The Portland daily press., 1896-10-15


new born interest is healthy sign, and
should grow till 1t embraces the whole
Federation.
| Closely related to this Is the study of
civios which has engaged the attention
OF several clubs since our last annual
meeting. These clubs recommend that
the Federation should use its influence
to secure increased attention to this
branch in the common schools, and to
| urge teachers to fit themselves to do
effective work therein,
4. parliamentary law-From the
mum Der OF clubs who have been studying
parliamentary law we may conclude that
women are preparing themselves to yield
cheerful obedienos to the Pauline injuno-
tion to do all things decently and in or
der. The wonan's meeting Ia NO longer
to De trreverently spoken of as talking
bee, "inor yet to be one. IL is to be q
place where the best thought Of the com-
munity is to be expressed in the manner
most effective. and where all questions
OF public interest will be considered In
accordance with recognized laws of pro-
| cedure.
5. The study Of educational fifth
lesson Of interest is to be learned from
the increased attention which women
are pay ing to our educational methods
and their results. From all parts Of the
State come suRRsntions and requests that
We MANI tuO SOuOOl5 Uu0 VI 0QE Cul0l
subjects Of study. This is right. Woman
is the most potent factor In education In
Maine today. What the schools are now
IL largely the result of her ]abors, and
what they ore to be in the future will be
what she will make them. That this Is
true will be seen from the statistics Of
the State superintendent Of schools. In
1896, 1886 teachers were employed In the
public schools Of this State Of whom all
but about 1900 were women. The pro-
portion Of men employed as teachers
grows smaller year by year, and it will
not be long before the responsibility for
the success Of our schools will rest more
heavily on women's shoulders than 1t
does now. 1t is fitting therefore If
women should prepare themselves for it
by making the schools the subject of
special study. II men are to surrender
this field of labor to women as now
seems likely women should for their own
good fame see tc it shat the work is done
better than ever before.
6. The study of AIT and musio-As
evidence that the aesthetic side of life il
not to be neglected come the reports from
twelve clubs who are to work along
musical, artistic, or architectural lines
during the year. This speaks well for
the culture of our bers, and will do
| much to draw attention away from the
purify lhlleUlC sue OF llll0.
Z. Recommendations-I have at vari-
GUS points in this report quoted some of
the recommendations which have bee n
made. In addition to these are a few
others among which are ~ that we
should work for the artistic and sanitary
improvement Of our cities, villages and
hamlets; (2) that women should organize
debating clubs; (5) that we should en-.
phasize the position and value of
" rnorysc a In hu /dA fhof yHa chnn1d la hOr
to secure manual training in our public
schools: (5) that women should try to
secure more concentration of effort upon
the things in which they are interested;
(6) that the Federation should not med
die with reforms or charities, but should
confine its work within literary, artis-
tic, and other educational lines; (7) that
women should not look upon the club as
place for gossip about the last new
book. picture. or play, but as place for
genuine work for which earnestness OF
purpose and thorouRhness Of preparation
are Indispensable.
This, Madame President. Is but
meaRer and imperfect bstraot of the an
swers to my letters; but. it will give
hint at least of the direction in which
women are working, and some sugges-
lions OF other lines OF labor.
respectfully su bml tied
KATE CLARK ESTABROOKE.
Secretary.
Miss SouIe's report as treasurer,
showed balance of s67. rs to the credit
of the Federation. 60
The calling of the roll was next in or
der, followed by Miss Bianchard's In
teresting report from the Bureau OF
Reciprocity, as followsI