The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-29

but I want some information in regard
to these candidates. For instance, L
would like to know how long the sew
eraI candidates have been in the fedora
ton, whether they have served it in
any official capacity before, and if so,
how long and in what manner and in
what capacity. Then I would like to
know, too, whether they are fitted to
take the position which would devolve
upon them in the absence or illness Of
our president" The last unconscious
plea for a nominating speech caused
a good laugh, and Miss Evans replied
that the first two questions could easily
be answered by the recording secretary
without embarrassment to the candi-
dates but the last would bear a dam
gerOus likeness to a, campaign speech.
It required no small will and tact on
the part of the president to keep the
speakers from running their remarks
into partisan talks, but she succeeded
admirably, and yet kept the conven-
ton in the best Of humor, not a single
disagreed BILE incident occurring through
out the session.
On the first ballot Mrs. Follett led
the race by two votes, Miss Jones COM
ing second. The second ballot showed
tive rty-fo votes for each and thirteen
for Mrs. Crays, who withdrew her name
ait this juncture. On the third ballot
Miss Jones came out with five winning
votes and was declared the first vice
president at large of the Minnesota
federation.
The women adopted the 1econme
ton to hold midwinter breakfast and
the president was empowered to ap-
Joint a committee to fix the date and
place Of the fete. A motion was also
carried in favor Of having the fedora
ition cooperate with the State Teach
ers' association in its educational work.
The methods of cooperation were to
+ be left to a committee.
There were a number Of instructive
papers during the morning, but per-
haps the one coming with the greatest
force to mothers was that by Mrs. j.
f. Bell, of Winona, on What Our
Children Shall Read" Mrs. Bell has
been carrying on a searching invest1-
cation of what the children are read
ing and she therefore spoke as one
having authority. She showed that
while girls read more than boys they
dc not read as good books nor as var
led; that the greatest reading age Is
from twelve to fourteen years; that
children are reading too much and
not carefully enough, and that they are
reading worthless and trashy litera-
ture to a detrimental degree. Mrs.
Bell believes that it is within the
province of the federation to study the
courses of literature in our schools and
to see that they are made more adapt
able to the taste and development OF
the pupils. In closing she said:
TRUE CULTURE.
eve have as yet no plan for secur-
ing in our schools a certain amount Of
good reading from each pupil. If Gull
ture be the acquaintance with all the
best that has been said and thought
in the world, then to literature and not
elsewhere must we look for the means
of true culture for our boys, and 1 be-
lieve that the Child-Study Association
Of Minnesota can propose no nobler
task for itself than the arrangement
of a fine course in literature-one that
shall, as Mathew Arnold says, pour
out upon all the old stock notions of
our boys and girls g stream Of fresh
and free thought that shall bring Joy,
courage and aspiration to every one
of them -
Mrs. Bells talk elected much ap-
plause.
After lunch, through the courtesy Of
the Winona clubs, the visiting dele
gates were taken in carriages for a
drive through the city.
The afternoon session was occupied
largely by ST. Paul women, the excep-
ten being the spritely, entertaining and
pointed talk by Mrs. Conant, of Wells,
on the Denver biennial Her report
proved that she knew how to act as
delegate and was able not only to