October lit ) , 1891) ) . OMAHA ILLTSTKATHl ) The Woman's Club Movement in Nebraska H \\as In March , ISiiS , that Sorosls , the pioneer woman's club , was organi/ed In New York City with twelve members and will ) Alice Cnry for president. It was in March , ISS'.l , that Son His. to celebrate the attain ment of her majority , called together all the clubs she could hear of , ninety-seven In number , mid proposed to them that Idea of a permanent national organization which de veloped a year later Into the General Federa tion ot Women's Clubs. U was In 18114 , un der the policy of Mrs. Ellen M. Henrotln , president of the general federation , that as sociations of clubs Into state organizations crnmiT"ll Tlir hlctnrV nf wh.Tt lq two clubs from Lincoln , two from Crete and one each from Fremont , Kearney , Omaha. Weeping Water , Seward and Auiora. The Nebraska federation has now accom pllshed five years of existence , but that fac * was not even mentioned at the annual meet ing recently held In York , Indeed , the women seemed so Intent upon getting ahead ns to forget to look back and the gratula- tlon and admiration tlmt so often marks a meeting of women was delightfully ab sent , although the onlooker would have neon plenty of excuse for It In the reports of of ficers and delegates. The federation now comprises about 3,500 women , included In seventy-live clubs , that vary In membership from the thirteen mem bers of the Ladies' Heading club or Scotia to the COO of the Omaha Woman's club Each club has Us own plans nml methods , adapting Itself thereby to local needs and condltli ns , but there Is a remarkable uniformity of adherence to what Is now established as the purpose of women's clubs namely , culture for the individual and service In the community. The first of theto Ideas Is naturally the ono up n which most club.s are organized H is greatly to the credit of Nebraska that every community , no matter how Miiall , has a group of women who aio eager for self- Improvement , ami also a woman , soinetlni-s a college graduate , and often an ox-teacher or specialist , who enn lead their studies These studies of course take a great variety of direction , but they are covered by the broad Ideas so well explained by the presi dent , Mrs. S. C , Langworthy , In her annual address at Yoik , when she bald 'The domestic , social and Intellectual development of women decides the curriculum of the woman's club. " The larger clubs piovlde for diversity of taste by organising In depart ment , as the Omaha club , which has n > less than fourteen separate gioups of women , many of them largo clubs In themselves. Other clubs organize for the consideration of certain subjects , history nnd art afford ing n popular combination. History , Indeed , Ecome to bo a favorite study , and not less than forty-five clubs show a preference for It. Of these sovutnl sue devoted to Ameri can history , and two at least , the clubs of Falrbury and Norfolk , are studying Spanish history , grouping with It the literature , art and mimic of Spain , while one , the Fort nightly of Lincoln , Is making a similar study of Russian. Literature ranks next to history in point of popularity , not less than forty-three clubs reporting upon It. In this department Shakespeare and llrowiilng have ninny disciples , but more than ono club Is reading American literature and at least one , a small , new club at "Wake-field. Is pursuing nm.t ) ) , ) ( ] dv n 7 nloim ndmlrnr nnil com- J ) > f OFFICERS. NCBHASKA STATE FEDERAT ION OF WOMEN'S CLU13S AT YORK. known as the "club movement" Is thus a matter of three epochs first , the era of In dividual clubs ; second , their union In the general federation , and , third , the develop ment of state associations. In each of these epochs Nebraska has had a part. The Zetetlc of Weeping Water is the oldest dub In the state , having been organized In 1881 , and for several years that club divided with the Omaha Woman's club the honor of rep resenting Nebraska in the councils of the general federation. When , however , in 1894 , the clubs were called together In Omaha to form a state federation there were ten to enter as charter