THE COURIER.
biennial I never see the word Worcester
without skipping it like a Lydia Pink
bam advertisement. Even in reading
; the census report, when I came to the
word "Worcester I omitted it for fear
it might be a colored resolution in dis
guise. Mrs. D. C. McKillip.
Mn. C. W. Long of Wakefield, haa
been kind enough to send the Courier
the year book of the Wakefield Woman's
club. It contains the namee of the of
ficers and members, the outline for the
seaton's work and the ordsr of business.
Between yellow covers, it is a very neat
program and reference book of a year's
prospective work and business. The of
ficers an: President, Mrs. R. Q Browse;
vice president, Mrs. J. H. Brown; re
cording secretary, Mrs. R. D. Aller; cor
responding secretary, Mrs. C. W. Long;
treasurer, Mrs. G. A. Peterson. Critic,
first quarter, Mrs. Marriott; critic, sec
ond quarter. Mrs. Biown; critic, third
quarter, Mrs. Adler. Program commit
tee Mesdames Rowse, Mathewson,
Peterson, Brown and Long. Most of
the attention of the club is devoted to
the study of American institutions and
literary men and women. At the first
meeting in September the members
listened to biographies and critical esti
mates of the literary women of America,
including Louisa M. Alcott, Ella Wheel
er Wilcox, Ruth McEnery Stewart,
Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward, Sarah
Orne Jewett and Helen Hunt Jackson.
At the next meeting, American women
in public life were discussed. Mrs.
Howe, Mrs. Stowe, Miss Anthony, Miss
Mott, Bartou and Mary Lyon were con
sidered. Then Hawthorne and his
friends, Emereon, Lowell. Holmes, Long
fellow, Whittier and Thoreau follow.
The great orators of the last century is a
pertinent topic and Hamilton, Clay,
Henry, Webster, Phillippp. Douglas,
Beecher, Lincoln and Gough. At the
first meeting in November American re
ligious leaders were discussed. On No
vomber 20th, Thanksgiving day, ie
hiotory, reminiscences, a Thanksgiving
story and poem. On December 4th,
Negro authors: Phyllis Wheatley, Gub
tavusVassa, Wm. W. Brown, Wm. C.
Nell, Fred Douglas, Frances Harper,
Mrs. Cooper, Mrs. MotbewB and Paul
Dunbar. January 15th and 29th, edu
cational institutions of the United
States; February 5th, Our public
schools: Modern school methods, should
children study at home? kindergarten
work, school visiting by club women.
The needs of our schools by a county
superintendent. February 10th, Moth
er's meeting; March uth, Polar explora
tions; March 19th, National songs and
flags; April 2nd, Relationship of Euro
poan monarch; April 16th and 30th,
Art exposition; May 14th, China and
pottery; May 28th, Essay, club poem
and story. The motto of the club, "Life
is a progress and not a station." It waB
organized in 1893 and was federated the
following year. The membership num
bers twenty-six.
The Fin de Siecle club of Seward is
studying this winter American history
and literature, Tba year book is in
blue and gold. The officers are: Presi
dent, Alice Sexton; vice president, Nelle
Davis; secretary, Myrtle Brooks; treas
urer, Mrs. W. E. Langworthy. There
are thirty-nine members. Every meeting
is diversified by music and by readings
from the authors quoted.
Mrs. Anna D. West, former chairman
of correspondence of the Massachusetts
State Federation and now a director of
the General Federation gave an interest
ing report to the convention of Presi
dents of the Massachusetts State Fed
eration held in Boston the latter part of
December, of the meeting of the Ex
ecutive Board of the General Federa
tion which occurred in New York in No
vember. Among the subjects under,
discussion at the meeting of the Gen
eral Board, Mrs. West eaid, was that of
the place of meeting for the sixth bien
nial of women's clubs, the sentiment
being strongly in favor of Boston. She
suggested to the general board that the
circumstances now and when the in
vitation was issued were somewhat dif
ferent, as many Massachusetts clubs in
tended withdrawing, owing to the per
capita tax and she feared that the re
maining clubs might not be able to
meet all the expenses of a biennial.
