The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1896-12-05
OF MUCH INTEREST
Closing Session at Boston Of
WOmenS' Council.
Live Topics We're Subjects for
Earnest Discussion.


Boston, Dec. 5.-The second days Sc.
sions of the National Council of Women
which opened at Association hall yester-
day morning. were the notwithstanding OF
the convention. as well az the most large
ly attended.
The morning session was opened with
prayer by Rev. Anna Garland Spencer
of Providence. Then the reports were
In order. The Indianapolis council was
the first one heard from, Mrs. Elizabeth
Vinton Pierce reporting for the organ
iZation.
Mrs. Mary Bull Of quincy, Ills. for
that council, reported that the work had
been divided into four distinct depart
ments-philanthropic literary, social re-
form and educational and the work Of
each was outlined.
Mrs. Augusta l.. NJ. Hunt Of Portland,
Me-, detailed the work done in that city.
and referred to several matters in which
it is hoped to enlist the attention of the
legislature. Chief among these is the
subject of providing for an examination
Of wills by the public. after they have
been probated.
Rev. Anna G. Spencer spoke for the
Providence council, reporting that the
organization included 33 societies.
A greeting from Miss Mary Desha Of
the committee for Equal Pay for Equal
Work." was then read. In this Miss
Desha stated that work for this cause
was delayed pending passage of the
married woman's properly rights bill"
by congress. Now that the bill has been
passed and new administration has
come in, the agitation will be pressed
and 1t Is expected that 1t will result in
the placing of men and women employed
by the government on equal wage basis.
Helen II. Gardner Of Boston read a
paper on divorce reform which excited
| much comment among those present.
Mrs. Agnes Hit, president Of the ma
tional Women's Relief Corps, spoke on
the work of that organization, and Mrs.
Annie White Johnson read a paper upon
dress reform. She said, in part: TOO
much stress cannot be laid upon the SUBJ
ject Of dress reform. The committee does
not champion a movement which seeks
to destroy the aesthetic sense, neither
does 1t undervalue the Importance Of
| tastful and becoming dress. Its aim is
| to remove all those physical and moral
| conditions engendered by irrational
| dress, which have helped to arrest the
| development of woman. We would
ciothe them not less beautifully, but more
artistically. At / o'clock the session ad
| journed.
The closing session occurred in Asso-
| citation hall last evening. This was the
most enthusiastic gathering Of ALL Every
| seat in the hall was taken. The audience
was thoroughly representative of the
intelligence and culture of Boston's
womanhood. There were a few men
present
The exercises of the evening were de-
voted to woman's progress along the
! lines of human progress, with eXplana-
tions Of various departments which enter
| into the spirit OF woman's contention.
| Mrs. Dickinson, a most delightful and
inspiring woman, presided over the
meeting.
Among the numbers were greetings
from the Countess of Aberdeen and Mrs.
Willoughby Cummings, and an address
by Mrs. May Wright Sewall on THE
Expansion of the Council Ideas in For
eign Lands" Among the other speak
ers were Mrs. j. Ellen Foster, Mrs.
Frances Z. Bagley. Mrs. l.. NJ n.
Stevens, Mrs. Isabella Charles Davis,
Mrs. Rachel Foster Avery, Mrs. Kate
BrOwnlee Sherwood, Mrs. Mary New
bury Adams and Rev. Anna II. Shaw.