members. These included patriot of that dramatist. Cunent events form a nucleus for study In ninny clubs. Sometimes this Is otfeetod through a roll call at every meeting , when each member an swers to her name by a moment's discussion of borne topic of immediate Interest , and sometimes through a department , as In the Omaha club , where a hundred women give an afternoon every 'two weeks to a serious consideration of current history and litera ture , Two clubs In Lincoln , Sornsls and Sorosls , jr. , 'the ' former 'one of the oldet clubs of the stale , have always given thelt F1 * ' "Ionics of Ri'iiornl intorp'sl. " ni"1 Sorosls of Stnntou lias Just followed their ex ample. Domestic lute-tests are allown In t\\o ways. A large number of clubs huvo de partments for child study , \\here they un dertake to make a scientific und sympathetic study of childhood. They it-port the good fortune of lectures and correspondence fiom specialists and assistance from edueatois uverywheie. Here Is one of the points whoie the women of the homo nntl tlio wunun of the bchool touch tMch other to their mutual piollt. Numouuis departments ot domestic economy are also le-porteM , not for the study of cooking merely , but fur the consideration of all that has to dolth tin- physical well-being of a family. The club tit Columbus is conspicuous for Its woik In that direction. The study of music and of art is being fosteied throughout the state by blandlng committees appointed last year by the fed eration and for the llrt t time ut an annual meeting the program at York Included a musical afternoon and an nrt evening. Mrs. 1 > . A. Campbell of Lincoln presided ovui the former session , as chairman of the federation oration committee on music , and another member of the committee. Mrs. 11. F Uoano of Crete , made u plea for the study of music as an art among the clubs , while Mrs. Heals of Norfolk Illustrated such study in a. p.iper entitled "The I'lilltsophy of Music. " The remainder of the afternoon was devoted to the thiee gloat divisions } of opera Italian , French and German. Com- pieheuslve papers wcic read upon these re speethu topics by Mrs. Frawley of Stronm- buig , Mrs , llcufih of Sownrd and MIVJ. Camp- bull and illustrations of each were given by piano , violin and voice. The perform ers were chosun from within the clubs rathe ; than from the professional class without them , though several of them weie real ar tists. The program therefoiu served t'i strengthen the idea that musical study as to content and history may be prosecuted In the smaller towns as well as In the cities where opportunities for hearing music aie greater. There are several musical clubs In tin- stale of which the Matinee Muslcale of Lin coln Is deservedly the best known. The Mo/art club of I'laifsmouth Is also doing goml work , and music forms part of the curriculum of clubs at Hoatrlce , Wyinoie , Omaha and Fremont , while Columbus Is distinguished for Its use of the Derthlck system , In which It Is taking the sect ml year. The art program at York was weakened by the absence of Mrs. Keysor of Omnba , who was detained at homo by Illness In her family , though she had expected to lecture on the Uoston public llbraiy. Her stur- eoptlcon slides were used , however , and explanations were made by Miss Lida Wil son of the art department of the Omaha club. Mrs. F. A. Hall of Lincoln , chairman of the federation art committee , uUso as sisted on the program. A feature of the meeting at York was tho" art room , where Draun and Hcrlln photographs , as well as Perry pictures were presented for sale , and where there were cases of beautiful cera mics and nrt decorations of various soi ts. This room was constantly thronged. A number of good pictures were purchased for club rooms , school rooms and homes , and If ono onay judge from the Interest expressed , the art committee will huvo a largely In creased number of art study classed under Its fostering care next year. The ait do- partmcnt ( f the Omaha club also assists tlnfio c- ' I . 