operate with the United States Sanitary Com-
mission, and, persuaiUng a neighbor to accept
the office of president. Miss Hatch assumed
that of secretary. All the women around be-
coming interested, they provided a compara-
tively large amount of soldiers' clothing.
When no more money could be raised there,
she went to Boston and conferred with Abby
W. May, president of the State Association,
and after that until the close of the Rebellion
material for sewing and knitting was sent from
Boston to the willing workers of East Pembroke. At the close of the school, each after-
noon, a horse and wagon stood ready, and this
patriotic teacher drove around the neighbor-
hood for fruit with which to make pickles.
This work she always did herself, and the barrels
of pickles often brought a letter of response
from the "boys" who had been so fortunate
as to get them. One special barrel of pickled
peaches will always be remembered by maker
and consumers.
After a severe attack of spinal meningitis in the winter of 1875-76, the summer finds her at the Centennial Fair in Philadelphia. She lived four and a half months on the grounds of Fairmont Park in the New England Log Cabin, where was shown a collection of antiques, and daily was served an old-fashioned New England dinner. Each of the workers had an old-fashioned name, and wore an ancient style of dress. The name of Dorcas, assumed by Miss Hatch, clung to her ever after. At this time she was also known to a few as the writer of centennial notes over the signature of "John Lake."
For the next two years she lived in Charles- town, in order to be near Boston and under the treatment of Dr. J. T. G. Pike.
In 1878 the invalid mother passed on and left the daughter more free to take up various kinds of work. The niece had become a suc- cessful music teacher, the nephew a promising young machinist; so the aunt established a home for all at 50 Boylston Street, Boston, spending the summers at the old home in the country. She soon became an active worker on suffrage lines, being the secretary of Ward Twelve Club and of the National Woman Suffrage Associa- tion of Massachusetts. The latter office she held seventeen years, and did not once omit a monthly meeting, except when sick or absent from the State, attending one of the Association's annual conventions in Washington.
Here, too, she was a working member, always on one or more committees that left little time for recreation. In the fourteen seasons in which, she was present, not one hour was spent outside while the convention was in session. Of the Boston Political Class, also, which was formed by the Association in 1884, and which continued in existence for several years. Miss Hatch served as secretary.
Soon after the formation of the Boston Suf- frage League she took active part as recording secretary, and later succeedetl to the office of corresponding secretary. The work attend- ing the initiatory steps in forming leagues in and arountl Boston was largely done by the secretary. It was she who went to the outlying districts, called on the people, worked up the interest, hired halls, engaged speakers, sent out notices of meetings, and was present to help make each one a success.
In 1886 Miss Hatch removed to 60 Bowdoin Street. Ward Ten now had one more voter, with the same enthusiasm for public school work that had helped develop the cause in Ward Twelve; and the ward committee, with Dr. Salome Merritt as leader, maile a persist- ent study of the situation, giving valuable aid to the Massachusetts School Suffnige Asso- ciation in the search for the best women and men to elect for the school board. It was at this time that the New England Helping Hand Society began its work, the object being to give a home to small girls whose wages were insufficient to provide even the necessaries of life. For several years, as secretary of the Board of Management of the Working Girls' Home, as well as a member of committees, Miss Hatch did her full share in directing its affairs, though often disapproving the action of the majority; but finally, with several other officers and members, she withdrew from the organization.
Having been one of the workers at the fair in aid of the Intemiierate Woman's Home, she joined with others in the formation of the Woman's Charity Club Hospital. Just as the
