Los Angeles herald., 1891-03-25
WOMEN WRITER'S.
THEIR RECENT CONVENTION HELD
IN SAN FRANCISCO.
the Gathering = Southern California
Well Represented.

Clara S. Brown sends to the HERALD an
interesting account OF the meeting Of the
Women's Press association, recently
held in San Francisco, from which the
following extracts are taken:
SAN Francisco, March 2lst.
The Women's Press association was
organized fn September, 1890, chiefly
through the efforts of Mrs. T. Y. Park
| hurst of San Francisco, and this conven-
tion is the first that has been held.
There were about sixty delegates pres
| ent, the total membership at present
being lib. The association is under
great obligations to the Southern Pacific,
Santa Fe, and other railroad combines
for their courtesy in sending passes to
all the members who had signihed their
intention of attending the convention.
Able and interesting papers were read
by the president, Mrs. Nellie B. Eyster
(author of that successful book, A Colo
nial Boy); Mrs. Parkhurst, the cores
ponding secretary; Mrs. Sarah B.
Cooper, the mother OF the kindergarten
schools in this city; Mrs. Charlotte
Perkins Stetson, who is so well known
in Pasadena and Los Angeles, as a
reader and lecturer; Mrs. Kate Douglas
Wiggin, author of the charming One
Summer in a Canon; Eliza D. Keith,
Di Vernon, of the News Letter; Mrs.
Mary 0. Stanton, the physiognomist.
Also by Mrs. Sarah Nj. Severance, Miss
Agnes Manning, Mrs. Florence Will
Mrs. John R. Berry, of San Diego; Mrs.
Sarah Sanford and Mrs. Elizabeth Oakes
Smith. These were interspersed with
recitations by Mrs. Stetson and Mrs.
Rosa Hartwick Thorpe; vocal and in
strumental music by the best San Fran
cisco talent, and readings by Louise
Humphrey Smith and Mrs. Lula
Ellis. The audiences were large
and comprised many of the best
PEOPLE in the city, so / am told
by resident. am proud to tell you
that Mrs. Stetson has captured San
Francisco. She is the topic of the day
amongst those who were so fortunate as
to hear her at the convention. Her
paper on The Coming Woman set every
one to asking, "Who is she ?" and
"Where did she come from 2" and when
she followed up that incisive, daring,
keen-witted essay with poems, both
grave and seriocomic, her success was
complete. There was quite delegation
from Los Angeles-Mrs. Neal, Mrs. Mary
E. Hart, Mrs. Belle McComas, one or
| two whose names l did not learn and
myself. We missed Mrs. Otis, Mrs.
Caroline Severance and Mrs. Jennie
Chase, who are members of the associa-
| ton. Every attention was paid to the
visitors. They were invited to an
elegant luncheon on Tuesday by Mrs. ].
w. Bruner, of sthe Elsinore, and on
Wednesday partook of an elaborate
breakfast at the residence of Adolf
Sutro, of the celebrated Sutro Heights.
Toasts, poems and bright speeches made
these occasions feast to the mind
as well as to the "inner man." Mr..
Sutro presented each member of the
club with an album of views of his beau
tiful home overlooking the Golden Gate.
| The annual convention will be held in
September at Hotel Coronado, through
the courtesy of Mr.. E. s. Babcock, the
ladies' annex of San Diego and the
| various railway companies.
| Now for word of criticism, in which
| / am joined by a number of the mem-
bers. We enjoyed the convention and
papers read, but they were not such as
| we expected to hear in press club con-
vention, with one or two exceptions.
They we've such as might be heard at any
woman's club meeting, treating largely
of woman suffrage, and of the inferior
position allotted her by man. Other
subjects were chosen which are good in
their place, but do not seem to be what
| is needed most in gathering OF journal
| lists and literary workers. We looked for
helpful hints cleaned from the experience
of Others, for the exposition of literary
methods, for advice and discussions
| in the various branches of pen work.
Most of the papers were too long, and
| larger number of members should have
been given an opportunity to address
the others on any subject appropriate to
the occasion. "Di Vernon" whose nom
de plume just suits her, delivered a
sparkling but practical discourse on the
young woman in journalism which was
the most fitting and valuable essay OF
the entire convention. One of the city
dailies said the addresses showed that
only very few of the women had any
practical knowledge of newspaper work.
This was not 80, though it appeared in
| that light.