Suffragists, Perhaps
Several Chatham alumnae were engaged in work that was closely aligned with the suffrage movement and, while their names were not specifically linked with speeches or events relating to the suffrage movement, their lives and work seem quite in line with the sentiment of the movement. Further research into the lives of these alums, including exploration of family papers or materials in archival repositories, may reveal a more direct link between these alumnae and the suffrage movement. Among the possible suffragists in the Chatham alumna community are Etta Easton Martin `92 and Lilla Greene `08.
Etta Easton Martin, member of the Class of 1892, was an active member of the Alumni Association and a strong advocate for women in the workforce. In a 1913 address given as Alumni Association President, Etta quoted feminist writer Alice Hubbard and spoke of the need for women to continue both their education and the work of creating a better world. She said:
Etta Easton Martin served as the founding treasurer of the Pittsburgh Collegiate Vocational Bureau, which assisted in finding employment for women. Additionally, she worked with the Home Service Section of the American Red Cross and was on the board of the Pittsburgh and Allegheny Home for the Friendless (now Pressley Ridge).
Lilla Abigail Greene, member of the Class of 1908, received degrees from Columbia University and the New York School of Philanthropy after her studies at PCW. In February 1911, she began working as a social investigator for the New York Committee for the Prevention of Blindness and she shared her experiences in the field in an article for the Alumnae Recorder (June 1912, pgs 15-19). She also worked as a city investigator in Amsterdam, NY, and as an agent for dependent children in Montgomery County, NY.
One hint of Lilla Greene's involvement in the suffrage movement appears in the Alumnae Recorder of June 1914, where it was reported that she had been pusuing an interest in the suffrage movement. Additionally, Lilla published articles in the student newspaper to encourage campus support for the establishment of a student government titled "Citizenship" and "Self-Government Systems in Colleges." Though it seems likely that Lilla Green was active in the suffrage movement, additional sources confirming and describing these activities have not yet been discovered.
