Author: Ely, Robert E. (1861-1948). Presbyterian minister who helped found the Prospect Union in Cambridge and was the first director of New York's Town Hall League, then known as The League For Political Education.
Title: Typed Note Signed by the Director of the Town Hall League Robert Erskine Ely, Regretting That He Can't Attend Maeterlinck's Lecture.
Description: New York, December 29, 1919. 1919. - Approximately 40 words typed on 10 inch high by 8 inch wide "The League for Political Education" stationery, with the organization's name and the names of its substantial board of trustees and officers printed at the top. In his note, addressed to James B. Pond, Ely regrets that he won't be able to attend Maeterlinck's lecture as he will be out of the country. Signed "Robert E. Ely" in black ink. Folded for mailing with minor chipping to the top left corner. Very good. The Presbyterian minister Robert Erskine Ely (1861-1948) helped found the Prospect Union at Cambridge, Massachusetts and became the first director of The League for Political Education, which was later renamed the Town Hall League. Under Ely, the league organized series of lectures by eminent figures at the Town Hall. Founded by Eleanor Butler Sanders as a pro-women's suffrage group, The League for Political Education devoted itself to providing a forum where all people could be educated about the political, social and economic issues of the day. The league fought for passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which granted women the right to vote. Opening up membership to men and women, the league commissioned the building of New York's Town Hall and supported the broadcast of America's Town Meeting of the Air. James B. Pond, the American impresario and lecture agent who headed the J.B. Pond Lyceum Bureau, brought the great Belgian poet Maurice Maeterlinck to America for a series of lectures. The first lecture took place at Carnegie hall on January 2nd, 1920. Unfortunately Maeterlinck failed to carry out his intention to lecture in English because of his labored "phonetic" English. He declared his intention to continue his lectures in French and have the translation read by another person. As a result, the lecture tour was a failure and lawsuits ensued on both sides. Very good .

Keywords: AMERICANA; POLITICS; WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE; WOMEN'S RIGHTS; ROBERT ERSKINE ELY; THE LEAGUE FOR POLITICAL EDUCATION; TYPED LETTER SIGNED; AUTOGRAPH; JAMES B. POND; MAURICE MAETERLINCK; THE TOWN HALL LEAGUE; TWENTIETH CENTURY; 20TH CENTURY; SIGNATURE.


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