November Meeting: Women's Suffragette March Re-enactment

Women's Suffragette March and Library Visit

Attendees: 7 members (5 pee wees) and 8 seniors

Members and Seniors learned about the Women's Suffragette March through a Facebook post before the meeting. Seniors discussed the ideal starting place for our march on Facebook. To learn more about the original march, check out this website: https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/events-will-remember-suffragists-who-lined-locust-street-in-demonstration/article_5e885b80-78ad-5d56-b355-555740af9c87.html?fbclid=IwAR3-mw-KwU7oh2vI5fInppajnQeJC1lr79PpPpv9yLz3Z6WGXijOvyoPm_k

It was determined that we would start our march at 19th Street and Locust, about the middle of the original demonstration. This was roughly where the old Art Museum was and the central point of the demonstration. Speeches were given at this location. Women stood, silent, for about a mile's length of the street. The men were walking from their hotel to the conference hall, between the walls of women.

Our members gathered in their formal wear. The ladies wore their white dresses, white gloves, and yellow sashes. They brought a yellow parasol (umbrella), like the ladies from the original suffragette demonstration. The gentlemen wore their suits and hats. As we began our march, Seniors explained the demonstration to the children. They began to understand just how big of a demonstration it was, the longer we walked. At one point, we stopped for the girls to stand along the side of the road and the boys to walk down the street in front of them.

As we approached the public library, we saw that there were two entrances. The back entrance was closer, or we could walk around to the front entrance. We stopped and took a vote. The girls voted for the closer entrance (there were 4 girls) but the boys voted for the front entrance (there were 2 boys). To show members what it was like before women were allowed to vote, we followed what the boys voted for. We went to the front entrance, even though it was further away and more people voted for the closer entrance. Once we got inside, we found out that the children's library was closer to the other entrance, so maybe we should have gone in that door!

We had a short meeting outside and then we went to find the Children's Library. There, members were challenged to find books about leadership. They learned how to use the computers to search for books. They also found books about women's suffrage, the right to vote, and the revolutionary war. The members were able to explain to other patrons and the library employees about their march for women's suffrage.

Contest Connections:

Organizing Secretary - Consider the passage of the 19th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution during the 100th anniversary and reflect on the significance of the amendment for women’s suffrage.

State Assistant Organizing Secretary - Learn about the efforts of Missourians to achieve woman's suffrage in the U.S.

Registrar - Increase member involvement in society activities by planning fun and interactive events that will engage members at the society level.

Librarian - Explore library resources and services.

Leadership Development - Promote the development of leadership skills in C.A.R.