Two Decades / A History of the First Twenty Years' Work of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union of the State of New York

by Frances W. Graham; Georgeanna M. Gardenier

Prison and Jail Work in 1880 was in charge of Miss C.E. Coffin, of Brooklyn; in 1881, of Mrs. Knapp, of Auburn; and in 1882 Mrs. Frances D. Hall, of Plattsburg, was appointed, and continued as superintendent for five years. The next two years Mrs. Richard Bloom, of Auburn, filled the position, and in 1890 Miss C.E. Coffin was again made superintendent, the work in almshouses being added. This was changed the following year, the Department of Almshouse Work being placed with that of Flower Mission, and both given to Miss Anna L. Thompson, of Newburgh, who had been made superintendent of Flower Mission Work in 1890. Previous to this time, commencing in 1888, Miss Lydia Howell, of Poughkeepsie (afterward Mrs. Albert A. Reed), had been the superintendent. In 1880 Reformatory and Almshouse Work was taken up, and Mrs. T.J. Bissell, of Corning, acted as superintendent for two years, and Mrs. C.C. Alford, of Brooklyn, for one year, after which no superintendent was appointed.

Sunday-school Work has had a number of superintendents, Mrs. Allen Butler, of Syracuse, being the first, serving two years. Mrs. S.R. Gray, of Albany, served during the next two years, Mrs. C. L. Harris taking it in 1884, to be followed by Mrs. Gray again in 1885. Next came Mrs. Julia A. Bidwell, of Hartford, for three years, and in 1889 Mrs. T. M. Foster, of Verona, was given the department. She was succeeded by Mrs. S. A. Kenney, of Troy, who, after two years service, was succeeded by Mrs. Bidwell, now of Deposit, the present superintendent.

In 1889 Work among the Colored was added to the departments, and the work given in charge of Mrs. Maria R. Douglass, of New York City. In 1891 Miss Sara Collins, of Cortland, was made superintendent.

Foreign Work was made a department in 1883 and was continued for eight years, the following ladies acting as superintendents during that time: Mrs. A. K. Knox, of New York City; Mrs. C. E. Cleveland, of Perry; Mrs. E. F. Lord, of New York City; Mrs. E. M. J. Decker, of Victor; Miss Rachel Carney, of Tonawanda; Mrs. Clara Vigelius, of New York City, and Mrs. George Aldrich, of Dutchess Junction.

Mrs. Sarah A. McClees, of Yonkers, was made superintendent of the Department of Soldiers and Sailors in 1883, and continued as such for three years, Mrs. W. W. Hoag, of Akron, being next chosen. After one year Miss Emma Nason, of Blodgett Mills, was appointed, and in 1888 the work was given to Mrs. Mary D. Ferguson, of Syracuse, who is still the superintendent.

Mothers' Meetings were first taken up in 1881, with Mrs. Horace Eaton, of Palmyra, as superintendent. In 1883 Parlor Meetings were added, Mrs. Eaton still in charge. The following year Mrs. Van Benschoten, of Newark, was appointed, and in 1886 Parlor Meetings was made a department by itself, and Mothers' Meetings placed in charge of Mrs. Caroline B. Randall, of Oswego. In 1888 Social Purity and Mothers' Meetings were combined, with Mrs. Mary J. Weaver, of Batavia, superintendent for one year. She was succeeded by Mrs. Anna E. Rice, of Batavia. The Department of Social Purity was first taken up in 1886, Mrs. Mary T. Burt being the superintendent until it was combined with Mothers' Meetings.

From 1888 until the present time the Department of Peace and Arbitration has had but one superintendent, Mrs. Sarah W. Collins, of Purchase, who has most faithfully carried forward the work.

Under the head of Police Matron Work, Mrs. Harriet Goff, of Brooklyn, did advance work, and it was Mrs. Goff who, as chairman of the standing committee on Police Matron Work, introduced into the legislature the bill making the law for police matrons mandatory in New York and Brooklyn. The work has since been made a department, with Dr. Sarah Morris, of Buffalo, as superintendent.

Rescue Work for Girls, a new department, was added in 1893, and placed in charge of Mrs. Mary J. Annable, of Brooklyn. This promises to be a most helpful and blessed line of work.

These lines of work are all evangelistic in their nature, and not until the records are read "up yonder" shall we know of the victories won "In His Name."