A SCHOOL OF CITIZENSHIP

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11045, 31 October 1921, Page 2

A SCHOOL OF CITIZENSHIP

For 220 years Yale University, Con nocticut, has been a man’s college.. Now it haa opened its gates to a women’s citizenship school, which is having a crowded week this October, says Com stance Clyde in the Auckland "Star. Other States have already such centres, and scholars from countryside and town have thronged to them. They have displayed so much longing to know, so muoh almost religious fervour, that Pressmen sent to write "funny stories about "women, going back to school" have declined to do so. At this Yale womert’e citizenship school many notable men, including ex-President Taft, rre giving lectures. on.,suoh subjects as Government history, party caucuses, soda! service, city welfare, including fa know-yotir-town ; address. This school is in connection with a 1 verv large organisation, the League of Women Voters. Besides arranging the school, this league U sending out to women’s organisations in every centre a list of 112 questions to be answered.- Very .varied are the queries thus put. Each centre must tell, if possible, something as to the number of houses mortgaged in that dls-. trict, the average rentals, the highest price at which ooal was sold during the year, the extent to which there is cooperative purchasing* and other such matters. Amongst the social questions asked are the number of divoroes and the apparent moral effect on. the community, the status of the negro in that particular district, and health and education generally. From the answers to these questions the league will draft legislation to be put before Government. There are two women’s organisations that have considerable power in America. First this particular League of Women Voters -which specialises in legislation cf import to women and children, and second, the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, which deals with education in citizenship. If the enthusists of any district. are anxious for a reform they write to the first-named body, which sends down workers to organise the matter locally, and also to start a school of citizenship. One cannot but admire these American women. They are not content merely to sing .their national anthem; they live up tq -It.