137

CRUSADE OF WOMEN'S CLUBS

Plans Laid by the State Federations and Its Convention at Fremont.

Delegates Return With the Most Glowing Account of the Hospitality Extend to Them.

Plattsmouth Honored In Securing the Next President-Mrs. J. E. Keysor of Omaha Elected Vice President-Gossip.

Club women naturally like gossip about the clubs, and this is for them. It is a mild dissipation, something like the drinking of a cup of fragrant and pale celon tea.

The state federation held its annual meeting at Fremont Thursday and Friday of the last week. A party went down fomr Omaha composed of Mrs. W. G. Thompson, Mrs. Gannle B. Patrick, Mrs. Harriet C. Towne, Mrs. Rose Strawn, Miss Mary Fairbrother, Dr. Freeda Lankton, Mrs. Blanche L. McKelvey, Mrs. Jaynes, Mrs. L. R. Harford, Miss L. M. Harford, Mrs. Julia C, Hoobler, Mrs. Francis M. Ford, Mrs. Julia F Marsh, Mrs. B.F. Weaver, Mrs. C. A. Mirchell, Miss Haubens and Mrs. Porter.

The cordilaity of the greeting at Fremont was just what might have been expected. Women came in form every part of the state, and were welcomed at the station. Although guests had not ecpected to be entertained, only delegates having been offered or having any right to ecpect such hospitality, yet, as a matter of fact, nearly all of hte cisitors at Fremont were cared for in homes.

The officers of the federation the last year have been Mrs. A. W. Field of Lincoln, president; Mrs. Belle Stoughtenrough of Plattsmouth, vice president; Mrs. J. S. Haskell of Stromsburg, secretary; Mrs. Ameret Roseman of Fremont, treasurer; Mrs. O. A. Abbott of Grand Island, auditor; Mrs. Elia W. Peattie of Omaha, librarian.

The program as printed, followed without any important alterations, was as follows:

THURSDAY, 10 A. M.

Meeting of boared of directors. 10 to 12 o'clock-Meeting of delegates to present credentials, pay dues and receive badges.

1p.m.- Invocation
Instrumental Duet-Beethoven's Sepiet. Mrs. Frawley and Miss Blache Turner. Reports of secretary, treasurer, auditor and librarian.
Music-Song, Mrs. F. B. Harrison.
Address of Wlcome-Mrs. J. F. Reunolds, president of Fremont Woman's club.
President's address-Mrs. A. W. Field.
Address-'Responsibility of the Woman's club Toward Public Questions," Frances M. Ford member of the board of directors of the general federation.
Paper-"Significant Phases of the club Movement" Mrs. H. M. Shuman, Nebraska City Woman's Club.
Music-"Old Folks at Home." Lorelel quartet, Miss Lillian Terry, Mrs. A. G. Edwards, Miss Maud Oakley, Mrs. D. A. Campbell.
Discussion-"Woman Before the Lae" "Perosnal Flights" Miss Vesta Gray. Fremont Woman's club; "Property Rights," Mrs. Elizabeth J. Tracis, Plattsmouth Woman's club; "Women in Nebraska." Mes Archibaid A Scott, president Lincoln Woman's club; Nebraska Products," Mrs. O. C. Holmes.
Appointment of committees.
Roll call of delegates by the secretary.

EVENING
Collation and reception by Fremont Woman's club
Toss and music by Fremont talent and Lorelel quartet

FRIDAY
9a.m.-Music, duet, Mrs. Cassus Reynolds and Mrs. F. S. Harrison.
Paper-"food Standard," Mrs. J. C. Field, Beatrice Woman's clubs
Discussion-"Is a Small LImited Club Capable of More Effective Work Than a Large Club?" Small club, Mrs. D. C. McKillup, History and Art club Seward; large club, Mrs. O. A. Abbott, Grand Island Women's club.
Thirty minutes for general discussion.
Three minute reports of clubs
2 p.m.-Reports of committees,
Election of officers.
Transaction of business.
Reports of clubs.

Mrs. Field, the president, has a reputation for parliamentary reliability, and justified her reputation in presding in the pretty hall of the Fremont Woman's blub, which was made gay with autumn leaves, ropes of simlaz and asparagus, chrysanthemums, begonias and foilage plants. The addresses were happy and the debates blisk Mrs. McKillup and Mrs. Abbott proved to be very witty and keen, and the heat of the debate brought forth roars of laughter from the federation. As a matter of fact, the discussion concerning the merits of large democratic clubs, such as the Omaha Woman's club, and small exclusive clubs, was a model debate. The majority decided in favor of the large club, after listening to the arguments.

MRS. FORD'S ADDRESS

Mrs Ford's address was written at the rquest of Mrs. Ellen M. Henrotin, president of the general federation of women's blubs, Mrs. Ford being one of the board of directors of that body. Among other things Mrs. Ford said:

"Where shall the clubs draw the line between that which is worth doing and that which need not to be considered? We have power and influence. But shall we go fussily runnig about to correct this, that and othe other, interfering with everybody's business and often with their linterties? Most of the little things we long to wipe out will disappear of themselves if we let them alone, and there are other things which are so entrenched that it is but waste of time to attck them. The Chicago Woman's club is an example of discriminations if public effort. It undertakes no work which is needless, nor hopeless.

