The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-10-29

the ladies with two solos, during the
business session.
The evening programme was
opened by an address from Ella
E. Lane Bowes, of Chicago.
The purport of her remarks was that
industrial schools should be estab-
lished and maintained by the govern
ment as much as schools for higher
education, since a majority of our coun-
Ary's youth are not able to avail tkem-
selves of opportunities for advanced
study, and should, therefore. be given
an industrial training by the state.
Mrs. Scheffer pleased the audience so
well with the rendition of piano solo
that she was induced to respond to an
encore, after which Mrs. Edith M. Co
nant addressed the audience on the
necessity of art in everyday life. The
trend of her thought was that art had
an enabling influence on every phase
of life and should be made part OF
every feature of work to counterfeit
the dulling influence of drudgery and
detail. The last two musical numbers
were violin solo, by Miss Hope Payne,
and a soprano solo, by Miss Gordon.
AS the address of Miss Evans sums up
the years work and surveys the devel-
opment of the federation movement,
it is here given in full:
THE MESSAGE OF THE YEAR.
The Minnesota State Federation of Women
clubs publishes no annual report. The presi-
dent of the, federation may, therefore, after
the example of presidents from Washington
to- Mckinley, be allowed 10 give message
and thus displace that document of which it
has aptly been said: 'If you wish to keep
anything a profound secret print it in an
annual report"
To us as federation comes, as to Socrates
in the temple of Apollo at Delphi, the in
functions Know myself
We shamefaeediy confess that, despite the
danger of large numbers, the proverb. al popu-
lar American love of quantity infects us,
and we desire to know our growth. 1t has
been normal and healthy We may therefore
heartily congratulate ourselves on our gam
during the year of twenty-four clubs, with
approximately 800 members. The gain from
thirty seven clubs at our first annual meet
ing TO forty-eight at our second and e15hty-
one at our third is an indication of natural
development.
The charging scope of the federation is also
shown by the new music clubs, the mothers
clubs, the parliamentary associations, etc.,
which have federated.
Mrs. Osgood's story of the Maine woman
who, when asked if she were to become a
mo; 1 never did care much about parlor
etiquette" will soon become an impossibility
here.
SUBJECTS OF CLASS STUDY.
Nearly all of our clubs pursue some regu-
lar or miscellaneous outline of study toe
varied to permit classification. In general,
however, we have in our studies followed the
fine and ,angled paths of French history
and diplomacy; have rebuilt Spanish cloisters
and palaces; have traced the labyr.ntnlne
threads of the German empire and the equally
may mysteries CT its young emperors ma
ture; have thrilled in sympathy with the
Swiss love OF nature and liberty; have learned
our debt in art and institutions to brave Ut
~ i. I1,- nrad q w. O
theaters, temples and forums, and felt the
mingled joy and sorrow of her picture gal
leries and Vatican; in English travel and IN
vestigauon of Shakespeare we nave felt anew
the cords which bind us to the mother coun-
The subtle ;ntr;cacies of midas complex
civilization have baffled us. The swiftly
changing governments of Mexico and South
America have emphasized for US Dom Pedro s
eloquent utterance. as before the great Cor
-lss engine at our centennial exposition, When
he was told of the number OF revolutions
which it made in a Minute, he SAID: why,
that is more than a South American repub-
lie makes,
The study of our national resources-our
mines, our parks our historic sites, our
government and our national neeQs-haVe oil
come before our clubs
The eighteen clubs which have had miscei-
.laneous subjects and the eight allied cur
rent events clubs have struggled sixteen to
one with the gold and silver question; have
pronounced all womanly anathemas upon the
paralytics- nisealled, the powers-of Europe
have sighed with Nansen for soap ana So
ciety; have traced the sixty years OF progress
at the good queens jubilee; have followed all
the latest phases of scientific research, or Mt
erature of art, exploration and discovery.
Others have sought order in the chaotlc
principles of sociology; have studied, as well
as applied household economics; have pur-
sued child study and physical cultus.
Contrary to the usual opinion as to the %
cult nature of our pursuits, only one club
has sought, through Kiondike dincult;es;
Robert Browning's golden ore, and verified
his own words, that the poems are not q
Substitute for q, cigar, or game Oh oominoes
Who can doubt that with all this study,
there has come to club students greatef
breadth of mind, more direct VISION WIN WIN
,depth and. fneness of culture? Or who can
doubt that the light from these subjects has
been Iadiated in thousands OF MONIES ana
been reflected more or less wildly III all
the circles which our lives have touched .
QUALITY OF WORK.
But Ike Mr. Hewells, we say. with the
popular American love of quantity, there was
always an underlying love of quality and
hoIe that | do not too fondly believe that ii
is this which is coming to characterize US
as a federation as we'll as natlohally.
We seek the essent al tineness in our STUDY.
The triumph over the temptation to that
superficial work which has been ep1tomlzeg
N Dante in twenty minutes is evidenced
bv the programmes of the year. IN many
of these the limited and special subjects and
The lime allotted to them indicate thorough
ness and defini:eness which would 90 credli
to any college class of to some OF our learned
Our he I. c ty coma it by its e;dy ep,
has done mucn to develop this Increased
thoroughness.
though still largely in hope to secure the
same end. Both commit ices hope this co ming
wear TO be ready to offer to cubs lectures
from eminent specialists in clue SUBJECTS
1nctY
cured by subscription and the lectures then De
thrown open to the public double purpose
wi be served.
The gain in requirements from our stuly
has net been sight but the results on chaE-
acter must be greater.
LADY Borthwick, in speaking of the weak
ness of women, she finds 1t evidenced oy
the trivalities, petty jealousles splteiu ness
scandal mongering and untruthfulneSs OF mel
life. says that these things ARE to be re-
moved by more recognized and important
position.
now faint women not rather to be removed
nv her transformation into woman with the
full power and splendid attractions OF knowl-
edge, ''as Sidney Smiths prophetic eyes long
ago saw her, that ideal woman, whose heao
is as good as her heart.
The woman who lis bounded on the north
by her servants, on the south by her chill
dren. on the east by her ailments, and on the
west by her clothes, does not be-ong TO
Minnesota Woman's club.
1t is well to face the possible truth in q
woman's published statement, although we
NAV not concur in it: The masculine stric-
ture is true that the average womans work i:
vitiated by an excess of those very qualities
wherein ought to consist its power, by an
intensity which ignores proportion, and senti-
mentality which ignores law"
The antipodal extreme of the mental habit
which allows the mind to become excited
over petty obstacles, which makes any dis
arrangement or criticism a personal affront and
causes unnecessary agony over nothings is
that habit induced by accurate, thorough
honest study, such as we seek to do in our
study clubs.
Another growing chara cte -istic Ct club men,
hers is changed attitude toward learning.
They no longer wonder that Queen Victoria
began to learn HinduStanee after she was
low, oo1-