In 1897 the Legislature amended the School Suffrage Law. The women believed that this change was effected to make the process of becoming a voter more disagreeable. Heretofore they had been permitted to go at any time before the town clerk, answer the necessary questions and be registered. The amendment required them to observe the same regulations as the men who have the full franchise. They must make application to the registrar at one fixed time, fill out a blank and have their names published in the newspapers in the list of those who wish to be made voters. Then at another fixed time they must go before the selectmen, await their turn, take the necessary oath, etc. In many towns and cities it was ruled that all who had been made voters under the old law must re-register. Feeling the injustice of this, many women refused. In Hartford they rebelled absolutely, and after much discussion in the papers and otherwise the city attorney decided that the law was not retroactive.
Office Holding: Since 1887 women have been eligible as school trustees, and at present 45 are serving, of whom 29 are school visitors. The latter prescribe rules for the management, classification, studies and discipline of the public schools. The old school district system prevails in many cities and towns and there are a dozen or more women on district committees.
Women are filling other offices, elective and appointive, as follows: Public librarians, 27; police matrons, 5; matron of the State Hospital for the Insane, one; matrons of Reform School for Boys, six, and one assistant; visiting committee of State Industrial School for Girls, 12, two acting each month; assistant superintendent for same, one; in each of the eight Homes connected with this school are to be found a matron and an assistant.
Two of the five members of the State Board of Charities must be women.
Women may serve as notaries public and forty-two are now doing so. They are eligible as assistant town clerks.
Occupations: No profession or occupation is forbidden to women by law.
Education: Wesleyan University, in Middletown, admitted women to equal privileges with men in 1872. By a vote of the trustees in 1900 the number of women was limited to 20 per cent. of the total number of students.
In 1889 the Theological Seminary (Cong'l) of Hartford admitted women upon the same terms as men.
In 1892 Yale University opened the courses of the post-graduate department, with the degree of Ph. D. to women.
In 1893, by an Act of the Legislature, the State Agricultural School, at Storrs, admitted women to its full course.