The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-04
SOCIETY NEWS.

teams, Conversation CLUB, current LII
erature, d. A. r., Golden Rule, In rem
pora, Modern Literature, Nineteenth
Century, Occidental, Portia, Ra1Ston,
Research, Spalding Reading Circle, Wig
nette, Western SOrOSiS and West Side
Reading Circle.
The minutes of the previous meeting
were read and approved, after which re-
ports from the different committees
were read and accepted.
The advisability of bringing Mrs.
Ford to Topeka to give a lecture or q
course of lectures was discussed, but
finally decided in the negative. let
ter from Bishop Vincent was read, rec
onlmending to the Federation Miss An
ma CauI1eld, a bright young lecturer on
Art and Travels in Europe. The mat
ter was referred to the officers for fur
Their consideration.
Mrs. W. a. Johnston gave a short talk
IN which she made an. earnest plea for
the circulating library. This is an old
institution in many states but Mrs.
Johnston is the first woman to start
the ball rolling in Kansas. She is the
chairman of the library committee, the
other members of which are Mrs. Alice
Holderman of Girard and Miss Watson,
the librarian of the university. During
the past year and a half Mrs. Johnston
has read and studied much on this sub
5ect, she has written to the secretaries
of other FederationS all over the state
until much interest has been aroused
an the question. Next week she will
read paper on this subject before the
State Federation at Ottawa, and some
decisive steps will be taken.
Today Mrs. Johnston said: ''It is the
country districts and small country
towns where there are no libraries that
will derive the benefit from this plan.
Lecturers go to these towns and clubs
are springing up everywhere but there
is nothing to keep UP the interest for
they have no books. You who have
such quantities of books and magazines,
Imagine II you can, a home without
these
In answer to the query What kind
of books would be reQuired?" she said:
Any book that you would like to have
on your own shelves and in which you
would be willing to write your name
and the name of your club
Mrs. Johnston's talk was enthusiast
tically received and every delegate pres
ent who had had an opportunity to con-
suit her club, pledged at least fifteen
books, and some, many more. She
said: Il feel that L partly owe my sue
cess in this matter to Mrs Platt's
talk the other day, for she preached
more doing and less talking"
The following places were named as
mobilization places for the books:
Mrs Eugene Wares, Mrs. A. H Hor-
toms, Mrs. w. A. Johnston's and Brett's
book store.
The circulating libraries are under the
control of the State Federation and one
plan is this: After the Federation has
accumulated as many books as possible
and shown what can be done, that they
recommend to the state that several
thousand of the miscellaneous volumes
in the state library that can be dupli-
Gated, be added to this and form one
large circulating library under the con-
troll of the state and independent of the
Federation.
The following delegates from the va
to the meeting of the State Federation
at Ottawa, next week: Mrs. Eugene
Ware, Mrs. Dell Keller, Mrs. ]. W.
Thurston, Mrs. N. F. Handy. Mrs Ho-
mer Bowman, Mrs Wardell. Mrs Dye
Mrs. c. H. King, Mrs. E. B. Merriam,
Mrs J. W. Beck, Mrs. Jonathan Thorn
Stewart, Mrs. H. w. Roby, Mrs. Will
liam Corners, Mrs. c. F. Spencer, Mrs
J. H. Gonders, Mrs. G. A. Huron, Mrs.
G. F. CaVert, Mrs. L. D. Whittemore.
Morris, Mrs. w. w. Russell, Mrs. Hor-
ace Hall, Miss Gertrude Tracy, Miss
Belle Thompson and Miss Mabel Will
son.
A tribute was paid to the excellent
work done by the state president, Mrs
J. G. McClintock, when the motion was
made and seconded that the delegates
endorse her name for reelection; the
vote was unanimous for the affirmative.
1t was also decided to invite the State
Federation to meet in Topeka next
year.
Mr.. D. ]. GreenwaId, chairman of the
Midsummer fair committee was pres
ent for a few minutes and solicited the
aid of the Federation in giving a fair
for the benefit of the auditorium. The
proposition came as a surprise to the
majority of the delegates and many
were strongly opposed to it while others
received the matter more Ieniently.
Mrs. A. H. Horton said: 1--WE, as an
organization, are supposed to help wO-
men, and we have just refused our aid
to the Young Women's Christian asso-
citation and I don't see why we should
help the men. When asked our opin-
don as to the place of building the au-
ditorium, we voted for an uptown site
and were laughed at for our pains. The
auditorium will be used largely for po-
HticaI purposes and what benefit will
we gain from that? They have on hand
enough money to build an auditorium
good enough for that site, and 1 say. let
them build it there without our help.
Our Federation is growing and we will
soon need q club home, but we don't
want it there, we want it up town where
we will be proud to take our friends
Miss Lucy Kingman said: 1--WE are
not a money making organization and
think it would be very unwise for US
to undertake this
Mrs. Jonathan Thomas said: GAS has
been said, we are not a money making
organization, but the men help US and
1t must be borne in mind that our mon
ey comes from them.
Whether or not it is our province
to help in this matter, do not know,
but I think it deserves further consid-
Grafton
Mrs. McCarter said: This is a big
undertaking and I hardly see how it
can be done. AS a federation 1 don't
believe 1t can be done but individual
members might take it up and help
1t was moved to lay the motion on
the table but Mrs. Huron said:
Whether We help the men or not I
think they should be treated courteous
ly and the matter decided not too hast
tly. 1t was then moved and seconded,
to leave the matter open for further
consideration at the next called meet
ang which will be very soon. The meet
ing then adjourned.
A Pleasant Party.
Master Charles Bailey entertained
about % of his little friends Saturday
afternoon. After various games, dainty
r.