rs. Alfred
Buschman assisted in this work. Mrs. English and Mrs. Clarke conducted
all those in St. Louis. The Young Women's Christian Association
allowed them the use of its auditorium for the first suffrage normal
school. Some mothers of families got up at five o'clock and did part
of their day's work in order to be able to attend; some women traveled
miles in order to do so; others came to night classes after a hard
day's work in office or school room. The St. Louis Board of Education
recognized the importance of this work and offered to incorporate the
citizenship schools in the night school system. It furnished the
building and paid the instructors, the St. Louis League managed the
schools. The response of the colored women to these opportunities was
especially noteworthy; in one school over 300 were in constant
attendance. Mrs. McBride, secretary of the Jackson county suffrage
league, conducted classes throughout the county. Kansas City secured
Professor Isador Loeb of the University of Missouri for a course of
lectures on government. All the women's clubs united into one school.
The course included principles of government, organization, publicity,
public speaking, suffrage history and argument, parliamentary law and
use of literature.

* * * * *

The submission of the Federal Suffrage Amendment by Congress in June,
1919, was celebrated with the greatest joy throughout the State.
Prominent suffragists in St. Louis waited upon Mayor Keil, the board
of aldermen and other city officials and escorted them in gaily
decorated automobiles to the steps of the Post Office, where the
Mayor, an old friend of woman suffrage, made a rousing speech. Mrs.
Miller and Mrs. Gellhorn also spoke and Charles M. Hay closed the
meeting with an eloquent address. In Kansas City a similar meeting was
held in one of the large theaters.

RATIFICATION. Steps were at once taken to secure the ratification of
the amendment by the Legislature. Edward F. Goltra, National
Democratic Committeeman, a proved friend, and Ben Neals, State
Democratic chairman, were often asked for advice and other help. Jacob
Babler, Republican National Committeeman, and W. L. Cole, Republican
State chairman, Mayor Keil and many others of both political parties
assisted the suffrage associations in placing before Governor Gardner
the urgency of calling a special session. He was not slow in
responding and one was called for July 2, 1919.