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The Citizen’s Senate: The final decade of the suffrage movement

Citizen’s Senate Premiere!

Tuesday, January 21, 2020, 6:30 – 8:00 PM
Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate
210 Morrissey Blvd. Boston, MA 02125

Free with advance registration

Join the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the premiere of The Citizen’s Senate, a new educational program that features a combination of archival footage and live performance in order to highlight key moments in American history when citizens have compelled the U.S. Senate to act. The first installment will examine the struggles and ultimate success of the final decade of the suffrage movement. The event will include a reception, performance of the program, and panel discussion moderated by Roberta Wollons, Ph.D., Professor of History at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

The event will include a reception, performance of the program, and panel discussion moderated by Roberta Wollons, Ph.D., Professor of History at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

The conversation will include:

• Paula Austin, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of History and African American Studies, Boston University

• Susan Ware, Ph.D., Honorary Women’s Suffrage Centennial Historian, Schlesinger Library, Harvard University

Learn more at: The Citizen’s Senate Premiere

A Successful Book Group with author Barbara Berenson

On Sunday December 1st, 16+ people participated in the book group discussion with Newton resident and author Barbara F. Berenson. We had an interesting and lively discussion of the history and the implications for woman’s rights and social justice in today’s political & cultural environment.

If you have not read her book, Massachusetts in the Woman Suffrage Movement, Barbara tells the riveting story of woman suffrage with a focus on those women in Massachusetts who shaped both the national and state movements.  It is highly recommended that you read this very interesting book, as we prepare for the 2020 celebration of the League of Women Voters and the passage of the 19th Amendment

We thank Barbara for giving some of her precious time to the League and to Frieda for orga nizing this educational session.

Mark your calendar : December 1st – Book Discussion with Newton resident Barbara Berenson and author Massachusetts in the Woman Suffrage Movement

Join the LWVN Book Group

December 1, 3-4:30 pm, Waban Library Center

Woman Suffrage Movement by Barbara BerensonThe League of Women Voters of Newton invites you to join us on Sunday, December 1, 2019, from 3:00-4:30pm, at the Waban Library Center (1608 Beacon Street, Newton), for an intimate gathering and book group discussion with Newton resident and author Barbara F. Berenson. In her book (166 pages, with pictures), Massachusetts in the Woman Suffrage Movement, Barbara tells the riveting story of woman suffrage with a focus on those women in Massachusetts who shaped both the national and state movements.

Whether you’ve finished the book or not, join us for a lively discussion of the impact Massachusetts had on the women’s suffrage movement. Several copies of Barbara’s book are available through the Minuteman Library Network.  The book can be purchased at Amazon, and there is at least one copy available for purchase at Newtonville Books.  Copies of the book will also be made available by LWVN (contact us at info@lwvnewton.org if you need a copy). Read more →

LWVN supports the acquisition of Webster Woods

November 12, 2019

Alice Ingerson
Community Preservation Committee Program Manager
Newton City Hall

Dear Alice:

Volunteer readers from the League of Women Voters of Newton (LWVN) have reviewed the application for the use of Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds to pay for the proposed acquisition of Webster Woods by the City of Newton pursuant to an eminent domain taking.

LWVN is concerned about the process of using eminent domain to acquire Webster Woods.  While the choice of the method of acquisition is not under the purview of the Community Preservation Committee (CPC), acquiring Webster Woods with CPA money signals acceptance of the decision to use this acquisition tool.  We believe that a more open and transparent process would have been helpful to allay concerns on our Board and allow us to give a whole-hearted approval.  Because this did not happen, we do have some reservations that the taking of this land by eminent domain without a full understanding by the public as to its necessity sets a problematic precedent.

Nevertheless, on balance most, but not all, of our Board members support this application and recommends that the committee support this proposal for the following reasons:

  • Acquisition of Webster Woods for the preservation of conservation land aligns with LWV and Newton priorities for open space and recreation land that would benefit the community as a whole;
  • It has widespread community support;
  • This may be the last opportunity to acquire the land and it should not be missed.

Our readers and members of the Board did, however, express the following concerns regarding the proposal, which we request be addressed before the application is approved:

  • Project costs, as described in the application, do not seem to adequately take into account: (i) the cost of a hostile taking and a lengthy legal battle with Boston College over the appraised value of the land, and (ii) the annual costs of maintaining Webster Woods.
  • $15.2 million of the $15.9 million total costs will be paid for with CPA funds. We believe too large a proportion of the project costs are being funded by CPA dollars. Instead, CPA funds should be used to leverage a larger contribution from outside resources of funding, such as a private partnership or additional community contributions. Alternatively or in addition, the city should find additional pockets of money from its own revenue sources to pay for a portion of this project.
  • We are concerned that using such a large amount of CPA funds will deplete the account for years to come and not leave room for the funding of other projects (particularly non-city sponsored projects or those in the affordable housing and recreation categories).

Overall:  LWVN supports the acquisition of Webster Woods but would like to have a better understanding of why eminent domain has been determined to be the best method for the acquisition of the land, and see a more realistic estimate of the project costs and the use of more non-CPA dollars to fund the project.

Sincerely,

Marcia Johnson

President, LWVN

 

Meet your Board of Directors

Dear Members,

This past June you elected the 2019-2020 Board of Directors.  We want to thank you for having confidence in our ability to lead such a strong and committed organization.  Though many of you know at least some of us, we are confident not everyone knows all of us. So, we wanted to introduce ourselves and share the backgrounds, experiences, and interests that we bring to the League of Women Voters of Newton. Please take a moment to visit our updated Board of Directors page, where we’ve included photos and brief bios.

The LWVN Board of Directors meets monthly in the evening, on the second Wednesday of the month. All members are welcome.  Attending board meetings is a great way for new members to learn League process and for more seasoned members to stay connected. If you want to join us, email info@lwvnewton.org for the time and location.  We hope to see you there.

Sincerely,

Board of Directors
League of Women Voters of Newton

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