The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1897-07-10

have series Of parlor lectures given by
different men and women OF the state.
The leaders Of the different departments
are:-Current Events. Mrs. c d. Schelf;
Art, Miss Ida Tew; Music, Mrs. Walt
Mason; Domestic Science. Mrs. g. X.
Davis; English Literature, Miss Parham.
A new depsi tment, American History
is soon to be formed under the leader.
ship Of Mrs. A. Hardy. With the stimu-
lus OF the meeting of the Nebraska State
Federation in the fall we are looking
forward TO successful year.
In the July number Of the Midland
Monthly's club department. 90 interest
ingly complied by Harriet @. Towner, is
the following by Mrs. D. c. McKillip
Of Seward:
NEBRASKA. 49,. The Nebraska FEEDER.
alton OF Women's Clubs was organized
at Omaha December 10 1894. 1t now
numbers fifty five clubs. An unique
feature of this Federation is it's circula.
ting library, which furnishes many an
enterprising little club, that cannot pur.
chase necessary books, a means of
prosecuting its studies and keeping in
touch with the world Of intellect and
culture. To Mrs. Belle M. Stouten-
borough, of Plattsmouth, now President
Of the Nebraska Federation. belongs the
honor of it's establishment. At the an
nusl meeting at Lincoln, in the fall Of
1895, this quiet little woman stepped to
the platform and announced that there
was an old Persian proverb which said,
He who wears shoes thinks all the world
covered with leather" and that those
clubs whose members had large private
libraries, or were so situated as to have
access to well stocked public libraries,
little knew the difficulties other clubs,
less fortunate. had to encounter. She
then made plea for those study classes
which are possessed Of just as much en-
thusiasm as their more fortunate sisters,
but often are without the necessary
books to pursue their work. 1t was sug-
gested by Mrs. Stoutenborough that q
donation of ten cents per capita Of the
Federation members would start such a
library. and an annual donation of like
amount would keep it well supplied with
necessary books. So successful was Mrs.
S:outenbcrough in impressing her audi
be. xhot e
was moved to take up a collection at
cnce for circulating library. A librarian
was appointed. and the circulating
library OF the Nebraska State Fedora
ton was an accomplished fact. All dele
gates were requested to report to their
clubs upon returning home, and to for.
ward donations to the librarian as SION
as possible, with list of the textbooks
they would require for the years study,
as an indication Of the class of books
desired. Several clubs donated lib
orally to this fund, especially the Omaha
Women's Club, as it is one of those for.
tunate clubs which wears Shoes" and
did not need the help Of the library. A
feature of this circulating
library Is that any club which lie a men,
Der OF the Federation is entitled to use
the books, even if it does not donate to
the fund 1t is virtually for the benefit
Of those small study clubs Throughout
the State that are unable to buy reference
books. This library does not operate as
other travelling Libraries; it is not sent
from town to town, but any club wish
ing books sends in a list for those re-
quired for the years study, and the
librarian forwards them at the clubs ex-