Worcester Women's History Project (cont)

It was thought that a woman's place was behind a man
This follows what a woman's sphere near the bottom of the
article.

Willaim Lloyd Garrison

The Convention of 1850 was also organized by Abby Kelly Foster; she was also an abolitionist, both her and her husband Stephen had followed William Lloyd Garrison. Garrison was quite extremists in his thinking of how African Americans should be freed; Abby Kelly Foster was also like that, when she was younger, she was quite radical in her thinking. She had gotten interested in women's rights when she met Lucy Stone. At the convention itself, Foster was one of the speakers, here is an excerpt from her speech "Then, again, let every woman feel that she is equally responsible with man for the immortality, for the crime that stalks abroad in our land, and will she not be up and doing, in order to put away that vice?  Let every woman understand that it is for her to see that disease be not seek out means to do it away? If she feels that she is as competent to banish supersitition, and prejudice, and bigotry, from the world as her brother, will she not be up and doing? Here is the great barrier to woman's obtaining her rights. Mary Wolstonecraft was the first woman who wrote a book on 'Woman's Rights': but a few years later, she wrote another, entitled 'Woman's Duty' and when woman shall feel her duty, she will ger her rights.We, who are young on this question of Woman's Rights, should entitled our next book,Women's Duties'. Impress on our daughters their duties; impress on thier wives, their sisters, on your brothers, on your husbands, on the race, their duties, and we shall all have our rights." (http://www.wwhp.org/Resources/WomansRights/akfoster_1851.html) As stated in the first part of the blog, William Lloyd Garrison could not attend the Convention, but he have lecturing of his own. Garrison was one of the more prominent abolitionists, but not only was he an abolitionist but he also believed women's rights. Here is an excerpt of a letter that he had sent saying that he could not go: "Much as I should love to listen to the debates of that Convention, I cannot attend it-nor can my wife. She is in New York, and sick. My excessive business compels me to refuse almost every invitation to attend public meetings, especially if they are not in my own country." (http://www.wwhp.org/Resources/WomansRights/pamphlet.html)

Belle and Gaston from Beauty and the Beast: "It's not right for a
woman to read, soon she starts getting ideas and thinking."
Women had their separate sphere which would include not going
into the same areas as men, there were also subjects that women could
not talk about.

The convention also had arguments that supported the movement itself, one of them came from articles that was called Woman's Rights in Church and State written by H.H Van Amringe. Here is an excpert from it: "It is commonly said by thosee who appeal to Reason against the equality of the rights of woman, that she has a sphere of her own, the sphere of tenderness, modesty, retirment, and usefulness. But the assertion thus made, proves nothing; for what 'woman's sphere'. Is, is the very matter in dispute. In different climates and among different races of men and conditions of social progress, woman's sphere differs immensely. In a laborious, and repugnant work without thanks, extreme sufferings without pity, remitting drudgery without reward. In China, her sphere is drag the plough, while her husband sows the seed, and appropriates the crrop. In India, her sphere, is to be entirely subject to the will of her husband, during his life, and at his death, to be burnt upon his funeral pile. What is not the sphere of woman? Anything or everything as the varying caprice of power and of public opinion may determine. One fact, surely, is worthy of remark-that is precisely as a nation advances in intelligence, arts science and Christian character, the rights of woman approach more nearly to those men; and hence we may infer, that, when a true state of society shall be reached, their rights will be one and the same. By 'spheres', however, is properly meant the orbits or circuits of employment and action. These certainly will vary for the sexes, as the vary for the different individuals, male or female, of the human race, according to organizations, relative endowments, or combinations of talent, education and circumstances. But although each one has thus an individual sphere, our rights are not unequal."(http://www.wwhp.org/Resources/WomansRights/pamphlet.html)

Ariel and King Triton "You went upto the surface again? Didn't
you? You could have been seen by one of the barbarians by one
of those humans? As long as you live under my ocean you obey
my rules." Women could not go outside their sphere, neither could
men go into a woman's shere.

In  1994, the Worcester Women's Historical Project was created, this was started by a small group of women and they had created this group was to help spread the word, that over a hundred-fifty years ago, almost three hundred peopler from all over the country had met together and discuss their views on women's rights and on abolition.

