ganizations of
men and women, and also to the clergy, with the request that they
would use their influence with their congregations. A number did so,
but probably many were afraid to speak on this subject lest they
injure the chances of the Anti-Gambling Amendment to the constitution,
which was to be voted on at the same time. The school authorities
strongly indorsed the amendment and related the benefit which School
Suffrage for women had been within their experience. Extracts from
these letters, including one from the State Superintendent of Public
Instruction, the Hon. Charles J. Baxter, thanking the association for
work in its behalf, were widely published.

The Republican State Executive Committee and some county committees
indorsed the amendment. Efforts were made to have it presented at the
many meetings which were held in behalf of the Anti-Race Track
Amendment, but they were not always successful. Through an unavoidable
circumstance the press work fell principally on the president. The
corresponding secretary, Dr. Hussey, gave an immense amount of labor,
devoting the whole summer to the work of the campaign. Mrs. Angell
rendered most efficient service, a part of it the sending of a letter
to nearly every minister in the State. Mrs. L. H. Rowan was chairman
of the finance committee but so sure were the friends of success that
only $150 were expended.

The special election was held Sept. 28, 1897, and the result was a
great disappointment. The School Suffrage Amendment, to which it was
generally supposed there would be practically no opposition, was
defeated--65,021 ayes, 75,170 noes. The adverse vote came almost
entirely from the cities where the actual experiment never had been
made. The country districts, where women had exercised School
Suffrage, understood its workings and voted for the amendment. The
Germans in particular opposed it, and it was said that they and many
other voters understood it to give complete suffrage to women. As it
was printed in full on the ballot itself, the carelessness and
indifference of the average voter were thus made painfully apparent.

The labor was not altogether wasted, however, as through it the people
were brought to understand that women still had a partial vote at
school meetings. (See Suffrage.) For instance the women of Cranford,
where a new schoolhouse was badly needed, were told by their town
counsel that they had lost the ballot, but the president of the
suffrag