Dayhoff Soundtrack: At Westminster polls in 1920, the 'Women Disappointed Them'

Thursday, November 27, 2008

At Westminster polls in 1920, the 'Women Disappointed Them'

Webmaster’s note: Some folks have been in touch looking for this column… Here ya go. Enjoy 11/27/2008 KED

By Kevin Dayhoff Posted on http://www.explorecarroll.com/ 11/16/08

Sunday Carroll EAGLE ARCHIVE

The fact that women gained the right to vote was a milestone that got mixed reviews in Carroll County after the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified on Aug. 18, 1920.

It was an argument four decades in the making.

In 1878, a constitutional amendment to grant women the right to vote was introduced by Sen. A. A. Sargeant of California. Suffrage supporters called the proposal the "Anthony Amendment," for Susan B. Anthony.

When President Woodrow Wilson delivered his State of the Union message to Congress in December 1916, women in the galleries unfurled a large banner that read, "Mr. President, What Will You Do For Woman Suffrage?"

In October 1920, after women were finally allowed to vote, local newspapers carried several articles about women and the election, according to research for the Historical Society of Carroll County by historian Jay Graybeal.

An Oct. 29, 1920, newspaper article carried the headline: "The Republican Meet, A Remarkable Gathering." The article read: "On Tuesday evening the Armory in this city was filled both to its seating and standing capacity with men and women voters of the county to hear the issues of the campaign discussed. ...

"The first speaker was Mrs. S. K. Herr, of this city. Mrs. Herr received an ovation as she rose to speak and was frequently interrupted by outbursts of applause. She urged the women not only to vote but to study the issues and candidates that they may vote intelligently."

The article goes on to report:

"The Republican women of Westminster district have arranged for (an instruction) room near the polling place in each precinct ..."

"The voting place in precinct No. 1 will be the old Farmers and Mechanics Bank building. ... Voting place in No. 2 is Herr & Babylon's shop. ... Voting place in No. 3 is Firemen's Building. ... In precinct No. 4 the voting place is on Liberty street ..."

After the election, the Nov. 5, 1920 issue of the old Westminster paper, American Sentinel, carried the headline: "Women Disappointed Them."

"The men and women who were so bitterly opposed to giving women the ballot must have been keenly disappointed on Tuesday. None of the distressing scenes, turbulent conditions, verbal or physical combats predicted have been reported from any voting place in Carroll county, the State of Maryland or anywhere in the country.

"The women did not lose their womanly dignity or sacrifice the respect of the men, and we have not heard of any babies neglected or husbands compelled to cook their own meals while their wives were electioneering around the polls.

"Perhaps a few women said and did some things that would have been better left unsaid and undone, but there are legions of men who do this on every election day." Shocking. Well, maybe not so much.

One thing is certain. Some 88 years later, we still say and do things on Election Day that are "better left unsaid and undone."