The Woman's Temperance Publishing Association (WTPA) was a non-commercial publisher of

temperance Temperance may refer to: Moderation *Temperance movement, movement to reduce the amount of alcohol consumed *Temperance (virtue), habitual moderation in the indulgence of a natural appetite or passion Culture * Temperance (group), Canadian dan ...

literature. Established in 1879 in

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mar ...

during the national convention of the

Woman's Christian Temperance Union The Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) is an international temperance organization, originating among women in the United States Prohibition movement. It was among the first organizations of women devoted to social reform with a program th ...

(WCTU), it was a concept of

Matilda Carse Matilda B. Carse (November 19, 1835 – June 3, 1917) was an Irish-born American businesswoman, social reformer, publisher, and leader of the temperance movement. With Frances E. Willard and Lady Henry Somerset, Carse helped to found the Woman' ...

, an Irish-born American businesswoman, social reformer and leader of the temperance movement. The WTPA was designed as a joint-stock company and operated in Illinois. No man could own its stock, as it could only be sold to WCTU women. It began with $5,000 of capital stock, which increased to $125,000. The Board of Directors consisted of seven women, including Carse. The WTPA was dissolved in 1903.

Newspaper

At the first convention of the WCTU, the need of an official organ was recognized, and

Abby Fisher Leavitt Abby Fisher Leavitt (1836 – May 23, 1897) was an American social reformer and one of the prominent figures of the Ohio Women's Crusade. Leavitt also served as Secretary of the Baptist Women's Foreign Missionary Society of Ohio and Treasurer of t ...

, of

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line w ...

, moved the appointment of a committee "to consider the question of publishing a paper". The following June, the first number of the paper, called the ''Woman's Temperance Union'', was issued, its first editor being Jennie Fowler Willing, of

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rock ...

, and its publisher Mary Coffin Johnson, of New York. At an executive meeting held at the close of the Newark Convention in 1876, a publishing committee was appointed: Mary Towne Burt,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

; Jane M. Geddes,

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...

; Frances E. Willard,

;

Esther Pugh Esther Pugh (August 31, 1834 – March 29, 1908) was an American temperance reformer of the long nineteenth century. She served as Treasurer of the National Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), a Trustee of Earlham College, as well as editor ...

Ohio Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...

; Harriet Maria Haven,

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provin ...

; Zerelda G. Wallace,

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th ...

, and Caroline Brown Buell,

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the ...

. Burt, Willard and Buell were made a quorum for the transaction of business. The quorum at once changed the name to ''Our Union'', made Burt publisher, and

Margaret Elizabeth Winslow Margaret E. Winslow (1836-1936) was an American activist, newspaper editor, and author of several temperance books. She served at two separate times, and during the longest period of any editor-in-chief of ''Our Union'', the national organ of the W ...

, of

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, editor. In 1882, at the Louisville Convention, the paper was combined with the ''Illinois Signal'' under the name, ''Our Union Signal'', and became the property of the Woman's Temperance Publication Association, which, although separately incorporated, was the publishing house of the National W. C. T. U. The weekly newspaper was named ''The Signal'' and its first issue appeared January 4, 1880; it was 16 pages in size. The first editor was Mary Willard, mother of Frances Willard, the second president of the WCTU. At the end of the first year, there were 3,200 subscriptions. Eventually, readership reached over 90,000 subscribers. It employed 135 people. "Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth" was the newspaper's motto. In 1882, ''The Signal'' merged with ''Our Union'' of New York to become ''

The Union Signal ''The Union Signal'' (formerly, ''The Woman's Temperance Union'', ''Our Union'') is a defunct American newspaper, established in 1883 in Chicago, Illinois. Focused on temperance, it was the organ of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), ...

''.

Other publications

In addition to the newspaper, the WTPA published article reprints called "Timely Talks". After consolidating its "Illinois Workers' Leaflets", "National Leaflets" covered instruction in departmental work. ''The Oak and Ivy Leaf'' was written for young women, ''The Young Crusader'' was for children, and there were also several books. The Band of Hope Lesson Manual was published as a quarterly.

Notable people

Katharine Lente Stevenson Katharine Lent Stevenson (, Lent; May 8, 1853 – 1919) was an American temperance reformer, missionary, and editor. She was a successful platform speaker, writer and officer of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) on whose behalf she al ...

(1853–1919), temperance reformer, missionary, editor * Margaret Ashmore Sudduth (1859–1957), American educator, editor, temperance advocate

References

Attribution

Bibliography

* {{Authority control Publishing companies established in 1879 Publishing companies disestablished in 1903 Defunct organizations based in Illinois Defunct organizations based in Indiana History of women in Indiana History of women in Illinois Christian women's organizations History of Indianapolis Publishing companies of the United States Temperance organizations in the United States 1879 establishments in Indiana 1903 disestablishments in Illinois