The Portland daily press., 1896-10-16


irrespective position OF creed, uniting
to raise the standard of life
Mrs. Frye then traced from theae be-
ginninRs the growth of the Maine
Federation.
The Afternoon Session.
The afternoon session was opened with
By Mrs. White, Miss Rice, Mr.. Day and
Mr.. Pierce. 1t was given with a zest and
charm which gave groat pleasure.
Mrs. Hum, the vice president, called
the meeting to order.
"he business of the morning was post
pol@a until Friday, and the regular pro-
gramme was followed. Mrs. Eaton of
the Skowhegan Woman's club, read an
account of her trip to the biennial meet
Jug of the General Federation at Louis
vile, last spring. Her story OF the pro-
cOedings there was an entertaining one
and showed the great interest which the
mem bers of the Fede rations are taking q
in their work.
REPO RT OH THE EDUCATIONAL
COMMITTEE.
Mrs. Edith B. Woodman, of Bangor,
chairman of the educational committee,
with tho "a clu ba in her section of the
State. From these SOURCES Mrs. Wood
man obtain ed much interesting informa-
tion. Tue report says!
The Dial Club Of Fairfield reported
that tha Book Club. which includes
many of the Dial's members, had started
a circulating library with their books,
| believing that it would prove stepping
| stone to a public library. They had
| also induced some Of the young people to
| form themselves into club to aid in the
| wcrk.
| The Woman's Club of WateryiS had
appointed committee to visit schools
| and libraries and report the same at
| the club meetings.
The Literary Club of Winthrop ex-
pressed great interest in the work. Its
members were visiting schools often and
| attending Teachers Meetings fortnight
y. They had also raIseo funds to fur
nish a reading room and magazines and
papers in connection with the public Ii
| brary. 1t was found that the club was
influencing the school girls SO that they
were reading IA better class Of books than
| heretofore.
| ing an in terest in the work, by visiting
schools and by sending lists of books for
young people to the Library. They also
hoped to do something towards fund
for library building.
| The Woman's Literary Club of Dexter
appointed committee to visit schools
and report on the same at the club meet
| ings. This committee prepared q care
fully selected list of books for children
under fourteen years of age which was
placed in the library and was much
consulted. A debating club in connec-
tion with the High School was ais o
formed by this committee and was a
source of profit to all concerned.
| The Athene Club OF Bangor is so large
and its meetings are of such Il nature
that have always found it difficult to
reach it's members generally. This year
l asked that an Educational Committe
be appointed, whose duty should be to
devise some plan by which the club wom-
en- Of Bangor might be induced to take
a part iu this most important work.
| A com mittee of six was at once ap-
pointed with Mrs. H. @. Beedy as chair
man. They determined, first Of all, to
themselves become acquainted with the
| actual working Of the schools, to cooper
ate with the tea ohers for any and all good
purposes, and to have an eye to tho sani-
tary conditions and hysienic surround
ings of the buildings. They also sought
to interest the community by publishing
in the papers Of the city each week,
items pertaining to the schools. On Jan.
a8tb, at the request of Mrs. Beedy, Miss
Mary Snow, the able Superintendent OF
the Bangor Schools presented to the Ex-
eoutive Board of the Athene Club, the
educational conditions and needs of our
city in SO interesting a manner that
much enthusiasm was aroused. On Feb.
22d public meeting was held under the
auspices of the Athene Club, at wbiot
Mrs. Beedy and Miss Snow both spoke
upon educational matters and public
school work. This meeting was well at
; tended and accomplished much in Rwak
ening a goneral interest.
Later when there WAS danger of losing
Miss Snow for want Of proper emunera
tion for her invaluable work, the Athent
Club at once took up the matter and ap
pointed committee to interview th,
Mayor. with the result of her salary be
ing raised and her services in the super
intendence of the schools retained. The
, first meeting of the Athene Club thii
season will be under the direction of the
Educational Committee, who will pre-
sent plan of work for the coming year
The public school teachers of the city
will be the guests of the club on this oc
, casion. 1t is very gratifying to me, be-
fore giving up the direction Of this edu
cational work on behalf of the State 4 ed
GRAFTON, to be able to report some genera
action on the part of the Athene Club O.
Bangor.
/ think the discussion which followed
the report of the Committee OH Stat'
Board of Education, at the midw Intel
meeting at Orono last February die
much towards arousing a real and earn
est interest In the general management
and oversight of the schools of our State
I know that the remarks of Miss Snow
at that time aroused suoh an interest
among our people. For my own part
most earnestly hope that such a change
in the management of the schools of this
State may he brought about In the neal
future, as sincerely believe 1t will raise
our educational standards and be gener
ally beneficial to our educational inter
ests.
Just before the midwinter meeting
had an interesting letter from a member
of the Dial Club of Fairfield In regart
to travelling libraries, together with
some official papers on the same subject.
Tbe letter also conta ined the suggestion
that IL a State Board of Education
should be appointed. the State Librarian
and the Secretary OF the Board should
be one and the same person. I regre
that there was no opportunity to hrinl
this subject of travelling libraries be
fore the clubs at that time, for / think
ia ono worthy of their confederation