The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-04-22
A CORPS LEADER.
NebraSka's New President Woman
Of Experience.

Of Experience.
OF Observation-Disclosures from the Depart
ments.
The election Of Julia g. Bowen to the re-
sponsibIs etfice of Department President OF
Nebraska brings to the front again one OF the
most experienced and capable officers IN the
State, and one of the earliest and most faithful
in the work. Her husband, Gen. A. d. Bowen,
was one of the Grand Army delegates to Denver
who voted to make the Womans Relief Corps
the official auxiliary of the GAR. and took
lively interest in the institution OF the work IN
Nebraska The National W.R.C. was formed IN
1883, and February, 1884 Mrs. Bowen became
identified with the Order, and has performed
important service local. State and National.
Department President Bowen, nee Juha ..
Babcock, was born in Monroe Mich. IN the
year 1S42 and was educated in the Young
Ladies' Seminary in that place She was "a
member of the senior class in 1862, put ieie
school to be married to A. II. Bowen. Lieu
tenant in the 18th Mich, and was with him
much of the time during his prolonged ana
honorable term of service. He was mustered
cut April, 1866. as Breyet Brigadier-Generai.
liz 1871 the Bowons removed to Nebraska,
where they have since resided, and where they
have been recognized leaders in soldier WORK.
| In 1884 President Bowen served as depart
ment Instituting and Installing Officer ana
| the same year by appointment OF National
| President Kate b. Sherwood, served as Ma
tional Corresponding Secretary. and IN 1850
was the Department Secretary. She was
| member of tho Executive Board for the years
| 1880 and 1893, and was again Departmeht
Secretary in 1894 serving also on tue stan OF
| National President Emma r. Wallace as Ma
| tonal Aid.
| President Bowen is well known in National
! Conventions, having served as National dele
| gate at Minneapolis, Portland, Detroit, ana
| Pittsburg. She was elected at the 18th annuai
Convention, Department of Michigan. held IN
| Hastings, home of the Bowens. where Depart
ment Headquarters have been established, Inc
list of the official staff is as follows: ). W.,
Fideia NJ. Rupiper, Harvard; J. V.-P., Belle
| Majors. Peru; Treas, Annie +. c. Church,
North Platte; Chap. Angelina Hortb. Shelton;
| ms, l.. Z. Spade, Juniata; l. and /. ohcer,
Jennie Z. Lonnikcr, Madison. Executive
| Board. Sarah Sweet. Ann h. Askwith, Ella >.
Brown, Ellen g. Barber, Alice c. Dllworth;
Press Correspondent, Mary r. Morgan, Alma.
Many strong women are coming to the front
in the Department of Nebraska, as In many
| others. who are taking a broad and compre-
| hensive view of the high possibilities oil the
Woman's Relief Corps rs an auxiliary OF the
Grand Army of the Republic. Among these IS
| u,
| paper On the aims and objects OF the Woman
| Relief Corps nj the installation OF Department.
officers in which she reviewed their success
| full efforts to make vital the motto OF the
Grand Army, adopted as their own. In an ad-
dress she said recently:
Ten years ago it was rare thing TO see
Old Glory waving from the District schoolhouse;
to-day you can scarcely find an educational
hall that is not graced with the Stass aud
Stripes. Ten years ago Memorial Day exer-
cises in the public school were almost un-
known; to-day teacher would indeed be
sighting duty who did not prepare program
i'm memory of the fallen brave. Ten years
.go, salute to the flag given by the public
school children was exceptional exercise
to.day you would blush to say, you a
teacher, that your pupils were lacking in this
direction.
PATRIOTIC CONTEST.
| One of the recommendations made by the
National Committee Patriotic Teaching,
WR.C. is that Relief Corps everywhere put
forth efforts to inaugurate patriotic contests
either in connection with the public schools OF
at entertainments gotten up under their an-
! spices.
The most recent contest reported is one from
Hebron, Neb., gotten up by Lucy j. Barger,
President of Morton Corps, as part Of a Wash.
!. ington's Birthday entertainment. held in q
leading church of that place. Her son, Lorin
Winslow Barger, was one OF the competitors
and to him the committee awarded the first
prize. The second prize was awarded to Mercie
Pratt.
In this contest is again illustrated the in1u.
, | ence of the patriotic mother in moldng the
character of her son. From the time of st
, Augustine and his mother to the present time
history is full of instances of this kind. The
J priceless legacy in this instance bequeathed Il
the son through father, who was brave
Union soldier, is doubly enhanced by the loya
and careful training of patriotic mother.
T President Lucy j. Barger, nee Dodge, is {
native of Wisconsin. born Oct 6, 1853. He
, father was from Connecticut, her mother from
New York.
Comrade Barger traces his ancestry 10 tn,
Winslows of the ayfower. His army servic,
! included seven months in rebel prisons, most o
3 | the time at Anders0nvile in the Summer O
{ 1864. Mrs Bareer comes of patriotic ancestry
though her father was prevented from enter
. ing the service on account of his motheres
3 | children.
' President Barger was q charter member o
Morton Corps. instituted at Hebron, Neb il
{ 1892. She has served three years rs Secretar,
and one az Senior Vice. President As Presi
, dent she is very active IN Corps work, ant
preparations for an October bazaar are nov
j. going forward to replenish the relief fund
also for an impressive observance of Memoria
r Day.
q Lorin Barger is one of four children, tire
o sons and daughter. all highly patriotic. II
will graduate at the Hebron High School Ma,
i. %, 1897.
0 NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN.
: A communication has been sent to all tn
}, Corps within the jurisdiction of the W.R.C
auxiliary TO the GAL from the Committee G
q the National Council of Women, asking for con
II tributions to the fund which has heen from til
r beginning a volunteer fund. This comnun
u cation is approved by National President Agne
= Hit, and proceeds from the office of the Secre
u tary, Lou Stuart Wadsworth of Boston. Tn
following plea 10 set forth:
u "The benefit. to be derived from Relief Corr
d utilization with the great body of women cor
rs stituting the National Council of Women ca
d. hardly be measured. as through their agenc
the work of our Order has been brought befor
the people OF this land as il could not have bee
done in any other way. The subject OF Pa
riotism has received decided impetus and
IT is one OF the most prominent features at all til
s meetings OF the Council, the latest instance b.
Is ing at the open meetings held in Boston, d.
n cember last which attracted universal after
RI ton. 1t is desirable that our interest in tn
a work should not be allowed to wane. especial
of as the third great Trienpial will be held
Q Washington, February, 1893, but that v