May Wright Sewall facts for kids

Quick facts for kids May Wright Sewall
Born	Mary Eliza Wright May 27, 1844 Greenfield, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Died	July 22, 1920(1920-07-22) (aged 76) Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Nationality	American
Known for	Suffrage movement
Spouse(s)	Edwin W. Thompson (married 1872–1875) Theodore Lovett Sewall (married 1880–1895)
Parent(s)	Philander Montague Wright Mary Weeks (Brackett) Wright

May Wright Sewall (May 27, 1844 – July 22, 1920) was an American leader who worked for important changes. She is known for her efforts in education, women's rights, and world peace. Born in Greenfield, Wisconsin, May Wright Sewall was a key figure in several major organizations.

She led the executive committee of the National Woman Suffrage Association from 1882 to 1890. She was also the first recording secretary for this group. Later, she became president of the National Council of Women of the United States (1897–1899) and the International Council of Women (1899–1904). She also helped create the General Federation of Women's Clubs. In 1893, she organized the World's Congress of Representative Women in Chicago. U.S. President William McKinley even chose her to represent American women at a big exhibition in Paris in 1900.

May Wright Sewall also worked for peace. In 1904, she became the head of the National Council of Women's peace committee. She organized a conference for women workers to promote peace in San Francisco in 1915. She even joined Henry Ford's "Peace Ship" in 1915. This group tried to stop the war in Europe, but it was not successful.

Besides her work for women's rights, Sewall was a teacher, speaker, and community organizer. In 1882, she and her second husband, Theodore Lovett Sewall, started the Girls' Classical School in Indianapolis. This school was special because it prepared girls for college. It also offered physical education for women and new programs for adults. Sewall helped create many community groups, like the Indianapolis Woman's Club and the Indianapolis Propylaeum. She also helped start the Art Association of Indianapolis, which is now the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

Early Life and Education

Mary Eliza Wright was born on May 27, 1844, in Greenfield, Wisconsin. She was the youngest of four children. Her parents, Philander Montague Wright and Mary Weeks (Bracket) Wright, moved from New England to Ohio, then to Wisconsin. Her father, a former teacher, became a farmer. As a child, Mary Eliza preferred to be called May, a name she used her whole life.

May's father taught her at home. She also went to public schools in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin and Bloomington, Wisconsin. Her father believed that boys and girls should have equal chances. He encouraged May to go to college.

From 1863 to 1865, May taught in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Then, she went to Northwestern Female College in Evanston, Illinois. This college was well-known for women's education. It later became part of Northwestern University. May earned a science degree in 1866 and a Master of Arts degree in 1871.

Marriage and Family Life

May Wright Sewall was married twice. Both of her husbands, Edwin W. Thompson and Theodore Lovett Sewall, were educators. She did not have any children.

May married Edwin W. Thompson, a math teacher, on March 2, 1872. They met when she was teaching in Plainwell, Michigan. In 1873, the Thompsons moved to Franklin, Indiana, where they both worked as teachers. In 1874, they moved to Indianapolis to teach at Indianapolis High School, now called Shortridge High School. Edwin Thompson became ill with tuberculosis and died in 1875. May returned to Indianapolis to continue teaching.

On October 31, 1880, May married Theodore Lovett Sewall. They met at a Unitarian church in Indianapolis. Theodore had graduated from Harvard University in 1874. He had opened a school for boys in Indianapolis in 1876. Their marriage was a true partnership. Theodore supported May's strong energy and ideas.

May and Theodore Sewall were open-minded and progressive. Their home became a popular meeting place in Indianapolis. They often invited smart people from the city to discuss important topics. They also hosted many famous authors, artists, politicians, and women's rights leaders. Theodore believed in women's rights and encouraged May's work in education and women's suffrage. He passed away from tuberculosis in 1895.

Early Career as a Teacher

May started teaching in 1863 in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. She left in 1865 to go to college. After getting her college degree in 1866, she taught in Grant County, Wisconsin. Later, she moved to Michigan. In 1869, May became a high school teacher in Plainwell, Michigan. She was also the first woman principal there.

