twelve cities made
inoperative the early State law which gave School Suffrage to women.
By appealing to the Legislature of that year the charters of Grand
Rapids and Bay City were so amended that the right to vote at school
meetings was conferred upon women.

The new State association organized in 1884 adopted as its principal
plan of work a bill which had been drawn by the Hon. Samuel Fowler and
introduced in the Legislature of 1883, to grant Municipal Suffrage to
women.

In 1885 this bill was presented in the Senate by John W. Belknap, a
strong supporter. Independent of the State association, Theodore G.
Houk introduced in the House a joint resolution to strike the word
"male" from the constitution. The Joint Judiciary Committees granted a
hearing to the friends of woman suffrage in February. The Municipal
Bill came to a vote in the Senate on May 21, which resulted in 14
ayes, 15 noes, but was not acted upon in the House. The Houk joint
resolution passed the House by 81 ayes, 10 noes, but was not brought
up in the Senate.

In 1887 the Municipal Suffrage Bill was again taken up, being
introduced simultaneously in both Houses, in the lower by Henry
Watson, in the upper by Charles J. Monroe, both staunch friends. A
hearing was had before the Senate Judiciary and the House Committee on
Elections in March. Miss Frances E. Willard aided the suffragists by a
brief address. On April 12 the House committee reported in favor of
striking out all after the enacting clause, thus completely
obliterating the bill, which report was accepted by a vote of 50 ayes,
33 noes. The Senate Bill was not considered.

In 1889 the Municipal Suffrage Bill was introduced in the Senate by
Arthur D. Gilmore and in the House by Dr. James B. F. Curtis. It was
referred to the Judiciary Committees, and at their request the hearing
was had before the entire Legislature during the annual convention of
the State E. S. A. No outside lecturers were invited, because the
friends of the measure were met by a strongly-expressed wish that the
women of Michigan should speak for themselves. Short speeches were
made by May Stocking Knaggs, Catharine A. F. Stebbins, Emily B.
Ketcham, Lucy F. Andrews, Elizabeth Eaglesfield, Frances Riddle
Stafford, Harriet A. Cook, Mrs. R. M. Kellogg, Phebe B. Whitfield and
Mary B. Clay of Kentucky who was then residing in the State. Mrs.
Clara Bewick Colby being present, she was invited to make the closing
remarks.

Just befo