The National tribune., 1895-03-07
NATIONAL COUNCIL
OF WOMEN.
Patriotic Features of a Memorable
Fortnight.

Patriotic Teaching as an Element In Scfoo
Government-The Story of the Flag-Th,
Great Soldier Auxiliary Introduced to thu
Counci1-What the Grand Army Stand
For.
Patriotism in its best significance had ful
and free expression at the National Capita
during the two weeks sessions of the Second
Triennial of the National Council of Women
now passed into splendid memory; . memory
to actuate, animate and enrich the lives Of tn,
thousands upon thousands of men and womer
in attendance upon the day and night session,
of the Council.
Reference has been made to Washington'i
Birthday, the decorations, speeches and royal
acclaim to the flag, bat to fully describe tbs
scenes or give any adequate idea of the occasion
is beyond the power of human speech, written
or spoken, to fully portray.
Surely 10 was q pentecostal gathering when
men and women of all nationalities and cfeeds
and colors and every political bias met Under
the old flag to pledge themselves a1sw to its
sacred cause, as expressed in education, phflan.
thropy, purity, temperance, moral and govern
mental reforms. to all tho regenerating cults
and Sciences that are making u.s. in truth as in
theory, free and happy and humane people,
The presence of ex-President Bonny, OF the
Columbian Exposition, was an inspiration. 1t
was the first time be had ever appeared on q
| public platform TO speak for women, excepting
| at the Worlds Fair, and he spoke in no nm
certain terms of the value OF woman's work !;
of all they had done and were doing to make
the world brighter. better, freer. purcr; of the
need of their full cooperation in all that
makes for the bettermeht of humanity and the
world.
When, at the conclusion Of his speech, he was
presented a beautiful star-spahgfed silk flag,
by the Chairman of the Committee on Teaching
Patriotism he again paid fine tribute to wo-
man, and extolled the flag, tho symbol of law
and order, justice, equality and human rights
FINE POINT OF ORDER.
When Is beautiful little girls in red, white,
and blue, to the music Of the John B. Hender-
son Drum Corps Of boys, had executed march
on the stage and given the AherIcan Patriotic
Salute-"W We give our heads and our hearts to
God and our country: One country, one Ian
guage one flag and after they had sung 1.-The
Star Spangled Banner" and their Drill.master,
young Mr.. Fefree, had been presented with
souvenir flag by the committee, Mrs. Susan b.
Anthony rose to point of order.
Mrs. Anthony said: THESE patriotic women
in their zeal for the cause have invited the
girls to the platform while the boys stand OH
the floor below. Now, just as no platform of
men and boys is complete without the women
and girls, so no platform of women and girls is
complete without the men aud boys. i move
that the boys be invited to the platform"
There was great cheering. and the boys were
invited, Is Of them, TO the platform, and fling
right and left formed the body-guard Of the -
little girls. They were ali dressed in red zohave
uniforms, and prettier sight was never seen
since time began.
Then all rose and sang" America" while the
IN oh I'd a,.I, Ia
kerchiefs. and it seemed, in truth, that the
millennium of patriotism had come.
COMRADES TO THE FORE.
The superb decorations of Washinpton's
Birthday were the theme on every lip, FOR
which the National Council of Women ex-
pressed grateful thanks.
Besides the school banners loaned by Capt.
Wallace Foster of indianapolis, tho American
Flag Co.. of EastOn, Pa. sent with the Stars and
Stripes beautiful silk-fringed banneret to-
each member of tho Committee on Patriotism,
and to each of the general officers of the Ma
tional Council of Women. These were dis
played from the Presidents table, ard pre-
sented at close of session.
As each member of the Council wore the Ma
tional colors aud waved small flag at the
proper time. and the whole vast stage blazed
and famed with the National colors, some idea
of the beauty and splendor of The day can be
formed.
In addition to souvenir badges presented
officers and committee by Capt. Wallace Foster,
he forwarded an exquisite silk flag on a sta
tionary standard, to be presented President
May Wright Sewall. This high duty was per-
formed by Kate Brownlee Sherwood, Chairman
Patriotic Committee, calling forth from Mrs.
Sewall glowing eulogy of the work of patri-
otto teaching in which the Woman's Relief
Corps is engaged, and with which she is in full.
est sympathy.
There were many calls for the ritual of
teaching patriotism, which were met by the
American Flag Company, through their vet.
eran President, Capt. Keller.
PATRIOTIC PROGRAM.
The day session of Feb. 22 was given up to
the Council Committee on Patriotism; the
evening session to the Loyal Women of Ameri.
can Liberty and the Woman's Relief Corps
The former program was under the direct con-
troll Of the Council; the latter was arranged by
the Presidents of the respective associations
National President Emma K. Wallace standing
for the Woman's Relief Corps
On Saturday following. under the head of
organized work in patriotism, the work of the |
Woman's Relief Corps was presented by Kate |
Brownlee Sherwood, Delegate
Louise Bsronm Robbins read q mastery |
paper; her best recognition by the National |
Council OF Women was her election as National |
Corresponding Secretary, second only In i'm |
portance To that OF President.
Past National President Sarah c. Mink not |
only made full presentation of the American |
Patriotic Salute and the work of its founder. |
Col. George r. Balch, but through her was |
arranged the beautiful presentation of the Gag |
salute by Washington children, assembled by |
Mrs. Rose Ferree.
National President Emma r. Wallace and |
National Secretary Jennie 4. Bross were In at.
tendance upon the Convention of the Depart.
meDts of the Potomac and Maryland, in ad- |
dition to the duties of the National President
in the Council.
Past National President Margaret Ray Wick
ius represented the Illinois Industrial School,
besides being present as patron of the Council. |
OFFICERS OF THE COUNCIL. sd
The strong women of the Woman's Relief
Corps have been we'll recognized in the National
Council Of Women, and on the Official staff ara
numbered two OF the best of them-sns prom.
inent in National work and the other in State
and local work. These are Louise Barnum
Robbins, Past Department President of Michi-
gan, National Corresponding Secretary, and |
Helen Finlay Bristol. Past Department Senior
Vice President, Quincy, Ill, Second Recording
Secretary.
The official list follows: Pres, Mary Lowe
Dickinson, New York City; Y.-P., Rev. Anna
Shaw, Pennsylvania; Cor. Sec., Louise Barnum
Robbins. Michigan: Rec. Secs, Emeline Bur-
lingame, Cheney, Me-, and Helen Finley, Bris-
tol. Ill; Treas, Hannah s. Bailey, Maine.
Following are abstracts OF papers presented
by the W.R.C contingent, in addition to the
patriotic report and address OF Kate Brownies
Sherwood, already given. The first is from the
address of Louise Barnum Robbins OH Patriot
ism as an Element in School Government.
Patriotic instruction should begin in the