The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-10-22

change since its inception has been
asked from the Secretary of the Di-
rector's Committe. Accordingly l have
compiled from the Book of Records a
few of the items in a continuous story.
On the 21st of March, 1895, a commit
tee of w. c. T. L. ladies appointed TO
investigate the subject of starting a
Woman's Exchange, met at the resi-
dence of Mr.. T. D. Garvin, King street.
President Mrs. J. NJ Whitney, Mrs.
Garvin, Mrs. VIM. Hopper, Mrs. o. H.
Gulick, Mrs. E. Jordan and Miss NJ. A.
Chamberlain. AS invited councillors
were also present Mrs A. Macintosh,
Mrs. r. ]. Green and Miss Caroline
Castle.
After a very thorough explanation
of what a Woman's Exchange is, given
by Mrs Garvin who had personal
knowledge of a very successful one in
Santa Barbara, Cal, the Honolulu
Woman's Exchange was made tangible
by forming a Board of Directors of six
of the ladies present. Mrs. ]. NJ. Whit
ney, President; Mrs. VIM. Hopper,
Treasurer; Miss NJ. A. Chamberlain,
Secretary; Mrs. Garvin, Mrs. Gulick
and Mrs Jordan the other members.
Later Miss Mary E. Green was added
to the committee. Also adopting rules
and regulations and appointing as ma
mayer Miss Evelyn Oliver, lady who
kept a small grocery and general supply
store on King street in connection with
an association in San Francisco, Cal.
Miss Oliver had signified her willing
ness to rent us part of her store, and
to act as general manager as far as pos
n 6or. h11S
ness. Articles explaining the charac
ter of the enterprise with the rules and
regulations and the names of the direc
tors published were published in all the
and modest canvass
made of the community for funds to aid
us in opening. Changes were made in
Miss divers store to adapt it to our
purpose.
There were four very enthusiastic
meetings of the directors, and much
personal work done before the opening.
On the 3rd of April, 1895, at an early
hour, the committee were on hand at
the Exchange room to prepare for the
public reception at 10 o'clock. very
creditable assortment of articles and
curios was displayed in the show win
dow and on the shelves, while in the
show case of the counter were dainty
ny d0pOSIJOIS, VI DIOuSuI
in as contributions by members of the
society to help on the opening sale.
Home made bread. rolls. cakes and
other god things were quickly disposed
of, as also quantities of beautiful art
flowers: and a nice little sum was gain
ed for the expenses of fitting up the
Exchange and paying the first months
rent.
From April to July ten director
were held, and many ques-
tons of interest or perpleXity discuss
ed and arranged. 1t was decided to
sell poi as regular article of daily
call, and a great deal of thought and
personal investigation was employed
in securing the best and most scrupu-
lousy made article of this diet.
About the 1st of May the Secretary
left for visit TO Hawaii and her place
was filed temporarily by another lady
of the committee. She returned in
July to find the directors all absent on
vacations, and the manager
smallness of the daily sales and the
falling off of some of the best food de-
positors. With the opening of August
1895, came the dread visitation of cho-
lera which paralyzed business, and
August and September the
fate of the Exchange seemed trembling
in the balance. The manager with
great self-sacrifice kept the concern
alive, and although her own business
scarce supported her asked no COM
pensation for her own services. All
we could hope to do from the Exchange
was to raise our portion
If rent. On the 18th and 18th Of Sep
ember the directors met again after
he vacations and held serious consul
alton whether we should give up the
experiment.. The ladies were most re-
uctant to give up the enterprise it had
,ost us so much effort to initiate, and
he suggestion was made to try and
aise a little more money, and enlarge
" renting Miss divers vacant room,
levoting it wholly to the Exchange
goods and making it and our display
more attractive. Two of the commit
ee at once pledged themselves to raise
3 apiece toward this outlay, and their
pledge was more than redeemed dur
ng the next month. At the directors
Meeting of Sept. 18th, it was decided to
ay the question of continuing Ex-
hange before the next full meeting
If the w. c. T. U.
This meeting was held in Central
Union Church on October Sth, 1895.
The support and encouragement re-
eived were such, that a vote was taken
o go on in faith and enlarge. On the
I4th of October the directors met at
Hiss divers store and decided to rent
Ter vacant room at $40 a month and
it it up for our exclusive use. At the
anne time the question of opening a
unch room to assist in the support OF
he Exchange was agitated, but the
act that no such business could be
Begun without a fifty dollar fee to the
Government put great obstacle before
Is. Then the suggestion was made of
folding a bazaar toward the end of the
ear to raise the needed funds for the