From: Steward, Celeste <csteward_at_aclibrary.org>
Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:34:15 -0700

You've probably already checked the Susan B. Anthony House site...it says t he rhyme was recorded by press:

rse-rhyme/

Unfortunately, it doesn't say what paper reported it...but the staff there may know. You could contact them at The Susan B. Anthony House 17 Madison Street Rochester, New York 14608 (585) 235-6124

Celeste Steward Collection Development Librarian IV Alameda County Library 2450 Stevenson Blvd. Fremont, CA 94538 (510)745-1586

From: Nancy Silverrod
 Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 12:18 PM To: Andrea Grimes; Carla Kozak Cc: CCBC-NET Subject:
 FW: California suffrage jump rope rhyme

Interesting reference question below. Please let me know if this rings any bells.

Thanks,

Nancy Silverrod, Librarian San Francisco Public Library 100 Larkin St. San Francisco, CA 94122-4733 nsilverrod_at_sfpl.org 415-557-4417

-- Our memories are card indexes consulted and then returned in disorder by au thorities whom we do not control. -Cyril Connolly, critic and editor (1903- 1974) A closed mind is like a closed book: just a block of wood. -Chinese Proverb

From: bbmmh
 Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 11:05 AM To: Nancy Silverrod Subject: California suffrage jump rope rhyme

Dear Ms. Silverrod,

I've recently seen a description of the exhibition and programs you've plan ned to commemorate the 100th anniversary of California woman suffrage. As a retired librarian in the Department of Rare Books & Special Collections at the University of Rochester Library and an emeritus board member/ docent a t the Susan B. Anthony House, I wish I lived closer to San Francisco so I c ould view the exhibition and attend the programs.

Since you've put together such an impressive celebration of woman suffrage in California, I'm hoping you may be able to answer a question related to S usan B. Anthony and the 1896 suffrage campaign. The Anthony House owns the alligator bag that Anthony used on her many travels. One of our docents rem embers reading a small booklet in the 1960's about California children's ga mes or rhymes. In the booklet the author wrote that the familiar sight of A nthony carrying her bag in San Francisco during the 1896 suffrage campaign inspired an alteration in the traditional jump rope rhyme to:

Miss Lulu had a baby, she called him tiny Tim. She put him in the bathtub, so see if he could swim. He drank up all the water! He ate up all the soap! He tried to swallow the bathtub, but it wouldn't go down his throat!! Call for the doctor! Call for the nurse! Call for the lady with the alligator purse! "Mumps!" said the doctor. "Measles!" said the nurse. "Vote!!" said the lady with the alligator purse!!

Recently the House has created a purse that is designed to emulate Anthony' s alligator bag (see http://susanbanthonyhouse.org/alligatorbag.php) and, s ince we are telling the story of the jump rope rhyme as part of the sales p romotion, it would be good to document its accuracy if possible. I haven't been able to track down any bibliographical record for the booklet and I do n't have access to historic San Francisco newspapers to research the story. I'm hoping, therefore, that you or one of the participants in your celebr ation might be able to shed some light on whether Susan B. Anthony and her alligator bag inspired a jump rope rhyme during her sojourn in San Francisc o in 1896.

Thank you very much for any help you can provide.

Mary M. Huth Emeritus Board/docent Susan B. Anthony House Rochester, NY


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Received on Fri 30 Sep 2011 12:34:15 PM CDT