The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-11-12
WOMEN'S LITERARY UNION.
Held a Most Interesting Meeting
Saturday.

Live Topics Discussed by Able Women
Women Can Work ON the school Board
with Men in Harmony-De1ightful
Singing by Mrs. Helen Winslow Potter.
| The first meeting of the Women's Literary
Union this season was'he1d at Second Adj
vent church on Saturday afternoon, the
president, Mrs. John B. Coyle, presiding.
There was full attendance of club women
despite the disagreeable morning that had
preceded the clearing weather, and great
| interest was manifested in the proceedings.
In taking the chair, Mrs. Coyle opened
the meeting with very pleasant speech,
in which she stated that the Union has a
membership of 446, representing 4S clubs,
| and then turned The meeting over to Mrs.
George G. Frye, the chairman Of the educa-
tlonal committee.
After duet for piano and flute by Misses
McGregor and Goodwin which ELECTED
much applause. Mrs. S. A. Stevens read a
paper on what it is to he we'll educated?''
She brought out the thought that children
should not commit bare facts from text
books, but should he taught to think for
themselves and to digest what they read
Mrs. Stevens was followed by Miss Ella
S. Sargent who had for her support 1.-THE
highest development of the child along the
line of his three-fold nature. the physical,
the intellectual and the moral, is reached
by the cooperation of the mother and
teacher. How can it be effected2 The rela-
tion of the kindergarten to the public
school," Miss sargent's first argument was
that the child should be taught thought and
when taught to think intelligently might be
sent to the public schools. She thought the
kindergarten was the best place of bringing
out the better nature of the child. That ii
little Children were interested they would
learn faster than from boo ks She believes
that the children who 60 from the kinder
garten prove the brightest pupils in our
public schools. Miss Sargent's paper was
listened to with the greatest interest
throughout
Mrs. Noal Burgess followed with an in
spring word upon the power of ideal educa-
ton built upon Know Thyseh.'
Mrs. I. j. Brown, former teacher in one
OF our public schools. was asked to recon-
mend books to be used as supplementary
reading, in geography, United State history
and science, for children in the grammar
schools. Mrs. Browns paper shows the deep
interest she still retains in the schools. She
is a strong advocate of school libraries and
thinks it of the greatest Importance that
every school should nave one. She recon-
mended many books which would be in
structive and interesting to the scholar.
The next number. a musical one, was
finely rendered by Mrs. Potter.
Mrs. J. c.. White had a three fold subject:
How Do the Public Schools of Portland
Compare With Those of Other Citiesi" ''To
What Extent Can Individual Training be
Made Practicable IN the Public SC hools?''
THE Responsibility Of Mothers inl.egard to
Efficiency of the Public Schools
Mrs. White is most enthusiastic on the
school question, and her paper shows
familiarity with the schools that we think
few mothers in the city can equal. But if
the school lives OF their children, and If
the teachers felt that they had the
sympathy and support of the mothers. our
schools would be more efficient. Mrs. White
has visited the schools of Providence, Bos-
ton and Portland, and thought that the
Providence schools lead in many lines. She
is an earnest advocate OF good ventilation,
large dry play grounds. manual training,
SoWiuS anu GOuhluS. enc ludOc lie StaLC-
ment that Portland was fifty years behind
Boston in placing sewing in the schools, bnt
hoped that it would not be so long before
cooking schools ere established. She be-
lieved that children, il taught cooking at
the public schools. would make happier
homes. and better wives and mothers.
SHOULD We Not Urge More Thorough
English Education" was Mrs. f. E. C.
Robbinss subject. Mrs. Robbins spoke OF
English in ouI schools-that too much i'm
portance could not be given TO correct
speech, and suggested that mothers under
stand how thoughtfully our teachers arc
trying to cultivate correct expression
Mrs. Frank Clark responded to an ideal
school board in very happy manner with
an original poem. and the discussion which
followed was earnest and showed that the
ideal school hoard should he composed of
men and women with '.sanctifed common
sense" as well as education. keen under
standing of their possibilities, and those of
teacher and children.
Mrs. E. s. Osgood then followed on s'By
what code OF law is the father eligible to
the School Board and excusable from all
other responsibilities pertaining to the
school lite of the child.'' Mrs. Osgood gave
each parent equal credit for responsibility
in the school life of the child.
Mrs. Helen Winslow Potter then rendered
the Nightingale Song in charming
manner. In repsponse to most earnest en-
core she gave 1T Was But Dream.'
Mrs. Frye voiced the sentiment of the
society in vote of thanks to Mrs. Potter.
who was obliged to leave at once to take
train for Boston.
Mrs. j. W. D. Carter read letter from
Mrs. Snow. one of the school board of Ban
gor. which claims that men and women can
work together in harmony, and good results
follow, and that those teachers who we're
opposed to the Invocation are now her most
enthusiastic supporters.
Following the papers was general dis
cussion by ladies in the audience.
Mrs. Osgood gave short account of the
delegates meeting of the National Fedora
ton OF clubs at st. Louis. and spoke of the
fact that the Atlanta Exposition had as
signed one day for the Federation. to which
all members are invited, and all clubs asked
to send delegates.
The president referred to the sickness If