Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-07
THE LADY MANAGERS
WORK, PLANS. AND HOPES OF TIE
BOARD FoH THE WORLDS FAIR.
women,s share In Industrial Activisy--fo
Act on the Juries Of Awsrd--The noaf''
Hesaoosrters--woman's Condition.
r,vr,,,sn for tho pispa,ch.I

The Board OF Lady Managers OF the
Worlds Columbian Exposition. when was
authorized by the Fifty-hrst Congress,
consists of two women commissioner anu
their alterpstes from each State and Terri
tory. nine from the city Of Chicago ana
nine commissioners at large.
The creation OF this large and representa-
tive board was the direct result OF the e4-
cellent work done by women at the Gen,
tennial Exposition in Philadelphla anu
later st tho New Orleans Cotton ExgosI,lo;n'
In Philadelphia the Womens oolnu t -
sion. under the energetic managelnens. +.
IN GET tooether a creditable exhibit OF wo-
mems work and TO raise the funds 70 erect
a bnildinq-the Women's Pavihon--in
which to display It. They also arranged
for and superintended the opening cnoFuS
sung by one thousand children.
In New Orleans Mrs. Julia Ward Howe,
one az the noblest women OF this or any
conntrv. assisted by one woman commas
sioner from each State and TERRITORY, nc
complished wonders, and presented, aiIer
great difficulties, very creditanle anu ~
terestlng show Of woman's acmevements.
The work done by both these women
Commissions deserves recognition ana
gratitude for the great results oiought
about with so little outside assistance ~
had favorably influenced the public mind
and paved the way 10 the appointment OF
This larger board TO work conformity VIII
the National Commission TO make tne
great Columbian Exposition the grandest
celebration of the century.
IT'S COMPOSITION.
The Board of Lady Managers is COM
posed of women of many differing shaoes
of opinion-political religious, lnteilec-
tuai. and social-but they oil agree IA
hioh conception of patriotism and duty
and of their responsibility to the industrial
interest of their sex. In the list are 10 DC
found journalists. lawyers, doctors, col
lepe professors, real estate agents, STOCK,
raisers farmers, teachers, poets, anu
artists. So large O proportion OF the mem
bers are practical business-women Will
clear comprehension of the wage-earners
view of lite that their influence is the
dominating force in the plans ana puf-
poses of the board.
MERIT. NOT SEX.
The first question dealt with by the
board after the organization in Chicago IN
November was whether the work OF women
should be separate exhibit or should %
shown conformity with the work OF men
under the general classifications. ma
iority OF the women felt that the women
workers of the world had reached the
noint where they could afford 70 compete
for the prizes side by side with men; tina.
merit. not sex. should be considerei, anu
that no woman whose work was worthy OF
exhibition would value prize awarded oe-
cause it was for woman's work.
AGAINST SEPARATE EXHIBITS
Both in Philadelphia and New Orleans
there had been separate exhibits anu IN
both cases the friends of women were as
appointed By the meagre display naue
when the work done by women dtone was wa
exhibited and they were not credited WIN
the immense amount, immense both IN
variety and in volume. which women nad
done in conjunction with men. II was
therefore decided that there should ne NO
separate exhibit but that each exhibitor
should be required TO state whether MS
manufacture was in whole or IN part the
work of women, and that some device IN
dicating that fact should be placed thereon,
so that all who 90 through the ExposItIon
and are ut all interested in the matter can
see the share women nave IN prouuclhs
our industrial activity.
A HIoHLY-PBIzED PRIVILEGE.
A most important privilege for the pro,
lection of women's interest was conferred
upou the board by the act OF Congress,
which entities them to act as members on
the iuries Of award for - oil EXHIBITS wnloh
NAV be produced in whole or IN parS ny
female labor" This privilege has Deen
Greatly enlarged by the recent action OK
the Board of Control; it is one OF the most
hiehly-prized and jealousy guarded rights
of the Women's Board, and they Will avail
themselves of it to the fullest extent.
HEADQUARTERS.
The Women's Administration Building,
which will be the headquarters OF the
hoard. will be one of which every woman
in the country may well be proud. Ihe
Young lady who aesignedit received $1,000
as prize, and her design was selected from
twelve Others, all the exclusive work OF
women architects and all creditable:
A beautiful site has been selecte1
and the generous sum OF SzOO,;,
600 appropriated for the erection OF
this triumph of woman's skill and
ingenuity. In this building will be an
adminlstration-room, commlttee-rooIns'
and a large assembly-room for all lectures,
congresses. conversations, and organiza,
tions of women; there will be parlors and
balconies where ladies may rest and chat,
a bureau of information with guides and
interpreters for strangers, and provision
will be made for all possible wants OF
ladies and children. This building and all
its facilities will be offered free Of charge
to all the women of the country.
FROM FOREIGN LANDS.
The board, through its president, has
sent petitions TO foreign governments ask
ing each of these governments TO appoint
bodies Of wemen TO cooperate with them
in securing q comprehensive exhibit OF
women's part in the labor of this mum
dane sphere-in all the countries OF the
globe. In case this request is granted, as
IL already has been in few instances and
doubtless will be in Others, 1t will be
great gain for women; 1t will give women
In many countries recognition never be-
fore accorded them by the State, and II
their duties are satisfactorily performed 1t
will lead to their recognition In similar
projects in their own countries and open
the way to new and greater opportunities
by drawing attention to the condition and
capabilities of the women Of many lands.
woMsN's CONDITION.
The desire Of the board is to give q com.
plete representation of the condition OF
women in every country of the world at
this day, and more particularly of those
women who are bread winners. They wish
to know what work they do at what
prices, and under what conditions. They
wish TO learn the educational facilities OF
women the world over; where they have
access to free schools and colleges. and
whether they are permitted the same
graduating honors that are accorded IL
men, and how large proportion OF them
have shown themselves capable of taking
such honors. They aim to show also the
new avenues of employment that are con-
stautly being opened to women, industrial
and Intellectual, and what education viii
best fit them for these. And they delight
TO honor the adventurous spirits of Their
own sex who first dared to enter upon
paths of industry, science, and philosophy
hitherto forbidden TO the weaker vessel
The names OF Maria Mitchell and Phillips
Garrett Faucet should be inscribed on The
walls of the women's building, not lowel
than that of Isabella of CASTLE.
THOROUGH CANVASS
The board proposes to establisha bureau
OF statistics and make thorough canvas.
in order to discover for itself the condition
of the women laborers of this country
especially the amount of child labor EN-
ployed, the proportion of pay women ge
for their proportion of work, to ascertain
! il woman's quickness and delieacy of toucl
are of distinct value In some kinds of EN-
! ployment. and to see if there are any sa
lent features which have never yet beer
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