1913.04.20 “Mere Woman Registers”, The Arizona Daily Star

“Mere Woman Registers”, The Arizona Daily Star, 20 April 1913 Sunday morning, Society Page. Transcribed by Karen Board Moran.

MERE WOMAN REGISTERS

             One of the busiest men in Pima county [sic] is Mr. Howell, county recorder, just now.  Yesterday he said he hadn’t time to register Mere Man as he was busy registering the feminine contingent, and Mere Man hung around the outer edges and fervently wished the Fair Sex had had the chance to register long ago.

The picturesque old court house surrounded by its splendid trees must have looked with surprise at the number of women who strolled up the walks and into the big doors for never in all its history had it seen such a number as yesterday when seventy-seven women added their names and (most of them) their ages to the Great Register.

The women of Tucson have learned that they can register and that now is the accepted time and they are taking advantage of it.  Between the hours of three and four yesterday afternoon twenty women were almost constantly in line and the halls and corridors were filled with the fair suffragettes, anxious to place their signatures where they would do some good at the next election.  Perhaps one of the reasons for the great number who registered yesterday was due to the announcement that some of the members of the Collegiate club would be at the court house to assist with the registration.  At any rate no more could have been registered, and in fact many left, saying they would return this week.

One of the noticeable features, of which there were many, was the number of women with small children, who patiently stood in the line waiting their turn to sign their names in the big book, which gave them the right to vote.  Those who have so repeatedly fought suffrage on the ground that it was not the woman in the home with her children about her who wanted it, but those of the other occupations in life who were so anxious about it, would have discovered their error, for the mother is the woman who is taking the greatest interest in the registration, for she is anxious to provide the best possible future for her children.  About two-thirds of the women who have placed their names on the register in the court house here have given their occupation as housewives, which is another interesting fact to be noted.  Comparatively few of the young business women have so far registered, but they probably will during the next week.

The club women have been very active in getting women to register, seventeen members of the Woman’s club going at one time to the court house.*  The Collegiate club has been very active in securing names, and yesterday the following members of the Collegiate club were at the court house: Mrs. Clapp, Mrs. Spohr, Mrs. Walter Wakefield, Mrs. David Bloom, Mrs. Fred Roberts, Mrs. W.A. Cannon, Mrs. John Bogan; Misses Jane Rider, Mack, Nicholson, Martin, Frazier, Schurtz, Harriet Brown, Frances Perry, Estelle Luttrell.

There are nine days left in which other names may be added to the big book and during those nine days it is hoped that all other women who can possible do so will add their names to the list which now numbers over 200.

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*Possibly on 17 April 1913 when 6 confirmed members registered.  A few confirmed members also registered on 15 and 16 April 1913.