Many of the accomplishments that have been written about the Worcester Convention, this would also include a one woman play that was written about Abby Kelly Foster. One of the major accomplishments were the statues that are in Mechanics Hall. There is also the workshop that celebrates the accomplishments of women in American history; this group also has had many awards recieved from the Telegram and Gazette. The group has hosted many different events and exhibits from talking about women's suffrage as a whole or about people who were in the women's rights movement or about abolitionism.

The reason that people would like this group is because this group shows the community about the fight for women's rights; it also gives a glimpse what the country was like in 1850, and how busy Worcester during that time. This group makes people aware of the fight that many people did to get women the right to vote; the reason that I would join this group is not just because of the historical aspect but it also gives good glimpses of what these men and women had to go through of getting people aware of the fight for women's suffrage. This group also allows not just historians to know about these people but also the community; it shows the community throught exhibits and special events about the Convention and why it was so important.

Worcester Women's History Project

Abby Kelly Foster

This group the Worcester Women's History Project, was started in 1994, who wanted to teach people about the National Convention for Women's Rights. This convention, was started by a group of abolitionists who also believed in women's suffrage (the right to vote). This group was organized by Lucy Stone and Abby Kelly Foster; the Worcester Women's History Project had been created to make people aware of the importance of this convention. This group is basically is an educational group that helps to get the public interested in women's history and to promote research on historic events of women's history.

The first convention was held in Senecca Falls New York, and it was organized by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.This convention was held in 1848.  The president or the chairwoman who had been elected by the majority of the people of the group was Lucretia Mott. The majority of the people that were there were abolitionists like in the Worcester Convention of 1850; however the major difference was that men were not allowed to come to the Senecca Falls Convention of 1848. At this convention, suffragists had the Declaration of Sentiments, this is similar to the Declaration of Independence. Here is an excert from the Declaration of Sentiments written by Elizabeth

Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony: "In entering upon the great work before us, we anticipate no small account of misconception, misrepresentation, and ridicule; but we shall use every instrumentality within our power to effect our object. We shall employ agents, circulate tracts, petition the State and national Legislatures, and endeavor to enlist the pulpit and the press in our behalf. We hope this Convention will be followed by a series of Conventions, embracing every part of the country."(An Age of Reform Vol.1 Eighth Edition written by Robert D. Marcus, David Burner and Anthony Marcus. Publisher Bedford/St. Martin's in Boston and New York).

Lucy Stone

Lucy Stone had been a teacher and went to Oberlin College, she graduated with honors and had wanted to create a convention in Worcester. Worcester at this time was just as busy as Boston and many of the important issues that had been talked about in Boston had also been talked about in Worcester. Lucy Stone had married Henry Blackwell (Elizabeth Blackwell's brother), however, she got married she did not take her husband's last name (she kept her own). The reason for this was because she did not want to become a relic (a relic is a woman who is widowed but has no property of her own). Lucy Stone, then with Abby Kelly Foster had hastily orangized a convention for 1850 in Worcester. At the 1850 convention, the elected chairwoman was Paulina Wright Davis.

At the 1850 Convention, there was 267 members, and this inluded Lucretia Mott; and William Lloyd Garrison. At the convention, peopled lectured on women's rights and abolitionistism; some of the people would include Wendell Phillips, Abby Kelly Foster, and Paulina Wright Davis. Paulina Wright Davis was the editor and publisher of The Una (A Paper Devoted to the Elevation of Woman).  An excerpt from Paulina Wright Davis's speech on higher education: "Oberlin in Ohio, and the Central College of New York, are the only institutions of the higher grade which admit women to their advantages. Medical colleges are so numerous and so easily established, that we find three or four in Ohio, one or two in New York, and one in Vermont, which no question of sex with their pupils. But this gain is so recent that it has a yet afforded but small fruits, and not much even in the way of assurance for the future. Among the older medical institutions, Geneva College opened her doors to one female student {Elizabeth Blackwell}, but closed them behind her as soon as she had honorably won the diploma and opened the dangerous example to her sex." (http://www.wwhp.org/Resources/WomansRights/davis_1851_address.html)

