Omaha daily bee., 1898-10-04
WOMAN's CLUB RESUMES WORK
President Smith Makes the Annual
Address, Asking the Members to
Enunciate Their Platform.

Address, Asking the Members to
Enunciate Their Platform.
The woman's club, like everything else
in Omaha. finds itself in competition with
the exposition and the attendance at itc
than usual. 1t was the first meeting OF the
year, and, according to custom, the address
of the president was the feature of the
day. On similar occasions heretofore the
executive officer has outlined a policy or
promulgated a principle which she wished
TO have carried out during The wear, but
the present incumbent Mrs. Draper Smith,
declined to follow precedent in this regard,
declaring that the club must enunciate a
maxim for itself. Mrs Smith began her
address, saying: "The character Of club
is a reflection OF the character of its MEM
bers. II is stamped with their personality
and its power is proportionate 70 their in
dividual ideals and united efforts" She
then emphasized the responsibility OF The
women to the club in these words: EXPIRES
sion upon every question, either by discus
sion or vote, is due yourself, is due the club
and the woman who does not exercise
this privilege is as liable for the result
of the action as the woman who brings
the question before the house and in no.
cisng the procedure" Mrs. Smith also called
attention to the responsibility of the club
to the community and mentioned the fact
which she had observed as secretary OF the
State Federation of Clubs, namely, that
! many other clubs were inquiring into the
methods and policy of the Omaha Woman's
club, looking upon 1t as d greatly favored
organization Mrs. Smith closed il by in
! quiring what the club would emphasize the
! coming year. Should 1t be self-culture
through the study class? Should it be prac-
| tical utility through the city Improvement
committee, or should It be the culture OF
| service, particularly in those conditions
which affect women and children?
Mrs. Mary Girard Andrews responded to
| the presidents request for an answer L.
these questions by plea for self-culture
She believed that the best altrulsm could
grow only out Of we'll developed ego
t'sm.
The music Of the afternoon brought out
performers who had never before been
heard by the club. Mrs. J. C. Langley of
| Denver, the guest of Mrs. C. C. Belden
played song without words by Men
delssohn and Miss Helen Mackin lately re-
turned from three years study Of the piano
abroad, played the Schubert Impromptu in
A major. The only vocal number was
The Journey is Long" by Coombs, which
was sung by Miss Parthenia Bowman. AS
response to an encore Miss Bowman
sang II Knew a Modest Violet"
At the close Of the program three guests
who had been seated upon the platform
were heard Mrs. Mary Ambrose Ravinus,
once dweller in Omaha and now of Cam
bridge, Mass. brought greetings from the
famous Cantabridgia club. She spoke of
| net, Laid tlak
hold economies and told of it's public en-
terprises. which include a school kitchen
and vacation schools where girls are
4 taught all kinds of housework. This club
! supports scholarship in Radcliffe college
} Miss Anna Caulfield of Chicago who was
one Of the speakers at the recent Art con-
gress, gave the women some advice on heI
, favorite subject. Miss Caulfeld believes
5 that art in America will come to be like
t government in America, "for the people
:. and by the people" She complimented tho
e sky Of Nebraska, which she said is like
:, that Of Italy, and called attention to point:
e of view in Omaha which she thought SHOULD
i be more highly priced. Mrs Ida Nc
g Keever of Stromsburg was the other spe
ciaf guest. Her contribution to the pleas
e ures of the day was an original poem il
dialect, called Autumn Days"
e The only item of business transacted dur
e ing the afternoon which is of interest t,
b the public was the appropriation Of $780,
r to the use of the museum committee Th
r committee consists of Mrs Towne, Mrs
: Creigh and Miss Scott. 1t finds that at tn
= close of the exposition there will be op
G portunity to secure specimens of variou
o kinds suitable to the beginnings of a mu
il scum and the club Immediately upon re
a ceiving this report gave its practical sup
s port to the idea.
d Notice was given of the p e. o. con
: gress to be held on the 9Th and the Moth
n ers congress, which will convene on tn
d Sth. Members of the club were urged t
It be present during the sessions Of the clu
congress, October II to Is. by Mrs. Potter
u who felt that the past congresses had no
n attracted the attention of the club suffi
cientry. The notices for department meet
a ings are as follows: Household economics
l. Thursday morning at 10 o'clock; politics
is science, Monday at 4 o'clock; French his
m tory, Wednesday at o'clock, at the Publ
re library. The woman's chorus, in charge c
l. Mrs. Cotton, will meet Saturday mornin
IN at 10 o'clock; oratory the first Wednesda
in November; current topics the first Tues
III day in November, and parliamentary dc
DR. partment November IA.