On April 21, the Sauk County Historical Society hosted a celebration for Belle Case LaFollette's 150th birthday. Special guest speaker, Shirley Abrahamson, Chief Justice, Wisconsin Supreme Court, highlighted notable events in the life of Belle Case LaFollette. Belle Case LaFollette was born on a farm in Juneau County in 1859 and raised in Baraboo. She was a teacher in Spring Green and Baraboo before marrying her college classmate Robert LaFollette. An outstanding speech writer and public speaker in college, she used those talents to fight for social change. She was an active advocate for woman's suffrage and co-founder of the Women's Peace party which grew into the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom - an organization still active in peace initiatives around the world today. Belle's accomplishments are impressive, even more so when considered against the role of woman at the time. She was the first woman to graduate from the University of Wisconsin Law School; the first in her family to attend college in a time when women were not often finishing high school; a lecturer on women's issues and politics; a political advisor to her husband and her two sons who were US Senators and Wisconsin Governors; a woman's suffragist; and co-founder of the Women's Peace party which grew into the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom - an organization still active in peace initiatives around the world today. Also in attendance was Bronson LaFollette, grandson of Belle and Robert La Follette. Postcards were given to each person attending, depicting Mrs. LaFollette. The postcards were canceled with a special cancel created for the occasion. (Anyone wishing a canceled postcard may obtain a postcard at the Historical Society Museum and take it to the Baraboo Post Office for cancellation through May 21). Cake, tea and coffee were served to the 90 guests who came to help celebrate Belle's birthday.
