The state herald., 1891-12-04
woMAn's WORK roH THE FAIR.

woMAN's WORK FOR THE FAIR.
Report of the Woman's Department
of the Colorado Board Of
Managers,
The following Is the report made to
o. G. French, secretary OF the Hoard OF
Worlds Fair Managers OF Colorado Of the
woman's department for three months end
ing Nov. 10, 1891.
Owing TO the condition OF the funds ap
propriated for Worlds Fair purposes, all
work OF agents in our department was
stopped Immediately after the last quar-
terly meeting Of the state Worlds Fair
Board, and we have therefore only to re.
port what we have done individually.
As this has necessarily been confined to
writing letters, and answering very mum
erous applications for work In this State,
in connection with the Worlds Fair, and
also for places In Chicago during the expo
sition, this may not seem very important;
but 1t has been rich In one result, that OF
arousing In the women Of tho State an en-.
thusiastic interest In the approaching Col
umbian exposition, and . desire to do
credit there to the Stats which we are
proud to call our home
When the executive committee Of our
board decided to appeal to the counties
throughout the State, asking them to as
sumo the expense of collecting their own
cxhibits for the exposition and appoint
their own agent to do this work. 1t seemed
to us but just, that each county paying for
this labor should also have tho naming OF
the lady TO take charge Of the woman's de.
partment of their county; and by permis-
sion OF our executive committee, we wtpte
to the various county commissioners to
this effect. We inclosed to them q circu-
lar-letter which outlined what the women
OF the State hoped to do, and wrote to them
what part Of the work for the State the
Worlds Fair Board had especially as.
signed to us to do. We also wrote to one
lady In the most populous town Of each
county, told her OF the authority vested In
her county commissioners, asked her TO
call meeting of the ladies, read TO thcm
our outline of work, and together decide
upon an energetic, capable woman who
had the leisure and the interest In the
work necessary to secure the best possible
exhibit for her county, lady who they
would heartily aid and cooperate with,
aud this decided, TO ask her appointment
by their commissioners, who would read.
lily see the propriety Of the ladies sharing
tho responsibility Of the selection of the
lady TO represent them in this work.
In Arapahoe County petition signed by
more than hundred prominent women oil
Denver, asking that Mrs. Geo. l.. Scott
should be appointed TO this work, was
presented to the commissioners on October
9Th, and they responded by appointing
Mrs. Scott that very day. They also
placed 10 per cent. OF their appropriation
TO the credit OF the woman's department
El Paso County has appointed Miss 4.
A. Crowell, who has written me that she
will very soon begin active work. This
mornings mail brought me letter from
Mr.. c. S. Faurot, announcing the appoint.
ment OF Mrs. Mary L. Carr Of Longmont.
have received letters from nearly every
county in the State, and there is certainly
no lack OF energetic, competent women
willing to undertake the work, but as the
assessed money will not come into the
treasury until January, there seems plenty
OF time still, and some appointments have
doubtless been delayed for this reason.
A lack Of available funds embarrasses q
few counties, and others are so sparseiy
settled that we can not expect them to do
much. We hope, however, TO send an ex-
hibt OF some kind from every county In
the State.
In orocr to do this and yet not take up
too much space with duplicates, we have
thought that II might be possible to ar.
range plan by which each county can uA-
dcrtake some special class OF work and
pledge themselves TO carry ths, portion to
competition.
For instance, there must be some coun.
ties In our State where dairy farming IL
tho leading industry; suppose these should
pledge themselves TO see to II that our ex.
hibit OF butter aud cheese should be sec.
ond TO none at the exposition: that 10
counties where bee culture 10 carried on
by women. those should make this indus.
try their main exhibit; that the prepare,
tion OF pantry stores should be given Ia
charge Of other countics-ths fruit grow
Ing ones It might be-and 20 on through
the industries. but that every county
might send the exceptionally oxcellen,
work found in what we might term the
decorative arts, and In manufacturer, aud
In such lines Of work - arc unusual for
women
The line OF exhibits that the lady man
ayers have been especially urged TO obtain
are OF those industries where men aud
women work together In order to show
how many employ mcnts are really o,en to
women, that they may Judge what they
are best fitted for by their liberal or limit
ed education, what occupations are best
adapted to their time und strength, and
which arc most rcmunerativc. In other
words, To make known to those who most
need assistance, where to apply for work
with a reasonable hope Of securing IL.
Much OF this information must Of course
be made known through statistics. md Mr..
iiodine, the commissioner OF labor for
Colorado, has kindly offered 10 furnish us
with all needed information conccrnlng
women wage earnrrs, thus relieving us OF
the enormous task OF collecting these
statistics.
Respectfully submitted.
SUSAN H. AsmLEt,