In 1871, May moved to Franklin, Indiana, to teach German at the high school. She returned to Michigan in 1872 to marry Edwin Thompson. The couple moved back to Franklin the next year. May became the principal of Franklin's high school, and Edwin was the superintendent of schools. In 1874, they both left their jobs in Franklin and moved to Indianapolis. They became teachers at Indianapolis High School. May taught German and English literature.

After marrying Theodore Sewall in 1880, May left her job at Indianapolis High School. She then taught German and literature at Theodore's Indianapolis Classical School for boys. Theodore was the principal of that school.

A Leader in Education

May Wright Sewall spent over 30 years as a teacher in Indianapolis. Twenty-five of those years were at the Girls' Classical School. She started this school with her second husband, Theodore. The school opened in September 1881 with 44 students. May was the principal and taught literature. The Girls' Classical School became one of the top schools for girls in Indianapolis.

The school first started in a building on Pennsylvania and St. Joseph streets. In 1884, it moved to a new, larger building. In 1886, May leased another building to be a home for students who lived outside the city.

The school's classes were different from what was usually offered to girls then. It did not focus on art or music. Instead, it offered college preparatory courses in classical studies, modern languages, and science. The school's academic program was based on the entrance requirements for women at Harvard, Smith, Vassar, and Wellesley. The school also had classes for girls who did not plan to go to college.

May Sewall also introduced new ideas like dress reform and physical education for young women. This was unusual at a time when corsets and petticoats were common. Sewall asked students to wear shoes with low, wide heels. She also suggested that parents provide simple dresses for more freedom of movement.

After Theodore's death in 1885, May became the only principal of the school. She added new programs like adult education and domestic science (now called home economics). These classes included physics, chemistry, and cooking. These were some of the first courses of their kind in Indiana and the country.

By 1900, the Girls' Classical School faced money problems. New private schools opened, and public high schools became more common. Sewall's modern ideas might also have caused fewer students to enroll.

May continued to run the school until she retired in 1907. In 1905, she worked with Anna F. Weaver, a former student, to run the school together. In 1907, Sewall announced her retirement. She sold the main school building. Weaver continued to run the school from the student residence building. The Girls' Classical School finally closed in 1910.

After retiring, Sewall donated items from her home to local groups. She then left Indianapolis to give public talks and continue her work in the women's movement.

A Community Organizer

While living in Indianapolis, May Wright Sewall was very active in many community and cultural groups. Her most important work included starting the Indianapolis Woman's Club and the Indianapolis Propylaeum. She also helped create the Art Association of Indianapolis, which is now the Indianapolis Museum of Art. She also helped start its art school, the John Herron Art Institute. Many people praised her work, but some thought she was "too dominant." Sewall felt that people "misunderstood her."

Indianapolis Woman’s Club

Sewall was one of the women who started the Indianapolis Woman's Club. Their first meeting was on February 18, 1875. The club aimed to help its members grow mentally and socially. It is the longest-running club of its kind in Indiana. Eliza Hendricks, the wife of Indiana Governor Thomas A. Hendricks, was the first president. Sewall became the head of its executive committee. The club encouraged new ideas and helped train future leaders in community affairs and the fight for women's voting rights.

Indianapolis Propylaeum

In 1888, Sewall suggested that the Indianapolis Woman's Club build a meeting place. This building would be for their club and other groups in the city. This idea led to the creation of the Indianapolis Propylaeum. The name comes from a Greek word meaning "gateway to higher culture."

The Propylaeum officially started on June 6, 1888, as a company owned by Indianapolis women. They raised money by selling shares only to women. This helped fund their first building. Sewall was elected president of the company. She held this position until 1907, when she left Indianapolis. In 1923, the City of Indianapolis bought the first Propylaeum building for a new war memorial. The organization then built a new building.