1- -o " . . . lv registered , by the loan of Its collodion of WELCOME. M'KINLUY XMKUIIKUN , S I ) TROOl'S IN I'AUXUE PRESIDENT M'KINUJV AT AltEUUEEN , S. IJ.THE CARRIAGES IN LINK. photographic reprodueticns of works ot art , numbering 300. Other branches of study inlerchtlng certain clubs hero and theru and gaining the at tention ot others aio : railiamuntary drill , social sclonco and civics. Ono club , that of Dundee , Is looking into the science of geol ogy , under the dliection of an enthusiast on the subject , and ono very Inteiesting club known as the Maker Township club of York county IH studying English , along with its coui&o in civil government. This club Is composed of farmer * * ' wives tnd daughters and has for Its president a former school teacher. Hut the club exists not alone- for sclf-cul- tuio , but for service to the community , and the fact that this Idea Is growing stronger among the clubs of the state was not only asserted by the president in these words n ! i 1'l.v u . "in , * ittntv | DELEGATES TO THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE NEUKASKA STATE FEUERAT1 ON OF WOMEN'S CLUHS AT YORK , OCT01JER , 18W , shown In the lepoils throughout the meet ing atork. . la 'luKiimuh ino club Is wuik- ing for a public libi.iry and the Falrbury \vom.in b club M pledged to a similar undoi- l.iuing next year , bo aio the six clubs of 'leciiniseh. In Columbus GOO volumes uio in en dilution through thu ellorls of the club ana that number will have additions iw the women ruUiu tumls by subscilptlon or by giving cnteitalnments. Mills club Iti cun- ceined also to have good pictures 111 Its school building : ; and clubs everywhere ru- jioit InteicsL and eltort 111 that line. Village impiovument is another vital activity with many clubs. Fulrbury owns u drinking fuuniuln , thanks to its \Vomutru club , ana Una club , HKo many unuuiur , Is working in thu early closing movement , regarding U also as a "city improvement" that stores should be. closed ul U o'clock. Hul It Is Impossible to mention thu forms in which the ucilvuy and public splilt of Ne- ur.irikawomen uroexpressing themselves. Nor .n U pLhSiblu to quote thu practical common .dihu munilubteu in thu papc-is and Uiscus- lens lit lliu ioik meeting. Thoie was , liuvv- icr , an especially rich piogram , conducted > .Mis. A. W. Field , chairman of the educu- lUiial commltteo of the mule federation , ( in.li dcsenea incnll..n. The following were . .inie of the topics upon It : "How to 1m- , /iovo / Conditions of Country Schools , " paper , iiy Miss Blair of YVuynu ; "The Vacation i'liiblom , " discussed by Mrs. 1'ago of Syr.i- iibo ; "Household Economics , " treated by .Mm. J , H. LaChappollu , Ashland ; "Manual Training , " address , by Mis. Farmer of Al bion ; "Why I Jo Men Ulslllto HuslnesB Deal ings with Women ? " discussed by Mrs. Nor- ils of North Demi , "Thu Mothers ( ire.Ue.st Need , " paper , by Mrs , Klngsloy , Mlnden , Upon the last afternoon of the meeting thu woinun tested fiom their labors and lis tened to a story written by Mrs. Heller of Omaha , after which they leliirned to thu discussion of "Household Economics , " "Wugo-Eainlng Women and "Vlllago Im provement , " which topics were handled by three Omaha women , Mrs. Mary M , 1'ugh , Mis. C. H. Loblngler mid Mrs. lllunchu Mc- KHvoy respectively. Then the press came Infer for Its hlmru of attention. Miss Sarah Har- ils of the Lincoln Couiler spoku on "News paper English , " and Mini Ideal MacKeover of Stromsbtirg explained the alms of the Na tional WiHITS' association. The Federation library , until such time as the state provides u circulating library , will furnish ths only means for many to secure books for study. It Is Increased yuar by year through gifts from the clubs mid Is the object of a generous annual gift from thu Omaha elnb , which appreciates Us own library advantages. The federation hooks aio In clmigo of Mrs. 0. M. Lambortson of Lincoln. They numbered at the begin ning of the year Ii71 volumes. The olllcers Just elected ut York to nerve for the years 18'JO mid 1900 arm President , Mrs. Anna L. Apporson of Tocumsohj vice presldi'iit. Mrs. Hlnlr of Wayne ; recording secretary. Miss Mary Hills of York ; corru- spondlng secretary , Mrs Virginia Arnup of Tucumpuhj treasurer , Mrs. H. F. Doane , Crete. FRANCES F , FORD.