Please return
(Mrs. Greeley cannot come now.)
My dear Mrs. Olzendam
I
am writing this so that
once you may be sur-
prised by a word out
of the silence - Burlington.
Friday we
expect to manage a meeting
of our executive board and
heads of committees for a
discussion of your letters -
and other matters.
Personally I like the
idea of a suffrage con-
ference with a national
speaker. Mrs. Putnam
spoke to me recently about
the possibility of Mrs. Helen
Hoy Greely's coming from
N.Y.C. in connection with
"Mil'y Rank for Army Nurses" -
Would Mrs. Greely be the
type of person to bring
to Bennington? If so it
might be possible to use her
at this time with little ex-
pense. This is not even a
suggestion - it is a question.
I knew Mrs. G. personally in
N.Y.C. and liked her very
much. I feel, however, that
there is a question as to whether
Bennington people would under-
stand and accept her at
once.
I have wished very much
that Mrs. Hale, B.F.R.
might come here. She seems
to me just the type for this
town. We tried for her
once but the price was
prohibitive.
Mrs. Spargo is not able at this time to
at this time to under-
take any extra [illegible] for
suffrage since at present
she is engaged in a
very important one of her
own, getting ready to
present Mr. Spargo with a
"real live doll" for a
Christmas gift.
As for me I have no
original ideas - less so
now than ever because our
personal family affairs are
very much in upheaval
at present. We may stay
in Bennington indefinitely
and we may have to be-
gin to pack tomorrow.
In the latter case, as you
can see, I could do nothing
no connection with a
conference. But if I
am here I shall be
very glad to help work
up anything which may
seem best to the state
officers - and I am sure
that it would go on
without me very nicely,
at any point
I did receive your
letter regarding Ratification.
Since, however there are
no meeting of women at
this season the advice
has fallen on stony ground.
Very Sincerely Yours,
Lisa M. Wilkinson
Bennington, Vt.
September 8, 1919
P.S. Since writing the above
I have called Mrs. Spargo
and talked a bit with her.
While She cannot promise
much she would do what
she could should you wish
a County Convention. She could
furnish you names of people
interested in the different
towns of the county whom
you might interview and
get to help you in working
up a convention.
L.M.W.
Will you please think
this over & let me know
how it strikes you? L.