Art Association of Indianapolis

In 1883, Sewall called the first meeting to organize the Art Association of Indianapolis. This group later became the Indianapolis Museum of Art. She was a founding member of the group, which officially started in October 1883. Sewall also helped start its art school, the John Herron Art Institute. Sewall was the art association's first recording secretary. She was also its president from 1893 to 1898. The Art Association bought a property where their art school opened in March 1902. Sewall also attended the groundbreaking for the Art Association's new museum and art school in 1905.

Other Community Groups

May and Theodore Sewall started the Contemporary Club of Indianapolis in their home in 1890. Men and women could join this club equally. May was the club's first president. Sewall also founded and led the Western Association of Collegiate Alumnae. This group later joined with the Association of Collegiate Alumnae, which became the American Association of University Women.

A Champion for Women's Vote

Sewall was a strong supporter of women's right to vote.

Sewall is best known for her work in the women's suffrage movement. This was the movement to gain voting rights for women. She was especially good at bringing women's groups together. She called this the "council idea." The national and international councils she helped create brought women from different backgrounds together to work for bigger goals. Starting in 1878, Sewall worked hard for women's voting rights in Indiana and across the country.

Activist in Indiana

Sewall joined the women's suffrage movement in March 1878. She was one of ten people who secretly met to form the Indianapolis Equal Suffrage Society. Her work with this group brought her national attention. She became connected with the National Woman Suffrage Association.

In 1880, Sewall became involved in the state fight for women's right to vote. Indianapolis suffragists asked the Indiana General Assembly to pass a bill giving Indiana women equal voting rights. The suffrage supporters, including Sewall, succeeded in getting the Indiana Senate and the Indiana House of Representatives to approve a suffrage amendment to the state constitution in 1881. However, state law required amendments to pass in two legislative sessions in a row. Indiana's suffrage groups worked across the state to get the amendment passed again in 1883. The House passed it, but the Senate refused to act. Frustrated, Sewall focused her efforts on getting voting rights for women at the national level.

National and International Work

Sewall first became known nationally in 1878. She gave a speech at the National Woman Suffrage Association's convention in Rochester, New York. For the next 30 years, Sewall was very active in the NWSA's efforts to get voting rights for women. While she was the head of the NWSA's executive committee (1882–1890), the NWSA and another group, the American Woman Suffrage Association, joined together. They formed the National American Woman Suffrage Association.

In 1887, Sewall led the NWSA's plans to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848. This meeting was held in Washington, D.C. in 1888. It brought together delegates from the United States and Europe. Sewall had an idea to form national and international councils of women's groups. These councils would bring women together to discuss many topics beyond just voting rights. Forty-nine delegates from 53 national women's groups approved this idea. They formed a committee that included famous women like Clara Barton and Susan B. Anthony.

In the 1890s, Sewall worked to organize women's groups even more widely. She traveled through Europe to encourage women's groups to create national councils in each country. These national groups could then join the International Council of Women. Sewall was president of the National Council of Women for the United States from 1897 to 1899. She was also president of the International Council of Women from 1899 to 1904. These councils grew very strong during her lifetime.

Sewall got permission to hold the World's Congress of Representative Women in 1893. This was the first meeting of the International Council of Women. It was held with the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The week-long World's Congress brought together 126 national women's organizations from around the world. More than 150,000 people attended.

Sewall's work in starting the National Council of Women in the United States also led to her involvement in founding the General Federation of Women's Clubs. She helped write its rules. However, she was disappointed when this new group decided not to join the National Council of Women. After serving as the federation's first vice-president, her interest in the group lessened. She then focused on the National Council of Women and other reform issues.

Later Years and Peace Work

After May Wright Sewall retired from the Girls' Classical School in 1907, she relied on money from public talks. She spoke about women's rights and world peace. In 1916, Sewall stopped her public work. She then wrote a book about her experiences with spiritualism. She lived in Eliot, Maine, and Cambridge, Massachusetts. Sewall returned to Indianapolis in October 1919 and passed away the next year.

