who are leading in or contributing to woman's larger participation in the good causes and higher endeavors of our time, which this volume is intended to supply. It gives biographic data and personal statistics about women nationally, sectionally and locally prominent in all parts of the United States and Canada, and is a new publication, freshly made from original data secured for it with much pains and great expense. Not a line of the biographical sketches in the book has been inserted from any financial consideration or because of any subscription past, present or prospective. This statement is made here, because there still seem to be a few people who have some misapprehension of the facts in this particular.
Great care has been given to the securing of accuracy. Neither inerrancy nor infallibility is claimed, and doubtless some errors may have crept in, but it is believed that very few will be found. As to inclusion and omission of names, there will no doubt be criticism, the editor being quite aware that some have been omitted who should be included, for there are several such from whom or about whom no reliable data could be procured, and who have therefore been regretfully omitted. These cases are, however, very rare, and the publication is presented as one unique in its class, containing valuable reference information of which about ninety per cent. is not to be found in any other publication. It is, in fact, the only valuable and dependable compendium of information about contemporary American and Canadian women of comprehensive scope which has been published.
The editor acknowledges, with deep gratitude, the letters of approval and encouragement which have come from all parts of the country in regard to this book, and is deeply sensible, also, of the helpful suggestions received from the distinguished women who have acted as an Editorial Advisory Board, and from many others in all sections. The recognition of the need for such a volume has been almost unanimous, though a few (perhaps a dozen) women have written in dispraise of the plan of making a book entirely about women.
Coming down to particulars, the volume contains brief personal sketches of 9644 women, of whom 6303 are or have been married, and 3341 are maidens. Every State in the United States and every Province in the Dominion of Canada is represented. All the important lines of endeavor in which women engage (and their name is legion) have their exponents in these pages: the arts, sciences and professions, religion, missionary effort, education, philanthropy, charity, reform work, social service, literature, journalism, business, official life, club life, feminist activities, and all the many ways in which women are working in and influencing the movements for progress, for higher ideals, for better living, for cleaner politics, and for social, educational and religious uplift.
It is hoped to make Woman's Who's Who of America a reference book of permanent value and the one indispensable volume of reference for those seeking information about the contemporary women of the United States and Canada.
It is the present intention to give the book such periodical revision as the demand may justify, and to this end suggestions of names and improvements are invited.John W. Leonard.
- New York, January 31, 1914.
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