as
unable to attend the session of the Legislature, Miss Mary Philbrook,
chairman of the Committee on Laws, took charge of the measure, which
in March was passed for the second time without opposition. It was
decided, however, to have certain other proposed amendments to the
constitution altered, and that for School Suffrage was kept back with
the others, as the constitution can be amended only once in five
years.

In the spring circulars were sent to 300 newspapers to be published,
urging women to attend school meetings and to exercise the scrap of
franchise still left to them--a vote on appropriations.[368] New
Jersey sent $150 to the National Association and $50 to California for
its campaign this year, in addition to the money spent on State work.
The annual meeting was held in Orange, Nov. 27, 1896. A vote of thanks
was tendered Miss Jane Campbell of Philadelphia for her generous gift
of 300 copies of "Woman's Progress" containing an account of suffrage
in New Jersey by Mrs. Hall.

The signatures to the petition were increased to over 7,000 in 1897,
and the Legislature passed the resolution for the School Suffrage
Amendment for the third time, in March. The association at once began
active work to influence the voters. Meetings were held in halls,
churches and parlors in all parts of the State and many articles were
published explaining the scope of the amendment. The State Federation
of Women's Clubs, the Granges, Working Girls' Societies, Daughters of
Liberty, the Ladies of the G. A. R., the Junior Order of American
Mechanics and other organizations gave cordial indorsement. Mrs. Hall
delivered three addresses on this subject before the State Federation
of Clubs; Mrs. Emily E. Williamson, afterwards its president, also
made a strong speech, urging the members to work for the amendment,
and paid for 5,000 of the Appeals which were sent out. The W. C. T. U.
rendered every possible assistance in securing signers for the
petitions and educating public sentiment.

During the summer an extensive correspondence was carried on with
prominent people including the State board of education, State, county
and city superintendents of public instruction, etc. They were asked
to sign An Appeal to the Friends of Education which clearly set forth
the advantages of the proposed amendment. Having obtained the one
hundred influential signatures desired the document was widely
distributed to the press. Copies were sent to many or