832
History of Woman Suffrage.
In 1882 the municipal act was so amended as to give married women, widows and spinsters, if possessed of the necessary qualifications, the right to vote on by-laws and some other minor municipal matters. Again, in 1884, the act was still further amended, extending the right to vote at municipal elections to widows and unmarried women on all matters. In Toronto, January 4, 1886, the women polled a large vote, resulting in the election of the candidate pledged to reform. But it must be remembered that this progressive legislation belongs only to the Province of Ontario.
Mrs. Curzon writes:
In the year 1876 Dr. Emily H. Stowe—graduated in New York—settled in Toronto for the practice of her profession. Thoroughly imbued with the principles roughly summed up in the term "woman's rights," and finding that her native Canada was not awake to the importance of the subject, she lectured in the principal towns of Ontario on "Woman's Sphere and Woman in Medicine." By reason of the agitation caused by these lectures a Woman's Literary Club[1] was organized in Toronto with Dr. Stowe, president, and Miss Helen Archibald, secretary. The triumphs scored through the efforts of this club were the admission of women to the University College and School of Medicine of Toronto, Queen's University and the Royal. Medical School of Kingston, and the founding of a medical school for women in each city. When the municipal franchise was granted to women the club decided to come out boldly as a suffrage organization. Accordingly by resolution the Toronto Woman's Literary Club was dissolved and the Canadian Woman Suffrage Association[2] formed, March 9, 1883.
McGill University at Montreal has an annex for women founded through the munificence of one of the merchants of that city. Dalhousie College, Halifax, admits women on the same footing as men. The Toronto Mail says it is only a question of time when all Canadian colleges will do the same thing. In 1883 the provincial legislature of Nova Scotia gave duly qualified women the right to vote, and they exercised it very generally the following year. In New Brunswick the old laws and prejudices remain, but woman suffrage has its friends and advocates in Mrs, E. W. Fisher and Mr. and Mrs. W. Frank Hathaway of St. Johns. In 1885 the Mount Allison Methodist College at Sackville, N. B., conferred the degree of M. A. on Miss Harriet Stewart. This is the first instance of an educational institution in the Dominion conferring such an honor upon a lady.
- ↑ The Ballot-Box in 1880 said: The Citizen of Toronto, Ont., has established a 'Ladies' Column' under the auspices of the Toronto Woman's Literary Club, the first ladies' club ever formed in Canada. This club has been in existence four years. The Citizen is said to be the first Canadian paper devoted, even in part, to woman's interest, Heading this change 'Important Notice,' it says: 'We have great pleasure in announcing that we have made an arrangement with the Toronto Woman's Literary Club to occupy an important space in our columns, for the advance of moral, social, educational and family matters affecting woman generally. Mrs. S, A. Curzon has charge of this column as associate. editor.' The club in a stirring salutatory defines its work and objects. It is the intention to give, each week, a résumé of the current topics concerning women, education, the franchises, the legal abilities and disabilities of women, etc., hoping to arouse a national sentiment among Canadian women and intelligence upon these important subjects. This appeal is signed by Mrs. McEwen, the president, and Emily H. Stowe, Mrs. W. J. MacKenzie, Mrs. W. B. Hamilton and Mrs. S. A. Curzon, the executive committee."
- ↑ The officers were: President, Mrs. Donald McEwen: Vice-Presidents, Mrs. Curzon, Mrs. E. H. Stowe, M. D., Captain W. F. McMaster, John Hallam, esq.; Treasurer, Mrs. W. B. Hamilton; Secretary, Miss J. Foulds; Executive Committee, Mrs. McKenzie, Mrs. S. McMaster, Mrs. Riches, Mrs.. Miller, Miss Hamilton, Miss McMaster, Miss Alexander, William Houston, J. L. Foulds, P. MclIntyre, Phillips Thompson, Thomas Bengough.
