Modern Americans: A Biographical School Reader for the Upper GradesSanford, Chester Milton
General
Modern Americans: A Biographical School Reader for the Upper Grades
Sanford, Chester Milton
Biography -- Juvenile literature; United States -- Biography
During one of her summer vacations, she made the acquaintance of a
warm-hearted, generous girl who became one of her closest friends.
This young girl, of about the same age as Frances Willard, had no
mother. Her father, who was exceedingly wealthy, was deeply immersed
in his business, so his daughter was glad to have her new friend with
her often.
One day she thought, "How splendid it would be for us to go abroad."
To think was to act with her, and almost before Frances knew it they
had started for Europe. They remained there three years and during
that time visited many remote places seldom seen by the average person
traveling in foreign lands. Frances Willard wrote many accounts of
their experiences which were published in American magazines.
Upon her return to the United States she lectured about her journey
and became such an excellent public speaker that every one wanted to
hear her on any subject she chose, so she continued to lecture after
she ceased giving her travel talks. It is estimated that she spoke on
an average of once a day for ten years.
Meanwhile, she was made president of a college for young ladies in the
town of Evanston, Illinois. Later she became a member of the faculty
of Northwestern University in the same community. Here she brought
wonderful help to her students, and they said of her that she was so
interesting "she turned common things to gold."
But her life was not to be given entirely to teaching, and after a few
years she was drawn into the temperance work. This was then in its
beginning. Liquor was sold freely in every state, and there were no
laws regulating its sale or distribution.
Miss Willard saw the sorrow and suffering caused by intemperance and
she determined to war against this great evil. Her first work was done
with what was called the Woman's Crusade. Bands of women met and
prayed in front of saloons. Often they asked to hold brief services in
the saloons and then they urged men to give up drinking. Going to
these places and praying in public was distasteful to her, but Miss
Willard felt she must do so.
Soon, because of her zeal, the Chicago branch of the Woman's Christian
Temperance Union gave her an office. From that time she rose rapidly
from office to office in the great organization until she was made
World President of the International W. C. T. U. in 1879. She brought
the necessity for temperance before the people of the United States as
they had never seen it before, and always she said to them with
tongue and pen, "Temperance is necessary for God and Home and Native
Land."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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