Society Saturday - Carrie Chapman Catt

The Chicago Colony of New England Women recently met for lunch.  The National Society New England Women is an organization for ladies who descend from anyone born in one of the 6 new england states prior to 1789.

Regular business included welcoming two new members to our Colony.

Colony President Jane Schleinzer welcomes sisters Helen Martin and Florence Babos to membership.  Chaplain General Lorna Wright reads the oath of office.

After lunch, we heard an interesting program about Carrie Lane Chapman Catt.  The program was given by Sheila Hall, one of her descendants.  Carrie Catt (1859-1947) was very active in the Women's Suffrage movement here in the United States.  She was ahead of her time starting with her graduation from Iowa State College in 1880 as the only woman in the class.  She was well trained in education and public speaking which served her well in the future.  Her second husband was supportive of her suffrage, and gave her the money needed to travel for that cause.  She was the leader of the National Americn Women's Suffrage Association leading up to the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920.  She went on to found the League of Women voters.  This was a nice personal look into one of America's great women.

Sheila Hall tells about her ancestor Carrie Chapman Catt while Colony Vice President Joan Murray looks on.

http://nsnew.homestead.com/