"But, having eliminated these classes of efforts into which we are liable to be betrayed there are still two important points to settle. First, shall the club do charitable work? and, second, answers both these questions with 'yes' and 'no' I believe that almost every community is well supplied nowaday with charitable organizations. We do not need to make another out of the Woman's club, though we may encourage and support those which already exist. There is, moreover, a clear difference between benevolence and philinathropy. We may feel no call to cltivate the one but we cannot have ton much of the other. As for the second question: Its answer depends upon what you mean by politics- that much abused word. If you use it as a synonym for trickery and corruption certainly the club need not enter it , but if, to your mind it stands for public welfare, public polley, public profit, why should any body of intelligent women remain outside it?"

The first day's work closed delightfullym with a collation served in a large and brilliantly "illuminated hall. Four hundred persons, one-third of whom were men, were seated at about forty tables. Red and yellow, the combined colors of the Fremont club and of the federation, appeared in the flowers on the tables, the bunting about the hall, the lamp shades and general decorations. The evening's entertainment was as follows:

MENU
"A Feast of Reason and a Flow of Soul" Invocation.....................Mrs. F. M. Sisson Ladies' Quariel-"Legends"............Mohring Miss Maud Okaley, Mrs. A. G. Edwards, Miss Lillian Terry, Mrs. D. A. Campbell.

Vocal Soin-"Madrigal".......Roy L Smith Mr. Dan II. Wheeler hr Omaha.

TOASTS.
"Our Guests"..............Mrs. M. E. Reynolds "Clubs".........Mrs. (President) Fields, Lincoln Vocal Solo-"For All Eternity"..........................Macheronal Mrs. C. H. Nye; violin obligate, Mrs. Julia Harpham.
Vocal Solo-"Sogna d' Amor..........Gregh Mrs. Cossium Reynolds.

COLLATION
Ladies Quartet-"Old Folks at Home"

TOASTS.
"The New Woman"........................................Mrs. Elia W. Peattie, Omaha
"The Old Woman".........................................Mr. H. G. Wolcott
"The Man We Left Behind Us".................... Mrs. Dan Harrington, Wayne
"The New Man"............ Mr. E. J. Barnard.
"The Old Man.......... Mrs. S. R. Twone, Omaha
"What Next?'..........Prof. Clemmons
Vocal Solo-
(a) "Habanera".................Carmen
(b) "One Spring Morning"...........Nebin
Miss Nella Rogers; Violin obligate, Mrs. Julia Harpham.

Vocal Solo-"Heart's Blossoms"..........................Roy L. Smith
"Old Man"...............Miss Mary Fairbrothers, Omaha

COLLATION.
Duet.............Selected Mrs. C. H. Nye, Mr. Dan II. Wheeler, jr.

Mrs. H. G. Wolcott, who filled the difficult post of toast mistress, added much to the brilliancy of the occassion with her humor and grace.

OFFICE ELECTED

The officers elected fro the coming year are Mrs. Belle Stoutenbrough of Plattsmouth, president; Mrs. Jennie E. Keysor of Omaha, vice president; Miss Vesta Grey of Fremont, secretary; Mrs. D. D. Nickolls of Beatrice, treasurer; Mrs. D. C. McKillup of Sweard, auditor, and Mrs. G. W. Lambertson of Lincoln, librarian

The committee on resolutions submitted the following which were adopted:

Whereas, The Nebraska Federation of Women's Clubs has been proapered during the last year be it

Resolved. That we thank our heavenly Father for his protecting care over us and for the bountiful supply of mercles bestowed upon us as an organization.

Whereas, The art department of the Omaha Woman's club, through its leader Mrs. Keysor, has generously contributed to the Nebrasa traveling library ten volumes of art history, and also the use of fifteen art portfolios. Illustrating the history of painting; therfore be it.

Resloved. That we acknowledge and herby express our appreciation of the same.

Whereas, Mrs. Elia W. Peattie of Omaha, who for eight years has shared with us the good and evil things of Nebraska, very soon leaves us for her new home in Chicago; therfore be it.

Resolved. That the Nebraska Federation of Women's Clubs express its deep appreciation of what she has done, not only for the clubs of the state, but for the solitary and unorganized women as well; be it also

Resolved. That while we remember her benefits to us, we wish for her happiness and properity in her new home:

Whereas, The third anual metting of the Nebraska Federation of Women's Blubs have been delightfully entertained bu the women of Fremont; be it therefore

Resolved. That we tender our thanks, wishing them scuccess in teh future as boundless as their henerous hispitality has been ot us.

The high grade of music furnished for the cocassion has been especially inspiring feature, and it is a mtter of congratuatlion that from our ranks such abundant and varied talen is at out command.
Henrietta Smith
Mary E. Foss
E. M. Cobb

The Beatrice Chautauqua sent and invitation for the federation to hold its mid-summer meeting on their grounds and to fill up one day's program. The Beatrice Woman's club also invited the federation to hold its next annual meeting in the city.