ooperative Council,
and Mrs. Nancy M. Schoonmaker was engaged to give a course of lectures
on Citizenship.[159]

THE WOMAN SUFFRAGE PARTY.

In the fall of 1915 Mrs. Sara M. Algeo re-organized the Woman Suffrage
Party as an independent body and began a vigorous campaign for civic
betterment and political education. Miss Mary E. McDowell of Chicago
and Miss Margaret Foley of Boston addressed large audiences. Its
policy was to invite the fullest cooperation of colored women and a
meeting was held at which Mrs. Robert M. LaFollette spoke to a large
audience of both colored and white women on their common need of full
citizenship.

In 1916 the endorsement of the State conference of Congregational
Churches was secured. A civic forum was organized in Providence,
holding Sunday afternoon meetings in a theater. Among the eminent
speakers were Lord and Lady Aberdeen, Thomas Mott Osborne, Mrs. Kate
Waller Barrett, Mary Antin and Mrs. Nellie McClung of Canada. The same
line of work was followed elsewhere in the State. A suffrage class was
established at the Young Men's Christian Association. Miss Laura Clay
of Kentucky gave ten days of helpful service.

In 1917 Mrs. LeBaron B. Colt of Bristol was appointed committee
chairman of the Women's Oversea Hospitals conducted by the National
Suffrage Association and with the assistance of Mrs. Algeo and the
party $3,000 were raised. After the passage of the Presidential
suffrage bill in 1917 the party specialized in training for
citizenship and conducted a campaign in naturalization in conjunction
with the Americanization Committee of the National Association. In the
fall under the direction of Mrs. Frederick H. Bagley of Boston, its
chairman, efforts were made to secure from the Legislature an
Americanization bill providing compulsory education for immigrants and
also for a director of Americanization on the Board of Education,
which was passed in 1919. Mrs. Agnes M. Bacon was appointed by the
Governor.

In 1919 Mrs. Algeo compiled and published Suggestions to the Women
Voters of Rhode Island, of which thousands of copies were circulated.
July 1, being the first day of registration for the elections of the
following year, she organized a state-wide campaign for the
registration of women for using the presidential vote. It was
celebrated in Providence by an imposing ceremony on the steps of the
City Hall at noon, and in the evening by a banquet, at which Mrs.
Charles H. Brooks of