmer weather for in tbs
winter we cannot get around tho State
So we must learn shout these things and
men the time will come when we can get
together and give them What they need.
80 ! want to begin in Burlington,
where you can get the women together
Then, as spring comes, I want to have
other schools about the State. l hope
by May or June to have them in st.
Johnsbury. in Bennington, In Rutland.
in Bellows Falls and other places so that
the women of the whole State may learn
to vote inteligently."
Miss Anna Benedict followed DR.. Hor-
ton with a talk on "Ctizenship" telling
more in detail what the school will be
like. 1--WE want this to be a general study
Of the government as it is and the gov
ernment as we would like it to be-" she
said. 1--WE must first take it up from
the national standpoint and then from
the International.
But what concerns us most is the
first step and that is what we want to
launch February 16, a school for citizen
ship. This will give Burlington n chance
to do some very worthwhile work This
cannot be done easily and everyone must
realize that it is big piece of work |
want two of three things of this league
l want temporary committee to help
carry on the work of the school, I want
to ask the members of the league to enter
tain the people who come to the school
SO they will not have to stay at hotels
and thus add to their expense perhaps
more than they can afford and I would
like to get Mrs. Mary I. Wood of Ports
mouth N. H., here to tell us how the
work has been done in her State. She will
come for her expenses and 1 want the
league to furnish the money for those
expenses.
Although the program of the school is
not definitely settled, it is planned to open
with an evening meeting on Monday,
the 18th, and then on Tuesday and We'd
nesday to put in the intensive work with
Mrs Schoonmaker. And we want every
hody's ideas in carrying out this school.
No one should be afraid to offer ideas, for
Mrs. Schoonmaker wants all the new
ideas you will give her."
Miss Anne Batchelder of Woodstock was
the final speaker and she made q strong
appeal for finances to carry on the work
Of the State organization. Miss Batcheder
gave a brief but meaty history of the
State Of Vermont. showing how from the
earliest days Vermont's sons and daugh-
tiers have stood by the cause of liberty
Shall 1t be said she said lin a State
with such traditions that one man or ten
men shall keep from women what the
sons of the State fought to give to the
negro, political freedom? And in all OF
the wars" she said 1.-THE women have
stood squarely behind the men and the
wars could not have been won withou,
their help. The women through the whole
history of our State have fought for ar
idea and an ideal
I'VE hear continually that the fight fol-
equal suffrage started 70 years ago
don't believe that is true. ] believe that
when Adam and Eve walked out of the
Garden of Eden they started the frs
Equal Franchise League.
TT is not only the women who know
very little about the ballot. The mer
might well take similar course, but thi.
school is to be carried on so that womer
win go into the privilege of voting wei
equipped and so that they will know how
to vote and why they are voting as the,
are''
Miss Batchelder closed with state
ment of the finances of the State asso
citation. and made a strong appeal To-
more money to carry on the work Of thu
league in order that all of the wome,
Of Vermont might learn to vote intelli
gently and for the greatest good for tn
largest number.
Following her address there was an in
formal discussion of ways and means
and the local league voted to pay tn
expenses of Mrs. Wood so that she ma,
bring to the school all of the nspiratio,
of her experience.