Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-02-18
FIRST DAYS MEETING
Of the Women's Relief Corps, Depart
ment Of Maine.
Address Of President and Excmpiiiicaii0n Of
Unwritten Work the Features.

| The morning and opening session of the
| annual convention of Woman'S Relief
Corps department of Maine, in q. \. K.
hail. yesterday WAS devoted to business,
reading of reports and appointing COM
mittccs on rules and regulations, telc-
grams. reports courtesics. etc. a large
number of the delegates were delayed by
the storm 50 the more important bust
ness was put over until afternoon.
Senior Vice President A Idle Viola
Grant of Biddeford, Junior Vice Presi-
dent Alice S. Gilman of Oakland, Depart
mcnt Chaplain Susan w. Merrck of Wa
tcrvilc. Councillor Ella Jordan Mason of
RiddeGord instituting and Installing
officer E,lhcrta T.. Burnham of Bethel,
| Inspection officer Olivia j. Parker of Bar
| HaIbo all read very interesting reports
of the past year which showed healthy
growth in all departments of the work OF
the Relief Corps. Grace f. Howe of Lew
| iston reported for the executive commit
| tee.
Among the visitors of the forenoon was
Colonel William T. Eusts of Dixfied. the
department commander of the I. V. I.
| department of Maine.
read her annual report which was "A long
and well constructed one. that greatly m
| terested the members and would be pub
| lished in FUN but for the great pressure
| upon our columns, occasioned by the
| news of accident to the cruiser Maine.
Her report shows that by economy. the
| financial condition of the order has been
| bettered during the year. Two new corps
have been organized during the year. and
one has disbanled but the increase in
membership was quite large. The in
spections have shown great interest i'll the
work. She recommended that the incom-
! ing department president and inspector
| he aut horized to make such arrange
ments for district eXcmpitications, As
they may be advisable. \ partial change
has been made in the ritual during the
year. She urged Il strict observance of
| Memorial day as the deserton of the day
is rapidly growing. She touched upon
! the Importance of contributing to the
support of the Andersonville prison
| property. ANA also toward the testimonial
to the Grand Old Woman Annie Wit
| tcnmyer. She referred to the work at
| the Soldiers Home at Newport. a. the
| most important work or the department
| and urged that a day to bc known as
| soldiers Home Day" become an cs-
! tablished custom in the department. ON
| this day il shall be the duty OF every
| corps to hold some kind of public enter
| tainmcnt, the proceeds of which shall he
| given to the Soldiers Home in Newport.
| During the afternoon, many more mem
| bers arrived on the trains, but very few
| coming from any of the neighbolin@
towns by teams, on account of the
blockaded roads.
Two new members We're initiated dur
ing the afternoon.
i The evening session WAS devoted to the
aEexcmpiification of the unWrttrn work,
| under the new ritual.
| The first session viii he hcldat . o clock
this morning, at which Department Com
mander l.. L. Carleton, Assistant Adju-
| tant General H. Il. Hill, and other promi-
nent comrades will hc in attendance, and
| will address the meeting.
| The election of officers will occur in
! the forenoon session, and tn" instdlld-
| ton in the afternoon.