5.2 Women’s Sufferage NL Studies 2205

Introduction Suffragists maintained that work done by women in the home was beneficial to society? Is this work valued by society today? Are women treated as equal partners in society today?

Four Phases of the Suffrage movement in Newfoundland Early 1890’s: Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) 1909-1914 : The Ladies’ Reading Room 1914-1919: “Distaff Feminism” 1920-1915: The Newfoundland Women’s Franchise League

Early 1890’s: Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) The WCTU was a North American organization that wanted to address the damage caused by alcoholism to the family unit. It wanted women to win the vote in order to change the law to ban alcohol. Between 1891-93 women from the WCTU petitioned the government to given women the vote in municipal politics. Despite two debates in the legislature, suffrage for women was defeated twice and efforts by the WCTU deteriorated and largely came to an end.

1909-1914 : The Ladies’ Reading Room As a result of extreme actions taken by British suffragists, women in St. John’s were excluded from lectures in a male only club. In response, women began to meet in the home of a leading Newfoundland suffragist, Armine Nutting Gosling, and formed The Ladies’ Reading Room and Current Events Club. For a small fee of $3.00, women , many socially prominent women had access to suffragist newspapers and magazines and could attend lectures and debates at the current affairs club. The society put women's suffrage back on the map and helped women develop writing and public speaking skills.

1914-1919: “Distaff Feminism”

1914-1919: “Distaff Feminism” A distaff was originally a short staff that held a bundle of fibers - of flax or wool- ready to be spun into yarn or thread. Since spinning was a basic daily task customarily done by women, the distaff came to be the symbol for the work or domain of women.

1914-1919: “Distaff Feminism” It was the maternal rights argument that was most prominent during WWI. Women from all segments of society knitted, collected goods, raised funds to help the war efforts. Most of these activities were carried out by the Women’s Patriotic Association (WPA). Some women served as nurses in the Volunteer Aid Detachment Nurses (VAD). The war changes the perception of the public towards the role of women in society, particularly their economic role.

1920-1915: The Newfoundland Women’s Franchise League Led by Armine Nutting Gosling, The Women’s Franchise League (WFL) began a publicity campaign in 1920 to win women the right to vote. These efforts were opposed by the Prime Minister, Sir Richard Squires, largely because of his was afraid of any efforts to “clean up” government (one of the goals of suffragists) as he was immersed in scandal during his time in office. Ironically the first elected female to the House of Assembly was his wife, Lady Helena Squires in 1930.

1920-1915: The Newfoundland Women’s Franchise League Women in St. John’s were granted the right to vote by Mayor Gilbert Gosling, the husband of Armine Nutting Gosling. After 5 years of pushing for change women were granted the right to vote in 1925 by the government of Walter S. Monroe. The bill was passed unanimously by the House of Assembly. Women voted for the first time in 1928 when 90% of those eligible to vote did so.

Health Other diseases were rampant in NL such as: Tuberculosis (consumption) a respiratory disease spread by coughing and sneezing. There was no cure until the introduction of anti-biotics in the 1930s and 40s. A variety of efforts were made to prevent, diagnose and treat the disease by private organizations and government.

Health Other diseases included: Cholera, Influenza, (Spanish Flu), diphtheria, etc. Health and Public Welfare Act passed in 1931 to control & treat infectious diseases but the depression left the government with little money to carry out important changes and reforms.