Paulina Wright Davis

There were also critiques and newspaper articels about the Worcester Convention, including one from Elizabeth Blackwell and Parker Pillsbury a newspaper editor from Concord NH. Excerpt from Elizabeth Blackwell's critique: "But I think you did perfectly right to act on the Education Committee, and if I can send you any information I will gladly do so. But I feel a little perplexed by the main Convention--Women's Rights. The great object of education has nothing to do with woman's rights, or man's rights, but with the development of the human soul and body. But let me know how you mean to treat the subject, and I will render you what aid I can..." ( http://www.wwhp.org/Resources/WomansRights/blackwell_comments.html)

Parker Pillsbury

Parker Pillsbury

 Parker Pillsbury had written an article about women's rights and the abolitionist movement; the abolitionists were especially upset at this time because of the Compromise of 1850 (this allowed California to come into the Union as a free state, however it had another portion this was the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850: if a slave had ran away then would be federal officals to catch the run away slave and send him or her back to the plantation, even if they were in a free state.) Excerpt from the North Star lettter that was written by Parker Pillsbury "We have predescribed our colored brethren, every way---every where; and under the late Fugitive Slave Law, every colored man is to be presumed a slave, unless there is proof positive to the contrary; and if any one is only claimed and sworn to as a slave, such proof is at once made  impossible. Before this law was enacted, his life was a lingering torture--before, we were killing him by exclusion and oppression; now we are murdering him with fear. We have barbed the iron arrows that pierced him. We have posioned fangs which were already tearing him in pieces---we have heated red hot chains that bound him as in adamant before. We have separated him from us by a gulf which has neither shore nor bottom. So far as human sympathy and regard are concerned, almost everywhere the horse and hound are as human as he." (http://www.wwhp.org/Resources/WomansRights/pillsbury_letter.html)

Emily Dunning Barringer

Emily Barringer was the first woman to become an ambulance surgeon, there have been many books  to including her own autobiography, there has also been a movie about her life, which included her residency, and her hard work on becoming an ambulance surgeon.

Emily Barringer and other women who wanted to enter into the medical field, however they were not allowed to even enter into the profession. The reason for this was because the medical field was considered unfit for a woman; the medical field was one of those professions that women were not allowed to even get into. However, even though women could not become doctors or even enter into the medical field, but women could become midwives.

Although this actually changes in 1848, when one changed the odds; this woman was Elizabeth Blackwell. Elizabeth Blackwell had entered into the Geneva College was a medical school. At first she was admitted into the school as a joke, but when she graduated, she was at the top of her class. After her, other women wanted to become doctors and surgeons.

Emily Barringer had become a surgeon, however her work was still not finished. It was actually during her work as a surgeon, that the first car had been created, and the hospitals needed a quicker way to get to the people that needed help, or had to get to the hospital. However, at this time, patients were still getting to the hospital by horse and buggy, then the car was created, and then the ambulance was also created; but there was still a problem that Barringer and the other surgeons had faced and that was how to get to the patients that needed a doctor right away or if they had to get to the hospital. Emily Barringer was assigned to the ambulance and became the first woman to be a surgeon on the ambulance.

In 1952, MGM had produced a movie based on Emily Barringer's autobiography; the movie had starred June Allyson and Arthur Kennedy the movie was called The Girl in White

intro

Hi! My name is Christan and 'm creating this blog for my Web design class at Nichols College. I'm History major there. I live in Webster,MA with my parents and my three younger sisters. I also have four dogs, two shitzus, a mini dachsund and a chichua. When I am not in school, I like hanging out with my family and friends, watching my favorite anime or movies, or just sitting around and reading a good book.

As stated below the reason I had created this blog was for my Web Design class; but also to talk about the unusual heroines that are found in women's history. When a person reads about women's history, some one might read about Susan B. Anthony or Elizabeth Cady Stanton; but there are also other women who had an impact on women's history, such women like Elizabeth Blackwell; the first woman to get a doctorate, another example is Emily Dunning Barringer, who was the first woman to become an ambulance surgeon. There are also other women who may not have been suffragists but also talked about women's rights, one of them was Abigail Adams, who before she became first lady had written a letter to her husband asking about the founding fathers to remember that women are citizens too and that she should be given rights as well.

Abigail Adams may not have known it at first that she had begun the fight for women's rights, and that women would continue over a hundred years, until 1920 when the 19th amendment was signed into law. However, even though women had the right to vote, they would fight for the right to become equal to men.