Frances Willard

Women Power. Set in Motion the forces that brought about Constitutional Amendment. Did not live to see them adopted.Born in Churchville, NewYork. in 1839. Moved to Wisconsin in 1846 when she was 11 years oldGraduate of Northwestern Female College at Evanston, Illinois. Taught in Country School near Evanston, Several other schools in Pennsylvannia and New York. Back to Evanston as President of the Evanston C ollege for Ladies. 1871.Resigned 1874 to accept Presidency of the Chicago Chapter of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. five year later, she was election jPresident of the National Organization. Four years later became President of the World Organization and until her dead in 1989 she remained head of the National and World Womans Christian Temperance Union.During her tenue in office, the Union made tremendous advances against old Demon Rum. Many states outlawed alcoholic Beverages in 1880, 97 years ago. Iowa was first and during next 40 years, the movement grew and expanded until the passage of the 18th amendment in 1920 outlawing beverage alcohol in whole United States.The 18th Amendmentonly last 14 years, being repealed by the 21st Amendment.What President Hoover called a Noble Experiment, perished in the Franklin D. Roosevelt Landslide of 1933.Helpers in her fight--Carry Nation, wrecked illegal saloons across Kansas. Frances Willard was different. Patient, persistent, pursave. By her gentle personality, her eloquence, executive abhility, devotion to her ideals and a agenius in organization. She became a tremendous leader in two great struggles of her time. Arousing the conscience of the nation against the Liquor traffic and the long battle for Women's Rights. (Did Not live to see them adopted)and of course you know, the 19th amendment granting voting rights to Women followed quickly on the heels of the 18ths.Her success lay in organized Women Power,on every level. National, State, county, City, Village and Precinct in the U.S. had chapters of her organization. Her advice, Keep the pressure on. Be eternally after the politicians, get pledges from candidates and never give them any peace. Her theory was "The wicked flee when no man pursueth", but they will make better time if someone is after them with a sharp stick. For 50 yhears, she practiced this jphilosophy, urged her followerrs to do same. It got results. the statue of Frances Williard stands in Statuary Hall, selected by State of Illinois to honor one of their own who gave her life to the goal of social reform and the placing of women in their equal and rightful place in our modern democratic society.Carved on base, words of Miss Willard-- "Ah, it is women who have given the costliest hostages to forture. Out into the battle of life they have sent their best beloved with fearful odds against them. O by the dangers they have dared; bly the hours of patent watching over beds where helpless children lay; by the incense of ten thousand prayers wafted from their gentle lips to heaven. I charge you to give them power to protect long lifes threacherous highway those whom they have so loved. "Senator Albert J. Hopkins of illinois in his address at the placing of Miss Williard's statue in the Hall of Fame had this to say. "No man or woman of her time wrought better or accomplished more for the protection of her sex and the cause of temperance than Frances e. Willard. The cause of which she dedicated her life reaches all humanityh. the ability with which she jprosecuted this life work places her among the most eminent intellects of our generation."Frances Williard deserves this high honor that has been mostly reserved for men as of this date, there have been 88 persons so honored and only 4 of them have been women. Fraces Willard of Illinois was the first. Others have been Dr. Florence Sabin, Scientist of Colorado, Maris Sanford, Educator of Minnesota, and Esther H. Morris, Women's Rights Advocate of Wyoming. Maybe our good women have been discriminated against.

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  1. why does francis willard wear a ring on her wedding ring finger???

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