The age-herald., 1897-12-15
What Club Women Are
 Doing For Helpless Humanity

The meeting of the executive board of the State Federation of Women's clubs, which occurs in this city tomorrow at the Morris hotel, naturally attracts at tention to the work being accomplished by womens organizations in various parts of the country.
 One of the most important things con- sidered and discussed by women's clubs in Atlanta and Memphis as well as those of other progressive cities. Is the necessity for having police matrons placed at proper places in the cities mentioned.
 These police matrons have become ne- cessities wherever the experiment of hav- ing them has been tried. No object under taken by club women has proven more beneficial to humanity than that of provid- ing women for the police stations, whose duty it shall be to attend to the needs of unfortunate women who drift into the hands of the municipal authorities, either from ignorance of great citys tempta- tions or because of a natural depravity. The majority of the club women of today are deeply concerned about many problems affecting the welfare of the human race, and are constantly endeavoring to have womens organizations throw the power of combined effort and influence on the side of suffering men, women and child ren.
 The Memphis club women are now agi- tating the adyisablity, yea, the necessity. of having a police matron in their city. and a few days ago the celebrated Nine teenth Century club, of that city, held a business meeting to discuss this matter. One of the Memphis exchanges thus de- scribes the position taken by the club women on the subject or providing a ma tron for the police station:
 The ever-recurring question of how to secure a police matron for the central station was taken up and discussed at length, but no solution of the problem was reached. It was decided to invite the cooperation of all philanthropic societies in the city, the club believing that they know more of the needs of such an officer than any one else and that concurrence of opinion Is necessary Several sugges- tions were made to probable means of securing and maintaining police ma tron, but the general sentiment was that such an officer should be appointed by the city and supported out of the public funds.
 It was decided in order to go system aticaily about the work to invite every woman's organization in the city, especial ly the philanthropic organizations, to send its president and some delegates to meet ing to be held on Friday, Dec. IT. to con- fer about the matter. It is hoped that by this conference some plan may be ar ranged and also that arrangements may be perfected for grand mass meeting of the women at later date.
 There is one candidate for mayor who stands pledged, If elected to have police matron appointed He is the first one to express himself in favor of such an officer.
 
 It is to be hoped that the executive. board of the State Federation will seriously con- sider enlarging the scope of Federation work, so that the Alabama Women's club may catch up with the other up-to-date women's organizations, in other states Alabama women are equal to any work undertaken by women in any section. and 1t seems fearful pity not to have them abreast with the great club movements, because of prejudice or misapprehension of the facts in the premises.
 An exchange gives the following account of what is being accomplished by the Ten nessee Federation in a practical way for certain classes of women in that state:
 Federation work has made great advance ment in Tennessee since the organization of the State Federation. Mrs. Beard is an ideal president. New clubs have been formed and the State Federation is en- gagged in practical work. Four travelling libraries arc being organized which will be put into operation this month. One has been especially selected with reference to the needs of the Tennessee mountaineers. The mountaineers of Tennessee, Kentucky,