The Portland daily press., 1892-02-15
WOMAN'S WORK
In the Professions, in Science and
in Philanthropy.
STORY OF GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS
TOLD TO LITERARY UNION.

DR., Alice Avery Tells of professional
Writes of "Women in Science''-Mrs.
Percival Bonney's Account of the Do
ings of "Philanthropic Women
The second meeting for the year of the
Woman's Literary Union, was held in
Bosworth Post hall Saturday afternoon
and was. largely attended. The meeting
opened with report from the recording
secretary pro TEN, Miss Hittie Kensel, of
the November meeting, which was
termed a Lowell Day" Following this
a letter was read by the president from
Jean Kincaid (Estella MerrilD who sent
greetings to the president and members
and referred to the pleasant day in June
spent with them as day marked with a
white stone in her memory. She also
spoke with appreciation of the Long
fellow souvenir spoon, a gift from the
union to her little boy. At the close of a
few well chosen remarks by the presi-
dent, DR.. Alice Avery was introduced,
the subject of her paper being
professional American women,''
which she intelligently treated. In open
ing she said: II believe very truly that
the position which women occupy in
a country is test of the country's civili-
zation,' and America must claim prece-
dence in advancement as its women oc-
cupy the first and most enviable position
among all the women of the earth. Yet
less than generation ago it was thought
that woman entering a profession be-
came unsexed and unwomanly, but the
gentle, sympathetic, womanly woman
whom we now find in the professions
contradicts this Judgment, for the expe-
riences of professional life are calcu-
lated to exercise and increase these traits.
DR.. Avery then referred to the pioneers
in the medical profession, among whom
she mentioned Harriet Keziah Hunt, pu-
pill of DR.. Valentine Mott, as the earliest
practitioner, who opened anoffice in Bos-
ton in 1885, practicing without diploma,
having been refused admission to the
Harvard Medical College. but later, in
1858, the Woman's Medical College of
Pennsylvania, conferred upon her the
degree of M. D. Following her was
DR.. Elizabeth Blackwell,
who, like DR.. Hunt, met with much op-
position but received the degree of M. D.
at the school in Geneva. N. Y, in 40.
Soon after, she opened an Office in New
York city, but so great was the prejudice
against women physicians that she was
obliged to purchase a house in order to
successfully carry on her work. Among
the first pupils of the Woman's Medical
College in Pennsylvania was the Quaker
ess Ann Preston, who afterwards became
officially connected with it, and it is due
to her influence that much of the preiu-
dice against female physicians has been
removed.
Women have for many years earnestly
endeavored to alleviate the condition of
the insane. In the hospitalin Morristown
where DR.. Alice Bennett is superintend-
ent, there are between six and seven hun
dred patients who are under little or no
restraint. The asylum is furnished with
a kindergarten room and an art studio
where pupils are happy although their
work is often grotesque. There are now
3s medical colleges open to women and
seven exclusively for them. Prominent
in the ministry is recorded the familiar
name of Lucretia Mott of Philadelphia.
Of the churches which regularly ordain
women, the Universalists stand at the
head, the Church of the Disciples second,
the Unitarians third, while the Congrega-
tionalists officially report six ordained. In
the law, Mrs. Lockwood was the first to
be admitted to the bar and practice be-
fore the supreme court. This occurred
in 1879. A large number of others fol-
lowed. And yet while busily engaged in
professional work many women are MAX
ing and keeping happy homes and guard
ing the interests of their children.
Mrs. M. p. Frank
then favored the company with a very
interesting paper ON ''Womanin Science"
Scientific research by women" she
said, ''has been considered until recently
wholly unsuited for the feminine intel
lect; music, literature and art being the
only safe and decorous branches Fore
most among the many women in the
present century who have won laurels
and success in science stands Prof. Maria
Mitchell, native of Nantucket, Mass,
who was presented by the King of Den
mark with a gold medal and medal
struck in copper by the republic of San
Marino in Italy, for the discovery of
telescope comet in At, was professor of
Astronomy at Vassar College in 1865, and
was the first woman made member of
the American Academy of Arts and
Sciences. Mrs. Sarah Hall, of Revolu-
tionary times, was prominent as an early
mistress of scientific knowledge, while
in Brunswick, Me-, resides Miss Kate
Furbush who deserves to rank with the
leaders of botanists. Her artistic as well
as literary work in her book entitled
1.-THE Flora of Maine'' is exceptionally