In October, Proctor senior Sarah Morgart ‘22 presented a portion of her Academic Concentration capstone project during the dedication of the National Votes for Women Trail marker installed on Proctor’s campus in honor of former faculty member Mary N. Chase. 

Sponsored by the National Collaborative for Women’s History Sites, the National Votes for Women Trail seeks to recognize and celebrate the enormous diversity of people and groups active in the struggle for women’s suffrage. The marker on Proctor’s campus is posted just outside the Stone Chapel and recognizes the work of Mary N. Chase as a faculty member at Proctor beginning in 1898. 

Chase was a leading women’s suffragist, forming local suffrage committees, making speeches around the state and country, and in 1902 becoming President of the New Hampshire chapter of the National American Women’s Suffrage Association (NAWSA). According to a biography published by Malcolm Gent, Ph.D student, University of New Hampshire, Chase visited nearly 250 New Hampshire Granges, speaking and gathering petitions in support of women’s voting rights.

Each year, the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation puts on an event called the “Women Building Community Luncheon,” which typically draws about 600 to Manchester. This year, the Foundation is creating a virtual event to showcase all aspects of their work. Sarah was selected to be one of the voices during this virtual event as she shared about her capstone project and the legacy of Mary N. Chase on Proctor’s campus and throughout New England. Earlier in November, Sarah filmed her portion of the event.