Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-01-05
WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT.
THE WoMAN'S CONGRESS.


Brief Summary of the Proceedings OF the
Last Annual Session of the National
Woman's Congress.
The woman's congress, which held
its last meeting in New York in Octo-
Der, was one of the best. The papers
covered variety of subjects, ably
treated. They were spirited and often
brilliant. Discussion followed most of
the papers.
1.-THE Responsibility OF Women for
the Tone of Public Sentiment was the
first paper contributed by Laura B.
Clay, of Kentucky, and read by the
president of Sorosis, Mrs. M. Louise
Thomas. The paper pointed out the
disadvantages of "inferior education,
dependence, poverty and political dis
ability" under which women are labor
ing, and showed that the remedy lay
in the education of popular sentiment
to the belief that the true liberty of
woman consisted in her emancipation
from dependence upon others for the
means of subsistence The theme
was further discussed by Rev. Antoin-
cite Brown Blackwell, of Elizabeth, N.
j., who declared that 'the hearts and
thoughts of women could remold So
ciety in decade" Mrs. Rebecca N.
Hazard, of st. Louis, contributed A
brilliant paper on Home Studies for
Women" which was read by DR..
Julia Holmes Smith 1t was a criticism
of the old education for women as
compared with the new system of
''Home Clubs for the pursuit of all
sorts of knowledge. The paper was
ably discussed by Mrs. Howe, Miss
Mary i. Eastman and Mrs. Henrietta
L. I. Wolcott.
On the first evening Miss May
Rogers read paper on "Women in
Relation to Labor" and Mrs. Frances
Fisher Wood read one on Scientific
Charity" These papers were dis
cussed by Mrs. Ednah d. Cheney and
Miss Mary +. Eastman.
On the second day there was an ex-
ecutive meeting of the Board of Direc-
tors. Mrs. Howe presided. Mrs. H.
/. I. Wolcott, as chairman of the
Committee on Science, submitted an
encouraging report, which was sup
plemented by further reports on
Journalism" by Miss Lillian Whit
ing, of the Boston Traveller; "Educa-
tion," by Mrs. May Wright Sewall, of
Indianapolis, and "Women and the
Labor Reform" by Mrs. Mary c. Peck
ham, of Providence.
The afternoon session opened with a
poem by Mrs. Rebecca A. Halfway,
representing the cause of the women
as advancing to the tune of John
Browns Body" The first paper was
by Mrs. Anna Garlin Spencer. 1t was
strong plea for 1.-The Need of Intel
lectual Sympathy among Women" on
all points of belief, character and
morals. TAe session closed with dis
cussion of THE Responsibility of the
States to their Dependent Children, ="
by Mrs. Mary f. Cobb, of Germantown,
who for several years has been an act
i've worker in the cause of prison re-
form and industrial education. Mrs.
Mrs. Frances E. Harper shared in the
discussion OF this paper,
The papers read at the evening ses-
sion were Thought, Hope and Con-
ISOLATION from Browning" by Mrs.
Mary E. Bagg. and 1.-The Egyptian
Women" by Mrs, Charlotte B. Will
bour, of Paris. Both papers were
carefully discussed. Mrs. May Wright
Sewall read apaper on "Women as
Educators, which elected an earnest
discussion. Mrs. Sewall said: up to
1889 the men monopolized for one hun
dred and forty-seven years the profess
sion of teaching. but the enormous
change since that time is shown in the
last census, which reported that rs. 500
men are engaged in teaching and scicn-
tific pursuits, as compared with no.
600 women. Yet but a slight share in
the direction of education is intrusted
to women" Miss Julia M. Thomas,
of the Health Protective Association,
treated of the relations of health and
education, declaring that the ghost Of
percentage haunts the health of the
cbil1ron Mice Eastman ooJ NJ. II
l.. I. Wolcott took part in this discus
sion. A paper on 1.-THE Development
and Growth of Art in the West" was
read by Mrs. Mary L. Wing of Ne.
braska. Mrs Howe read paper on
'Aristophanes," and Miss Wendell one
on Freedom of Fate" The Congress
then adjourned.
The following officers were elected
President-Mrs. Julia Ward Howe.
Secretary-Miss Ella C. Lapham, Of New
York.
Treasurer-Mrs. H. L. T. Wolcott, of Massa
chusetts
Auditors-Sophia C. Hoffman, Of New York
and SarahJ. Eddy, of Rhode Island.
Among the vice-Presdents are: Mrs. Ednal
d. Cheney, of Massachusetts,; Mary c. Peck
ham, of Rhode Island; c. A. Quimby, of Maine
Caroline r. Wendell, of New Hampshire; Prof
Maria Mitchell, Of New York; Antoinetts
Blackwell, of New Jersey, and Dr. Jennie K
| Trout, Of Canada.
The Directors include: Miss Mary F. East
man and Caroline F. Kennard, of Massschu
settss Mrs. Lits Barney Sayles, of Connecticut
Susan Woodman, of New Hampshire, and DR.
| Alice McGillavray, Of Canada.
The papers of the woman's congress
should be published and circulated fol
the large audience who could no
attend, but who would gladly shar'
the benefit of them. Il. s., iR Woman