The general board then voted to pay all
expenses for halls or theatres during the
biennial and to limit the social func
tions to one reception. The decision as
to location of the next federation meet
ing will be made in February and Mrs.
West urged all Massachusetts clubs to
remain in the federation until after the
decisioc. Mrs. West reported aleo her
motion at the board meeting in New
York to taKe off the table the applica
tion of the Woman's Era club of Boston,
which had been tabled since last June.
The secretary of the general executive
board then read the notice served by
the Georgia federation of an amend
ment to be voted upon at the next bien
nial, which should insert the word
"white" in the bylaws of the General
Federation. The board, then in cour
tesy to the Georgia federation, voted to
delay action on the application of the
Woman's Era club until after the
amendment had been before the bien
nial of 1902 Mrs. West objected to
this.
To the convention ot presidents of the
Massachusetts State Federation, Mrs.
West gave full explanation also of the
action of the Massachusetts delegates
who have been called delinquent, at the
Milwaukee biennial. A discussion fol
lowed the report. Miss Whittier of
Lowell, urged all clubs to remain in the
federation and hence retain their right
to vote upon the important matters of
the next biennial. The conference vot
ed to endorse the action of the Massa
chusetts delegates at Milwaukee and to
recommend that the state executive,
board should send to the general execu
tive board to be announced at its next
meeting, notice ot an amendment of the
bylaws of the General Federation which
should embody the Massachusetts plan
of reorganization to be voted upon at
the next biennial.
m .in iii iii ii ;i urn ii t
A BOUT FRIDAY, JANUARY 18th, we ex- !
A pact to open several hundred pieces of j
foreign and domestic cotton dress goods ;
if from which we invite those who wish the choic- !
jf est patterns of the season to make selections.
Large assortments of fine embroideries will be
i I shown at the same time.
;MlbbgR&PAIN
hhmhhmihiumimhih
The Atlanta Georgian and New Era,
the woman's club paper of Georgia, in
speaking of the fate of bills prepared by
the State Federation of Women's clubs
says:
"Our present legislature is making an
unenviable record in the way of voting
down bills looking to the moral, physi
dal, and educational advancement ot the
state. The bill asking for the raise in
the age of consent was defeated. The
bill asking that girls be admitted to the
school of textiles was defeated. The
child labor bill met a similiar fate, and
now the dispensary bill has been lost.
What6 the matter ?ith Georgia, anyhow?"
One hundred and seven delegates
from the different states included in the
original Louisiana Purchase presented
their credentials to the committee in the
parlors of the Athenaeum club at Kan
sas City, Thursday morning, January
17th. The conference of club women
was called by Mrs." Edward Harrison of
St. LouiB, president of the Missouri
Federation of Women's clubs, to arrange
for some suitable commemoration of
the purchase and a suitable celebration
in 1903 of the 100th anniversary of this
purchase by the United States. The
audience room was well filled by women
In pretty street gowns and handsome
hats, with the badge ot white satin rib
bon on which wm written in gold 1 tters
"Louisiana Purchase," fluttering over
haadeome cloaks and bodices. Women
in whose faces one could read the re
fining influences of intellectuality, the
home keepers of different states. So
mueh for the personnel of the large and
enthusiastic audience.
The presiding officer was Mrs. Ed
ward Harrison of St. Louis, and Mrs.
Harriet MacMurphy of Omaha, was
made secretary of the meeting.
The mayor of Kansas City welcomed
the delegates in a brief speech, but did
not offer them the keys of the city.
Mrs. Gage, president of the Athenaeum
club also gave a pleasant word of greet
ing, and Mrs. Selvyan Douglas of Okla
homa, made a hearty response. Then
Mrs. Harri&on stated the object of the
meeting and the conference took up the
real business in such a way as to com
mend their ability.