Working for Peace

During the last 15 years of her life, Sewall combined her work for women's rights with her interest in world peace. She was active in the American Peace Society. In 1904, she became the head of the International Council of Women's committee on peace. She convinced the National Council of Women for the United States and the International Council of Women to start peace programs. The International Council of Women became a major force in the worldwide peace movement. Sewall spoke at or was a guest of honor at four Peace Congresses between 1904 and 1911. She represented the nearly eight million women of the International Council. In July 1915, Sewall attended the Panama–Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. There, she led and organized the International Conference of Women Workers to Promote Permanent Peace. This conference brought together 500 delegates from the United States and 11 other countries.

In December 1915, Sewall joined Henry Ford and others on Ford's "Peace Ship." This was an unofficial trip to try to stop the war in Europe. Sewall was one of 60 people on the trip. They left Hoboken, New Jersey, for Norway. Sewall hoped the trip would bring attention to peace. However, it received mixed reactions from the news. After traveling through Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands, the group returned to the United States in January 1916. Some people thought the trip was a failure, but Sewall was more hopeful. She believed it helped the idea of lasting peace. After returning, Sewall gave public talks, but then she stopped her public work. This might have been due to her health or disappointment with the trip's outcome.

Belief in Spiritualism

Sewall was a member of a Unitarian church in Indianapolis. However, she had been interested in psychic research since the 1880s. Sewall became a spiritualist after attending a meeting in Lily Dale, New York, in 1897. At Lily Dale, she met a spiritualist medium. Sewall claimed to have had regular talks with her deceased husband, Theodore. She also said she communicated with other deceased family members and historical figures.

After Sewall retired from public life in 1916, she wrote a book about her psychic experiences. Neither Dead Nor Sleeping (1920) was published two months before she died. The book received some positive reviews. One review called it "striking" and "amazing." Others praised her honesty.

The book surprised many people who knew Sewall. It showed a part of her life she had kept secret for almost 25 years. Sewall said she kept it quiet because spirits told her to. Also, her few friends who knew thought she was imagining things. Sewall explained that she published the book to help others. She wanted them to know how simple and natural life is after death.

Death and Lasting Impact

May Wright Sewall passed away on July 22, 1920, at St. Vincent's Hospital in Indianapolis. She was 76 years old. Her funeral was held at All Souls Unitarian Church in Indianapolis. She is buried next to her second husband, Theodore, at Crown Hill Cemetery.

Sewall was known for helping people, especially in education, women's rights, and world peace. Her biggest contributions came from organizing and leading the National Council of Women in the United States and the International Council of Women. She did not live to see the Nineteenth Amendment ratified in August 1920. This amendment gave women the right to vote.

Sewall's legacy of community involvement is still seen in the Indianapolis groups she helped create. These include the Indianapolis Woman's Club, the Indianapolis Propylaeum, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and the John Herron Art Institute.

In later years, her book Neither Dead Nor Sleeping (1920) and her beliefs in spiritualism became very well known. These sometimes overshadowed her 30-year career in education and her long support for women's rights.

Works by May Wright Sewall

Books

• The Higher Education of Women (1915)
• The Woman Suffrage Movement in Indiana (1915)
• Women, World War and Permanent Peace (1915)
• Neither Dead Nor Sleeping (1920)

Other Writings

• "Culture—Its Fruit and Its Price"
• Sewall also wrote a women's column for the Indianapolis Times newspaper.

Honors and Awards

• In 1893, the U.S. government honored Sewall for organizing the World's Congress of Representative Women in Chicago.
• In May 1923, the Sewall Memorial Torches were dedicated to her memory. These are a pair of bronze lampposts at the John Herron Art Institute (now Herron High School) in Indianapolis.
• In 2005, the Propylaeum Historical Foundation created the May Wright Sewall Leadership Award. This award recognizes other Indianapolis women for their community service.
• In 2019, the Indiana Historical Bureau added a historical marker in her honor.