atute to enable a
widow who desires it, to become on reasonable terms a co-executor with
those appointed by her husband's will." For several years she spent
much time on this work and had the help of many of the best citizens
of Boston. It was ably presented at each session of the Legislature,
but no action was taken.[329]

Mrs. Harriet H. Robinson, the corresponding secretary, has published
Massachusetts in the Woman Suffrage Movement, The New Pandora, a
woman's play, Capt. Mary Miller, etc.; Mrs. Shattuck, The Woman's
Manual of Parliamentary Law, Advanced Rules for Large Assemblies.
Another member, Mrs. Sara A. Underwood, has done valuable work on the
newspapers of Boston, New York and other cities, and before the
Legislature. The writings of Mrs. Evaleen L. Mason are well known.

[Illustration:

HARRIET MAY MILLS.
Syracuse, N. Y.

FLORENCE HOWE HALL.
Plainfield, N. J.

REV. ANNA GARLIN SPENCER.
Providence, R. I.

LUCRETIA L. BLANKENBURG.
Philadelphia, Pa.

LAVINA A. HATCH.
E. Pembroke, Mass.

]

In 1888 certain historical text-books which were objected to by the
Roman Catholics were removed from the schools and replaced by others.
This caused great excitement, over 25,000 women registered to vote,
and for two successive years helped to defeat all the Catholic
candidates for the school board and to elect a number of women. The
members of this association maintained the non-partisan side and
opposed the extremists who urged that Catholics should be excluded
from the board, thus depriving it of some of its most experienced and
faithful men.

In April, 1888, the association applied for a charter and became the
first incorporated body of woman suffragists in the State. In December
a petition was sent to Congress asking for an amendment to the United
States Constitution prohibiting disfranchisement on account of sex.

In 1889 a petition from this association was introduced in the
Legislature to require assessors to ask at every house whether there
are women there who wish to be assessed a poll tax. A petition was
also sent in for a law providing that one-third of the membership of
the school committee consist of women. These were presented by Mr.
Barker of Malden.

At the eighth annual meeting in May, 1890, C. W. Ernst gave an
instructive address on political topics.

In October, 1891, a special meeting was called to discuss the question
of