The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-11-09
She Tells of the Coun-
ellis Work
And of It's Fight to Place a
Woman on the School Board.

Tie Women's Council met with MIS-.
Hunt at LOO Stats street, yesterday morn
ing. Mrs Merrill. the honorary prcsi-
dent of the council was In attendance,
this being the first meeting she has at
tend for nearly a year. The coun-
Gil discussed plans for the work
for the year and among other sua.
gestions offered were study Of the
divorce laws, the curfew law and the
placing OF children's names on criminal
records.
Mrs. J. h Worcester, the correspond
ing secretary, read her annual repors for
the past year which was as follows:
Once more the annual meeting or the
Woma3s Council calls together Its aux
Hilary sosisties fer brief review of the
years work,
As has often tesu statsd the purpose OF
the National Council of Women is TO
bring into direct communication all or
ganized hodies Of women. in city or town,
In order that each may know what Is
being done ny the others. AT the h.st
public meeting hsld In this city live
years ago, Mrs L.. NJ. N. Stevens stated
its objsot in nuts hell. She said, The
Council does for a society what society
does for an ind ividual. 1t is bureau Of
information; to busy people who are In
terested In women's work 1t Is what the
Review Of Reviews Is to busy people In
teresteu In current events"
At mos of our monthly meetings one
of the auxiliary societies Is invited TO
tell Us something Of Its work.
Possibly It is common mistake to
think that the Organization to which each
Individually belongs, and with which we
are coDsf quently most familiar. Is most
wide reaching In Its influence. usefulness
a..lu aA tisxnA
know little more of q society than Its
name and object Each. 1t is true, has Its
annual report published, but are We not
most likely to read only that which has
already elioitsd our interest, and so let
the opportunity escape us Of widening
our knowlsdger But here, at our Coun-
Gil meetings, in friendly intercourse, we
have learned Of one another 8 work.
The Portland Fraternity has told Us
of its efforts among poor children, who
are taught, in warm, attractive rooms,
not only book knowledge, but how to
the habit of saving by making weekly
deposits of their few pennies. One OF the
good deeds done here IL the fostering OF
the love Of cleanliness (which, to many OF
the poor children, was an uuknown
quantity by the free use Of o bath tub
with plenty Of warm water.
The Samaritan Association, which goes
on Its way ostentatiously from year to
year, Q ems to many of US, who have thus
Learned of the great good 1t accomplishes,
a broader philanthropy than We had be-
fore realized.
Misrepresentation concerning the aims
ana purpose Of the Temporary Home has
been cleared away In the minds Of some
or our members when they learned that
not only fallen humanity IL sheltered
within its doors, but that all women In
need Of shelter oan receive its benefioent
aid.
And the w. G. L. u. in the thought
of many Is connected only with Its wal
agairs st irtemperanoe, and In the differ
once of opinion concerning prohibition ID
thought to be waging too fierce cru
sAds. But its representatives have told
us that Is by M means its only branch
of work, but that its efforts 60 out In
many directions where want or sin, OF
sorrow call for help.
Enough has been said to illustrate this
use Of the council meetings, but there
is another which we consider most i'm
portant. / refer to the influence which
can be- exerted In a community by An or
ganization composed Of women Of widely
different opinions, VIII en- cause OF com
mon interest is found.
In years past, as you know, patriotic
observances OF our national holidays have
been held, educators have spoken to us
of the best methods OF instruction for our
children anu BUSINESS tAlke nave Dean
given by some Of our busiest citizens un-
der the auspices of the council In order
that women might learn more of what
to do and how to do 1t, when affairs
outside of the home demand their atten-
tion.
The past year 1t was thought best to
concentrate our efforts. For many years
the Council has had under consideration
the desirability, or rather, the impor-
tAnce, OF woman's influence being united
to mans in the education of the chill
dren, by having women appointed on the
school board. In other places It worked
harmonjously. Why not In Portlsnds
The first ttsps to this end were taken In
1894 when the council succeeded inxhavini
the name Of woman placed upon the
ballot In several Of the wards. wher'
vacancies were to OCCUR. We did not ex
psct success, nor did We meet 1t. but y
was tbs entering wedge, and never onc'
since then have we relaxed our efforts.
The city ohaI ter came under process o
revision and we petitioned the commits
sionera. who were at work thereon. tina
~AN-~