League for Political Education
| Merged into | The Town Hall |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1894 |
| Founder | Mary Putnam Jacobi, Eleanor Butler Sanders, Lee Wood Haggin, Catherine A. B. Abbe, Laura B. Day, Adele M. Fielde |
| Merger of | 1938 |
| Purpose | women's suffrage and general education for all persons on the important issues of the day |
| Headquarters |
The Town Hall, 123 West 43rd Street |
| Location | |
| Services | education, the arts |
|
Director
|
Robert Erskine Ely (1907–1937) George V. Denny, Jr. (1937–1951) |
|
Key people
|
Lucia Gilbert Runkle, Henry Waters Taft |
| Affiliations | The Civic Forum Economic Club of New York |
The League for Political Education was a New York City-based group devoted to providing a forum where people of every rank and station could be educated on the important issues of the day. Founded as a pro-women's suffrage group, the League initially fought for passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and provided general education on social and political issues. After opening up their membership to both genders, they later commissioned the building of The Town Hall and sponsored the long-running radio program America's Town Meeting of the Air. The League essentially dissolved in 1938 when it changed its focus to the daily operations of Town Hall.
The League was established in 1894 by six prominent suffragists following the defeat of the women's suffrage amendment to the New York State constitution. Seeking to continue the struggle for women's rights by raising political consciousness, the League's "founding mothers" were Dr. Mary Putnam Jacobi, Eleanor Butler Sanders (1849-1905), Lee Wood Haggin (1856-1934), Catherine A. B. Abbe (d. 1920), Laura B. Day, and Adele M. Fielde. Sanders was the League's prime mover and shaker, hosting the first meeting in her home, and Lucia Gilbert Runkle (d. 1927) was an important early member.
Emily James Smith Putnam (the sister-in-law of Mary Putnam Jacobi) was president of the league from 1901 to 1904. Robert Erskine Ely was director from 1907 to 1937.
In 1907 the League formed The Civic Forum, a kindred service designed to foster higher standards of civic responsibility and international goodwill. They same year they help found the Economic Club of New York, a non-partisan organization for the discussion of economic, social, and industrial problems.
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