Only eleven projects for permanent
memorials were submitted, but the dis
cussion which followed each project,
must have tried the patience of the sec
retary if not 'the chairman. The first
for the erection of a model tenement
house which shall be altruistic, artistic
and utilitarian, the model of which
shall be exhibited at the St Louis fair.
Second, the erection and maintenance
of an industrial normal school, in which
each Btate of the purchase territory,
shall hold shares and be entitled to the
admission of pupih, iu proportion to its
number of shares.
Third, the erection of a monument to
include statues ot some of the notable
men who were participants in the pur
chase and other decorations suggestive
of its history.
Fourth, the erection of a Woman's
building at the St. Louis fair where the
club women from all lands should be
entertained by the womon of the pur
chase states.
Fifth, a fountain near the Union de
pot of St. Louis.
Sixth, the maintenance of a home of
charities and corrections.
Seventh, a monument composed of
historic characters and a prize, includ
ing the coat of arms of the purchase
states.
Eighth, a triumphal arch composed of
stone from the seventeen states, Mis
souri to be the key-stone.
Ninth, an industrial school for colored
children.
Tenth, an endowment of a chair for
the science ot motherhood to be sustain
ed in some institution of learning.
Eleventh, a woman's clnb honse to
cost one million.
It was decided that these various pro
jects should be submitted to the clubs
of the purchase states, through the
presidents of their state federations,
their decision to be reported back
through their state presidents to the
president of the Missouri Federation.
Doubtless another meeting will be
called during the year when a final de
cision will be made as to tho memorial,
and arrangement made for the celobra
tion to be held at the St- Louis fair.
Too much praise cannot bo givon to
the Kansas City club women for their
hospitality to the stranger club women
who attended this conference. Of them
it may be Baid: They are "given to hos
pitality." The task ot entertaining so
many delegates was a large one, but it
was done with such system that the
labor was reduced to a minimum and
the spirit of heartiness in which they
were received gave a glow to the pro
ceedings from the first. Two olegant
luncheons were served in the dining
room of the club house and two beauti
ful receptions given in honor of visiting
club women, added not a little to the
agreeablenees of the occasion.
"In days gone by," Baid one of the
delegates, "when this vast region blos
somed with the savage, the sunflowers
and the prairie dog, tho god of fortuno
looked to the east, the north and tho
south and chose the bravest hearted
men and women of those regions and
planted them in the valley of the Kaw."
A Nebraska woman who chanced to
hear this remark felt like adding, "Tho
work begun in faith has far surpassed
its earliest hopes."
Surely every delegate who attended
the conference returned home feeling
that they had received new inspiration?,
new thoughts and new ideas. We are
working for all things that will make
women stronger, better, braver truer.
Belle M. Stoutenborougb.
Helen Keller, the deaf, bljnd and
hitherto dumb girl, now a student at
Radclitf College, has learned to talk.
This week she astonished and delighted
the freshman class, of which she is vice
president, by makiog her first public
speech, at a class luncheon in Fay Hall.
Helen was called upon by the chairman,
and responded with a brief address, in a
low, unmodulated, but rather musical
and perfectly intelligible voice. Her
few remarks were received with warm
applause. She is now nineteen years of
age. Woman's Journal.
The Middlesex Woman's club adopt
ed the following resolutions at a busi
ness meeting held January 8th:
Whereas, The board of directors of
the General Federation of Women's
clubs has refused, up to this time, to
ratify the action of its executive com
mittee in admitting to membership the
Women's Era club ot Boston,
Resolved, That we, the Middlesex
Women's club of Lowell, Mass., regard
this action as a tacit adoption of a color
line which is unauthorized by the or
ganic law of the General Federation
and is contrary to its professedly unBec
tional and nonpartisan character.
Resolved, That we hereby earnestly
(Continued "on Page 10.)
11
J.
I
