Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-16
WORKING GIRLS CONVENTION.
\ Notable Gathering of Female Work
crs In New York.

About four hundred delegates have arrived
at the Working Girls Convention in New York.
The papers Of the opening session yesterday
afternoon III the Metropolitan Assembly Rooms
were listened to by attentive audience.
which crowded the hall. All the delegates
were supplied with note books and industri-
ously noted down the practical suggestions of
the speakers. Notable features OF the conven-
ton are the ability of its speakers, the practi-
Cal character of their papers, their good de-
livery and the clock-like promptness and pre-
cision of the proceedings under the leadership
Of Miss Grace Dodge.
Miss Edith Howes. directress of the Boston
clubs, read one OF the ablest papers of the ses-
sion on How to Arouse the Intelligent Interest
OF Members. She dwelt especially upon the
power OF personal influence and faith in each
other; upon the need of trust rather than pity
IN any work that elevates. Not long ago while
waiting at a station a working girl overheard a
conversation between two women. The subject
was working girls and their hard lives. Poor
things they exclaimed how hard they have
to work and how wretchcd they are in their
miserable homes" The working girl said:
MY blood boiled. Don't they know how many
working girls live in happy homes? Ny own
Is small. to be sure. but neat and pretty. and
everything IN 1t dear to Us because we had TO
work hard to gctit. We don't need their pity"
The night session at Cooper Union had an
audience of $500 women. The hall was beau
tifully decorated and the exercises opened by
the New York Club song. written by Miss Maria
Is. Chaplin. Miss Grace Dodge gave an account
of the work of the New York Associations dur
ing the past year. Four new clubs have been
added to the association. and an auxiliary
society to promote the interests OF the clubs
formed last December 1t already holds
SlS.0 III trust for the building OF u second
summer vacation home for the use of club
members. They feel that they are only on the
threshold of this work of organization, and that
great possibilities are before them. Already
they are discussing plans for the starting of a
journal TO be the organ of the club.
The address of the evening was bv Mrs.
Terhune marion Harlandj on "Co-operation
and organization among women for the build
ing up of homes" Marion Harland's name il
household word in a very special sense
Although now grandmother she is still a
woman OF striking presence, with a spirited
delivery. and her speech was heartily enjoyed
by the large audience of young women
Home ana women. she said, are words that
go as naturally together as hook and eve. cup
and saucer. Whatever else man can do he
cannot make a home. A WORKING girls So
ciety in every such neighborhood is a quality
OF heaven which the Master commands The
beginning may be only to coax a girl whose
brain is full OF finery and fellows to attend
club meeting in your room. The end may be
home worthy OF the name with brave SEN
sible woman at the head OF il.
Mrs. L. ID. Cl ymer of Sorosis explained in
few words the organization of wOmen's literary
clubs throughout the country. and Mrs. Fergu-
son. OF a London working wonan's society
closed the evening with few words of greet
ing from England