Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-06-13
TO Be NAMED PRENTIS HALL
KANSAS CHAUTAUQUANs To HONOR
ARKANSAS CITY WOMAN.
VIII Name Their Handsome New
women's Building at Forest Park
After Mrs. Noble Prentis,
Always womnn's Friend.

Ottawa. Kas., June 12.-CSpeclai.) During
the nineteenth annual session Of the OF
tawa Chautauqua assembly, which opens
tomorrow, there Is one day, THURSDAY
June Il. which is called Labor day II K
rightly named for more reasons than one,
for on that day will be dedicated a monu-
ment to one wOman's labor for Kansas ana
Kansas women. So many years ago that
TO count their number seems impossible
there came to Kansas a young woman
young in years, in wisdom. in experience,
perhaps-but old in her sympathy for and
her desire TO help other women 10 read
the then new story Of intellectual develop
ment. For years we early Kansans (and the
writer's personal recollectiOns date back 10
the '60s) knew this woman as Mrs. carrie
Anderson; knew her as the ~breadwinner
for herself and little daughter; knew her
as the friend and intimate of every Kan
san of note in those early days; knew her
as a leading spirit in all enterprises, social
or p~hilanthTopic, locally in Topeka then
her lone and throughout the state as
well. Always u devoted mother; always a
loyal kanSan; always. too, with that IN
dcmitable spirit Of perseverance in her es-
peCial efforts for the higher home educa-
ton of the women of her state. And when
the Social Science Club, the first Of the
intellectual state clubs, was organized
there came 10 its councils this woman. who
saw with unerring instinct what that or
EdHlZdLlOu was u AO AOls aid III AAAN FN@A'
to come be to. the women Of the Sunfower
state, to the rank and file OF Kansas
motherhood.
The years came and went and the Social
Science Club of Kansas grew and grew,
and like all Kansas clubs there was hrst
one club, then one more; and, then, by. the
peculiarly necromantic manner IN Whlch
the average Kansas woman solves the
mathematical puzzle OF organization, OF
course there were eleven. Meeting semi
annually at first. then annually, there
Tarna fggarhar al these meetings the cream
Of Kansas highest type Of conservative,
intelligent. dignihed and because OF their
conscious power IN all a1airs OF import
ance relating TO themselves, their homes
and their beloved state( self-TespectlnS
womanhood And through all this work
was woven the effort and influence OF her
who was Carrie Anderson, but whom Kan
sans honor to-day as Mrs. Noble Prentls.
Holding at different times every office
and honor which it was in the power OF
the club to bestow, Mrs. Prentis grew, as
the club grew into popular favor, more
and more interested in the Work OF
higher education for women Then IN lsS9
came a change, and the star of the Social
Science Club grew dim, and there was per-
haps a tiny bit Of grieving in the hearts OF
partnership that were 10 cease; but as dim
mer grew the S. S. c. there appeared IN
stead a brilliant constellation, and 1t was
called the Social Science Federation.
The new organization was and is COM
posed of all the leading women's study
clubs In the states of Kansas and Western
Missouri: for the women of Missouri, first
peeping through the cracks OF the fence
which divided them from their more ad,
viewed with longing eye the good thing on
the other side, and finally, gathering close
ly, their petticoats OF timidityi mad ooidiy
And while ali this was going on there
was vet another idea taking root among
Kansas women-the idea that there must be
n middle ground. where all clubs. political,
temperance, suffrage; and all other aSso-
their line of work the advancement Of
women. could meet-and It was at Newton,
then the home Of Mrs. Prentisi ana through
voice, and in 1855 the Woman.s Council OF
Kansas became once and for all time a nix
ture in Kansas annals and a factor IN her
assembly. as the great Kansas intellectual
campmeeting is called, added a new Depart
ment to its assembly work and called II the
woman's department. And the conduct and
management of this new departure was
Prentis at its head. Like Riley's turnip;
'it grew and II grew" and Thursday VIII
sea the dedication OF the beautiful woman's
building which has been built at torest
The hall is a pagoda-shaped structure,
white, of course. open at all sides: out with
well as giving air. II Is comfortably seated
and furnished. and admirably arranged for
vii be always distinctiveIy the woman's
building. vet, from all corners OF the state
has come one unanimous demand; that the
WCmen of Kansas-honoring her whose face.
like the beautiful flowers of her beloved
state. has been turned ever towards the
rising sun" of freedom in its highest and
obIes sense for Kansas womanhood-shall
forever perDetuate that name at Forest
mark: and that. as in the hearts of Kansas
womanhood will live the loving rsmem-
brances of this other flower of the Kansas
p~rairies, so in beautiful Forest PARK shaH
stand her memorial Of the love OF those
whose helper she has been. and the name
| OF that memorial will he cut in letters OF
| stone over the doorway OF the woman &
building. and thew who pass within will
read 'Prentis Hail.