The National tribune., 1900-07-05
CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA.
Successful Work Reported at Department
Convention.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The 16tt
Annual Department Convention of the
w. K. G. was held ut San Luis 0bispo
The first session was called to order by
the President, Sarah +, Mason. There
were present four Past Department Pres
idents, Mesdames Kinne Frisbie, Robin
son and Hartwell, who were escorted to
the platform and saluted. 1t was voted
thai this should ibe an open session, that
all who wished might hear the reading OF
the Presidents address, which was listened
to with the closest attention and received
hearty. applause at its. close. She stated
that there were inow in the Department
10 Corps, with total membership of
3,535. Three Corps have been lost during
the year, one at sBerkly, one at Modesto
and one at Redding. Three Corps had
been gained, one iat San Luis Obispo, one
at Bishop and one at Pacific Grove, this
keeping the number the same in the De.
partment. ed
During the year there had been expend-
ed for relief in money, S3,651; value of
relief other than money, S GIL: total mum,
Der of soldiers and their families assisted
was 1878. More than 500 letters had
been received and answered.
The Department has lost 3S members
by death during the year.
The w. X. G. Home Mt Evergreen had
been visited and the 19 inmates found to
be well cared for. The Corps have con-
tributed S545 for the support of this Home
for the year. The Matron put up 200
quarts of fruit, IS glasses Of jelly, eight
gallons of pickles, and 125 quarts Of to-
matoes. These were all raised on the
place. The table is supplied at all times
with good food, and with whatever seems
best, considering the many ailments of the
inmates, who are nearly all suffering from
some chronic trouble.
Many 6f ha ('orpa ba
Home at Thanksgiving and Christmas
with substantial gifts OF various kinds
Presents were provided for oaoi' -
inmates have sewed enough carpet rags
to make SO yards of ca pet -, ..
be used for runners in the halls. and %
more yards will be used in the dining
room. The oldest member of the Home
family is 50, and two others are over so,
and all are past middle age.
At the close of the reading of the Pres
idents address she appointed committees
on officers reports, and Convention adj
journed until after the parade. A prin>
cipal feature of the latter was the part
the Chinese took, they having gone to
great expense to make it a success.
During intermission Mesdames Hart,
well, Alexander. Buckles and Mason MI
Department Officers, were injured III 4
street-car accident and Convention did
not resume work until the next morning
from National President Harriet J.
Bodge, National Treasurer Isabelle T.
Bagley, Assistant National Press Core
spondent Jennie w. Snyder and others
Mrs. Cora Merritt and Mrs. Nellie Nash
were appointed to convey greetings to the
G.. 4. r. and Ladies of the q. A. K. Upon
their return they stated that they were en-
thusaticalIy received by the comrades,
who applauded loud and long at the re-
port of the work done by this Department
during the year.
At this time Mrs. Flora Bowley request
ed permission to say few words to the
Convention. 1t was granted, and Mrs
Bowley ascended the steps to the platform
with an exquisite spray of white roses.
and advancing to the President said: at
has been our custom to present our retir-
ing President with gold badge, but un-
derstanding you did not wish badge, but
desiring to place upon you some token
OF our respect and esteem, / place upon
your breast this spray of beautiful white
roses, the emblem of purity" and grace
fully pinned them to her person amid APP
plause. Afterwards in neat speech she
presented Mrs. Masoniin behalf of the De
paftment a beautiful gold watch and
her staff of officers, presented dozen
solid after-dinner coffee-spoons with gold
bowls.
A delegation from the G. A. r. was
admitted, introduced and made brief re-
marks, and was presented with badges
and escorted out amid the waving of
small silk flags by the Delegates.
The following officers were elected and
appointed for the ensuing year: Pres.
Cora A. Merritt, Oakland; S. V-P., Flora
Il. Bowley, San Franciseo; ]. V.-P, Mary
p. Livingston, San Diego; Chaplain. Mel
lie V. Davis, Carson, New; Sec, Eliza
Shepard, Oakland; Treas, Sarah J. Far
well, Oakland; Counsellor, Elizabeth
Darcy, Kinne, San Francisco; ms, Josie
II. Wilder, Los Angeles. Executive
Board, Dot S. Mortimer, San Francisco;
Leonora Robe, Oakland; Cecilia Holt,
Stockton; Kate Rowland, Vallejo; Mary
a. Woodward, Oakland.
The newly-elected G. A. r. Commander.
Mott, and his staff were admitted with
all honors, and the Commander was in
troduced to Mrs. Merritt, who pinned upon
him and the other comrades the badge of
the Convention, and they were escorted
from the hall to the singing OF "Marching
Through Georgia" and the waving of
flags.
Mrs. Geraldine Frisbie installed the
newly elected officers, after which a short
memorial service was held for deceased
members, and Mrs. Merritt declared the
Convention closed, to meet at the same
time as the c. A. r., at Pacific Grove.
And thus closed a Convention where ali
was harmonious, with strong feeling of
Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty. The
members met as sisters and separated