The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-04-26
THE W. G. t. U.
ITS Organization and the Work IL IL
Doing.

TO the Editor Of the Press:
The question Is often asked. what Is
the Portland womau's Christian Tenn
perance Union, and what Is 1t doingf"
In reply 60 the first named question all,w
me. through your kind courtesy to say,
that 1t is an organization made up Of
nearly three hundred women. all Of whom
comprise part OF the working force Of
all our churches and Sunday schools,
women who are largely identified with
the best intrests Of our city. Zach church
has vice president whose duty is to
look after the interest of the Union in
her church. seeking to secure new men,
bers, COLLECT dues and In all ways to ad-
vance Its interests.
Its offisers are president two secretaries,
treasurer and auditor. These with three
other women make up its executive board.
Thus much for::its personnel. Now for
its work. What is 1t doiugs Many things,
quietly. unostentatiously. but effectively.
Please do not think 1t vain-glorious,
when say It was planned by one of the
greatest organizers the nation ever knew
(amopg women) Miss Willard had a
breadth of vision that was almost phe-
nomenal. She saw what was needed to
carry out the principle for which the
whole organization stood, and she planned
its work Ia conformity.
The Portland Union inTconjunotion
with all the Unions in the country, SO
far as local conditions will permit, is
carrying out these plans each year. These
ara the establishment of the departments
OF work for which there Is the greatest
need. They are under the care of super
intendents who alone are responsible for
them. Portland Union has fourteen such
departments. A brief review of q few Of
them as given at the recent annual
meeting of the society may interest your
readers.
TEMPERANCE INSTRUCTION IN
SUNDAY SCHOOL,
by Mrs. G. H. McClintock,ss superin'
tendent.
"This department in encouraging.
Each Sunday school superintendent Ia
careful that temperance should be fixed
principle in his school. The teachers have
been very faithful in this work. All the
schools that use the International Les
sons use the temperance lesson given by
them, The Life of Frances Willard, has
been put In many of the schools. and l
have recommended 1t to others that were
adding totheir library. Othe or temperance
book have had their part among these
new books. Whore pledge cards have
been used in the schools. the cause OF
temperance has taken deeper root,
One school Is planning to
hold a temperance concert In the near
future. Temperance talks have been given
by the pastors to the younger members Of
the schools.
KINDERGARTEN WORK,
by Miss Louise X. woodman, superin-
tendent.
1.-The Average attendance the past year
was twenty one, and the largest number
present at any one time was thirty six.
More than fifty different children have
bean admitted since last September. There
are now enrolled thirty names as regular
Fifty-six visitors have been
received. Your Kindergartener has made
one hundred and ninety live calls upon
her pupils. The school was closed during
January. The children's Christmas was
made vary glad by visit from Mrs.
Hunt and Santa Claus, who distributed
gifts and candy with liberal hand. 1t
was At this glad time that MIR. L. I. Bur.
rowes made the school q present of twenty
dollars TO be expended uoon the more
needy ones Other smaller donations we've
received from friends at that time
WORK AMONG SOLDIERS AND
SAILORS,
by Mrs. F. G. Johnston, superintendent.
~ have been able to seLd five barrels of
papers and magazines. all the best of
reading. Our loan library has about
eighty eight volumes. The Bolster Mills
W. c. I. U. sent twenty eight comfort
bags for one distribution. They were
given to the Floating Society of q. e.,
who gave them to sailors going on long
voyages.
"Ihey were filled with needles. pins,
patches, buttons, thread, and some con-
taised personal letters and a::testsment ="
The following little rote of thanks lie.
ceived by Mrs. Johnston was also read =
80. 5. S. Enterprise. Aug. 20, 9s. We
received the package of literature and
note which accompanied it this afternoon,
and for which we ara very grateful to
you, both officers and cadets, as standard
literature is always welcome by the
boys :"
DEPARTMENT OF ANTlNAk
COTICS,
by Mrs. A. A. Nickersop, superintendent.
Considerable progress has been made
along this line in legislation and public
opinion. This report is SO full and. COM
nrahapsiva that find 1T difficult IN ron
dense, and am going to ask, as per-