New-York tribune., 1898-11-16
1T IS NOW WISCONSIN.
THE WOMEN'S CLUBS OF THAT STATE
MEET IN ANNUAL CONVENTION.
MRS NEVILLE THE NEW PRESIDENT WAS
ELECTED UNANIMOUsLY-TALK OF
THE NEXT BIENNIAL

The annual convention OF the Wisconsin State
Federation OF Women's Clubs which adjourned
last Thursday has closed epoch in the life Of tho
organization. With the election Of Mrs. Arthur {.
Neville OF Green Bay. to the presidency, the Fed
Grafton passes from its first administration of ex-
rerirncnt to one of definite work. and ii Will be well
r-eDared 10 be The hostess Of the National orEani-
cation in two years when Milwaukee perhaps will
be the Biennial city.
The convention was attended by delegates from
seventy of the nine;y-siX clubs in the Federation.
and five more were federated while IL was IN prog
Yess The speakers were all prominen: cubwomen
in the State. besides Miss Jane Adams, of Hull
House and Mrs Ellen Crosby. OF Chicago. who
spoke TO the women the one or socia! settlements
the other music.
The range Of the progra nlme was as wide as these
two subjects and what one gathered TO be the
keynote Of the years work was briefly this; mat
the Wisconsin women are getting away from thelT
phase Of study clubs to that OF altrustic effort
Last year the reports were about Irowring ana
Shakespeare and child study and Nubian bass-re-
liefs: this year nearly every one had something 10
tell about a travelling library started. rest paVl-
Ion opened in a country towA for farmers wives
q gift TO some public library or some enort IN
village and town improvement-aN this coinpie-
rnenting the OF the study classes. ana not py
any means excluding it. The spirit OF federation
seems to have come to be expressed no longer IN
sef-help but in service. This was SAID again anu
again in the reports and addresses
The great work OF the Federation thls year mas
been along library lines This brought out
peculiarly by the presence OF seven Minnesota
clubwonen who had come from their own conveh-
ton at Wlnona. and had been hearing much ABOUT
Tho value OF club extension and their own year
work among the farmers wives Of their cominuh-
itv I'm establishing rest rooms. The Wisconsin WORK
has resulted In the establishment and sending out
Of more than hundred travelling libraries OF
rom twenty to fifty books each. and there Is now
hardly club which IS not helping in tins specia'
work Also during the year there has been estao-
lished az Bcloi. a club reference library. designed
for the use OF country clubs unable to buy their
own books There here no; oriy books on
nearly every general subject. but a standing fund
for the buying Of special books to be lent to those
indicating their choice
The State Library Commission has offered the
Federation $50 for the purchase Of five mere cases
OF books for the travelling libraries In this connec-
ton the report OF the Art Interchange Committee
showed It's work have been the sending out OF
twenty travelling picture Libraries. the pictures 10
be lent in the same fashion the books. These
have been sent especially TO the schoolrooms Of
country towns and 70 the mining and lumber
towns in the northern part Of the state
FORTY-TWO HUNDRED WOMEN.
The growth OF the Federation this year was
shown 10 have been from 81 clubs to 1O3. making
total Of 200 women in the Federation There are
two city federatons OF seven clubs each.
THE NEW PRESIDENT.
A. {.
the Wisconsin State Federation Of Womens Clubs.
Is the object of a good deal OF interest TO club
women now since she Will be hostess of the Gen
eral Federation in TWO years. when MILWAUKEE, VIII
ne the biennial city. As corresponding secretary OF
The State organization and chairman OF its reel,
rrocitv bureau. she is familiar with the work ana
Ocv OF nearly every club IN the state and is per
sonaily known to a large number or cluDWonen
She IS the wife Of Arthur Courtney Neville. OF
Green Bay and Is prominent socially ana IN cluo
work in her home town. She is president or the
Green Bay Current Topics Converse tonal CUB. a
sociefy formed at her suggestion. whose constltu
ton says only that no member shall ever use notes
I'm her contribution 10 the programme.
"Cubwomen must get out OF the haDlt oi carry
ing pers in their pockets" says Mrs Neville.
She has given money and influence the last year
in the travelling library work OF the FeicTation
IIor husband IS one OF the wealthiest lumber own
ers in Wisconsin, and is himself a good deal OF a
philanthropist Personally Mrs. Neville is al
ractve-tall. OF fine presence with a sort voice
and always remarkably well g0wnec She has finc
features and gray hair. and. in spite or the fact
that she is a grandmother. ic p young-looklng
-, o., =,
Her popularity n he State - atteeteG by tho
fact that she reccivedIO4 Of the III ballots cast at
the convention last week. and the election was
made unanimous No nominations were made from
the floor. The only other candidate. MIS-. James
sidney Peck OF Milwaukee. who Is abroad WAS
not cOns'dcre after the appointment or MILWAUKEE,
the bicnnial city. Mrs. Pecks friends conc iudlns
70 urge her acceptance o. the chairmanship or the
local Biennial Board