[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 114 (Wednesday, September 5, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1571]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E1571]]



         RECOGNIZING THE CITY AND PEOPLE OF PORTAGE, WISCONSIN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. TAMMY BALDWIN

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 5, 2001

  Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the City and 
people of Portage, Wisconsin, and their annual celebration of the life 
and work of Zona Gale (1874-1938), a leader of the women's suffrage 
movement, civil and minority rights advocate, poet, journalist, 
Pultizer Prize winning playwright, novelist, University of Wisconsin 
Regent, and community leader.
  As a leading suffragette, Zona Gale, who was born on August 26, 1874 
in Portage, took an active role in the creation of the Wisconsin Equal 
Rights Law, which prohibits discrimination against women. While the 
original intent of the law was to implement the federal suffrage 
amendment in Wisconsin, in fact, the law went well beyond women's 
suffrage as it stated, ``Women shall have the same rights and 
privileges under the law as men in the exercise of suffrage, freedom of 
contract, choice of residence for voting purposes, jury service, 
holding office, holding and conveying property, care and custody of 
children, and in all other respects.'' The law was upheld in 
Wisconsin's courts, and Wisconsin women were among the first in the 
nation to gain fully equal legal standing with men.
  As a writer, Zona Gale achieved early prominence as a novelist, later 
winning the Pultizer Prize for drama in 1921 at her career's zenith 
with ``Miss Lulu Bett'' (1920), a village comedy depicting a single 
woman's attempts at self-assertion in a small town--a loosely 
fictionalized Portage.
  Portage hosts its annual celebration each August remembering Zona 
Gale and her remarkable contributions. Of special note in Portage's 
work to remember Zona Gale is Blanche Murtagh, Project Director for 
Friendship Village Celebrates Zona Gale, who continues to lead these 
recognition efforts. Among the many who also continue to continue to 
this important effort are Edward Rebholz, President of the Portage 
Historical Society; Hans Jensen, Director of the Portage Public 
Library; Nan Rebholz, President of the Women's Civic League; Sandra 
Gunderson, President of the Zona Gale Center of the Arts; Irene Ludlum, 
President of the Portage Area Community Theater; and Ken Jahn, Director 
of the Portage Area Chamber of Commerce. These community leaders, and 
the citizens of Portage--Friendship Village as Zona Gale called it--are 
to be commended for their work in ensuring that the pioneering Zona 
Gale continues to be remembered for her greatness in American history.

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