ASHLAND — The women’s suffrage movement recently came alive for four Ashland Middle School students.
Kyla O’Brien, Avery Bauer, Victoria Deaton and Jordyn Thomas volunteered for a research project detailing the lives of two of the movement’s most pivotal figures: Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
Anthony’s and Stanton’s efforts — along with other suffragettes — eventually led to the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1919, and its ratification in 1920. That amendment gave women the right to vote, though it would be many more years before African American women and other minorities could also access the ballot.
Then, the eighth graders presented about the suffragettes at a recent Ashland Business and Professional Women event.
The four students volunteered at the request of their English teacher, Amy Nelson. Nelson said the Business and Professional Women have included students in their annual recognition of Women’s History Month for years. The group exists to advance equity for women in the workplace.
The eighth graders prepared presentations that highlighted the women’s biographies and contributions to the women’s rights movement. They also shared what they personally admired about Anthony and Stanton.
… Honestly doing the presentation… was like a representation of (Stanton), because she demanded that women be able to have their public voice.
Jordyn Thomas, Student at Ashland Middle School
O’Brien and Bauer focused on Anthony, dressing up in period costumes to give their presentation. Deaton and Thomas researched Stanton.
Nelson, their teacher, added the Ashland Business and Professional Women group was very gracious to the students. Middle schoolers received gifts and certificates to honor the work they’d put into their presentations.
Takeaways
They researched by reading articles, watching videos and speaking with their social studies teachers.
Thomas liked learning how their backgrounds informed their work. Thomas said Stanton had a father who was involved in government and inspired her push for women’s right to vote.
Bauer and O’Brien added the pairs aimed to find stories about Stanton and Anthony that people might not know.
For Bauer, one story that stuck out was an anecdote about Anthony illegally casting a ballot.
“Susan B. Anthony, she dressed up as a man and voted with some of her friends and she got fined for it,” Bauer said.
Thomas said she felt gratitude toward these women as she did her research.
“That was one of my main motivations was if we didn’t have her, we wouldn’t be able to learn,” Thomas said.
“We wouldn’t be able to go to school, we wouldn’t be able to vote, and honestly doing the presentation… was like a representation of her, because she demanded that women be able to have their public voice.”
Thomas added the 19th amendment passed after Anthony and Stanton had died. So, for her, the movement’s continuation even after its leaders’ deaths further spoke to the importance of their fight.
Deaton agreed, saying the women they researched inspired her.
“I think it just shows people really stand up for what they believe in, no matter what the costs,” Deaton said.
