The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-07-21
WORK WAS THOROUGH,
Sneers at the Programme Of the
'Women's Council We're
Not JuStiffab'e.

London, June Bottle International
Council of Women is progressing serene
~, pleasantly and preftably in spite of
considerable criticism more or less kindly
and apropos, and of some positive and
rather ill-natured sneers that show very
marked lack Of knowledge of the pur-
poses and methods of the congress-. The
sectional method of managing the pro-
gramme which seems to be the only feast
bic one, tends to misunderstanding on the
part of the slightly informed, for the pro-
grammes cover pretty nearly the whole
range of human interest and knowledge,
and glance at the programme would
seem to Justify the assumption that this
BODY, which claims to represent the for
ward interests of women, is guilty of do
ing what individual women are criticized
TOR VIZ, grasping at everything super
really we'll
In reality the sectional meetings indi-
cate the reverse tendency of specializa-
tlon. II all the women wanted to know
it all and thought that desirable, but one
series of meetings need have been ar
ranged. which would have suved prodig-
ious labor and would have better pro.
NOTED some of the objects of the councils
Ill,
women students and women Of the world,
however, have learned the futility of any
attempt at widespread information be-
yOnd the point of sympathetic apDrecia-
ton of each others differing labors, and,
here, as in their labors at home, they
are particularly concerned for some one
thing. The women Of the many nations
represented want to find the women Of
Kindred interests in this great throng,
and this is only possible by some such ar
engagements as sectional meetings, how
ever trying they may be to the average
lay mind that is not quite SO highly
specialized.
Having defended the council members
from the charge of dealing in mere smat-
energies so widely as to be of infinite
thinness and small value, it may as well
be admitted that the plan of sectional
meetings is proving here as it generally
does source of considerable mental irri-
tation, for while one may have come
chiefly for the practical help of one of the
sections, as most of those attending the
congress regularly have, one is certain
to have friends whom they wish to hear
and reasonable curiosity in regard to
distinguished people which demands graf
itication, and. that being the case, it is
quite brainracking matter to decide
where to so, and that it requires great
energy i'll getting about to take in more
than one or two meetings in a half day.
The sectional meetings are held in three
localities separated by about mile, St.
Martins town hall being just opposite
the National gallery OH Trafalgar square,
the Church house being beside Westmin-
ster abbey, and Westminster town hall
a few squares away. The headquarters
are in the latter building, which has been
placed quite fully at the disposal of the
council, quite an unprecedented proceed
ing, am told.
An attendance upon the meetings that
are going on so steadily would help refute
the charge of superfciality and imprac-
ticability which has been limited at by
some, if not expressed, and doubt not 1t
has been expressed, for have observed
tendency to frankness which iii Ameri-
ca would be regarded as rudely blunt.
The addresses and discussions are large
~ by specialists and little that is crude
and ill-considered is being put forth even
in the discussions in which all who will
may take part so long as the time per-
mitS.
a.. Discussis ns the Feature.
These discussions are the feature Of
the programme and American women at
tending are taking note of them, and
those at home should give heed to the
emphatic statement that we are having
discussions which discuss and IN which