Belle Case La Follette facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Belle Case La Follette
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Belle Case La Follette circa 1905
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Isabelle Case
April 21, 1859 Summit, Wisconsin, U.S.
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| Died | August 18, 1931 (aged 72) Washington D.C., U.S.
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| Resting place | Forest Hill Cemetery Madison, Wisconsin |
| Education | University of Wisconsin-Madison University of Wisconsin Law School |
| Occupation | Lawyer and women's suffrage activist |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | Fola La Follette Robert M. La Follette Jr. Philip La Follette Mary La Follette |
Isabelle Case La Follette (born April 21, 1859 – died August 18, 1931) was an important activist from Wisconsin, United States. She worked for women's suffrage (the right for women to vote), peace, and civil rights. During World War I, she was part of the Woman's Peace Party.
When she passed away in 1931, The New York Times newspaper called her "probably the least known yet most influential of all American women who have had to do with public affairs in this country." She was married to Robert "Fighting Bob" La Follette. He was a famous Progressive Republican politician. Belle was also a co-editor with her husband for La Follette's Weekly Magazine.
Contents
Belle Case La Follette's Life Story
Isabelle Case was born on April 21, 1859. She grew up on her family's farm in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Her parents were Unitarians, a type of Christian faith. She went to the University of Wisconsin–Madison from 1875 to 1879. After graduating, she taught high school and junior high.
One of her students was John Ringling, who later started the famous Ringling circus. Belle once wrote about how John would give "side shows" with other boys. She tried to tell him to focus on his studies. Luckily, her scolding didn't stop him from becoming a circus legend!
Her Education Journey
In 1875, Belle Case went to the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her farming parents helped her pay for college. She was an excellent student. She never missed a class or was late.
Even when she was young, Belle spoke up against unfairness. She especially cared about issues affecting women. In one speech, she talked about how people often focus on outward show. She believed it was better to have true inner strength. In another speech, she discussed "Children's Playthings." She felt that girls playing only with dolls might lead to unhappiness later. She thought it could make women "dissatisfied, nervous, [and] complaining."
Her most famous speech in college was "Learning to See." It talked about how important it is for children to be curious. It also warned against forcing kids to follow old rules. This speech won her a special award called the Lewis Prize.
Belle Case La Follette later went back to the University of Wisconsin. In 1885, she became the first woman to graduate from the University of Wisconsin Law School.
Marriage and Family Life
Belle Case and Robert "Bob" La Follette became friends at the University of Wisconsin. They both loved working for change and came from farm backgrounds. These things helped them connect. Belle wanted their friendship to stay just that, at least until after college.
Belle was a great student, but Bob often got poor grades. However, he was very smart and charming. Bob helped Belle with her speeches. Belle helped Bob with his schoolwork and writing. Their friendship eventually grew into an engagement. Bob later joked that "Mamma laughed when I proposed to her."
Belle and Robert got married on December 31, 1881. A Unitarian minister performed the ceremony. They both agreed to remove the word "obey" from their wedding vows. This showed that Bob respected Belle's independence and beliefs. Bob hoped for a family life, but Belle remained an activist. She also said that "the supreme experience in life is motherhood." She enjoyed raising their children.
Belle and Robert La Follette had four children. Their first child, Flora Dodge La Follette, called "Fola," was born in 1882. Fola later married a playwright named George Middleton. Robert Jr. was born in 1895. He became a U.S. Senator for Wisconsin. Philip was born in 1897. He served three terms as governor of Wisconsin. Their youngest, Mary, was born in 1899. Robert Jr. and Philip later started the Wisconsin Progressive Party. This party was very important in Wisconsin politics for a while.
Belle's Early Career
After graduating from college, Belle's first job was as an assistant principal. She worked at Spring Green High School. During this time, she didn't spend much time with Bob, her fiancé. Bob was also very busy as the new district attorney. He even had to remind himself to go to their wedding!
After her first child was born, Belle loved being a mother. But she also wanted to keep working professionally. In 1885, she made history. She became the first woman to graduate from University of Wisconsin Law School.
Belle never worked as a lawyer in a formal office. However, she helped her husband Bob with many legal cases. She also helped him with his political work later on. Belle's role was very active, even if it was behind the scenes. In the 1890s, she wrote a legal document that was very new and important. It helped them win a case in the state's Supreme Court. Bob later wrote that she was his "wisest and best counselor." He said she understood big problems better than many strong men he worked with.
Her Activism and Fight for Change
Belle La Follette was very involved in the women's suffrage movement. This movement worked to get women the right to vote. She worked at both the state and national levels. Starting in 1909, she wrote a weekly column called "Home and Education." It was for La Follette's Weekly Magazine, which her husband started. She shared her ideas on women's suffrage and other topics.
In 1910, Belle joined the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). She even joined its national board in 1911. However, in 1912, Wisconsin was going to vote on women's suffrage. Belle left NAWSA to focus all her efforts on this vote. Suffragists visited over 70 county fairs that year. Belle herself visited seven fairs in ten days. Despite all their hard work, the vote failed.
More votes for women's voting rights in Wisconsin also failed in 1913 and 1915. So, Belle and other suffragists decided to focus on a national effort. They wanted an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to give women the right to vote everywhere. On April 26, 1913, Belle spoke to the U.S. Senate Committee on Women's Suffrage. People called her speech "remarkable and forcible." She was also one of 94 suffragists who met with President Woodrow Wilson at the White House. Belle traveled around the Midwest to give speeches. She wanted to get public support for the constitutional amendment. In 1919, she gave many speeches in Wisconsin. She wanted to make sure Wisconsin voters would support the Nineteenth Amendment. This amendment finally gave women the right to vote.
Belle La Follette also spoke out against the unfair treatment of African Americans. In 1914, she gave a speech to the colored Young Men's Christian Association. She argued that separating people by race on streetcars, public transportation, and in government was wrong. Belle said there would be no true peace until this issue was "settled right."
In 1915, Belle helped start the Woman's Peace Party. This group later became the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. After World War I, she worked with the Women's Committee for World Disarmament. She also helped create the National Council for the Prevention of War in 1921. Belle and other women influenced governments to hold the Naval Arms Limitation Conference in 1922. This meeting aimed to reduce the number of warships countries had.
After her husband passed away in 1925, she was offered his seat in the U.S. Senate. This would have made her the first woman Senator. But she turned it down. Perhaps she felt it would upset the balance between her public work and her private family life.
Her Final Years
Belle Case La Follette died on August 18, 1931. She was 72 years old. She passed away in Washington D.C. due to a medical issue after a routine exam. She was buried in Forest Hill Cemetery in Madison, Wisconsin.
