The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-17
w. n. c. BUSINESS MEETING.
Guests Received and Reports of OFF,
GERS Made.

Guests Received anu Reports Oh OBi-
GERS Made.
Roberts Park Church beautifully
decorated with flags and flowers in honor
of the seventeenth annual convention of
the Womans Relief Corps. which convened
at o'clock yesterday morning, the de-
partment president, Maria L. Schlater. pre-
siding A large number of members and
delegates were in attendance Scarcely
had the convention been called to order
when the announcement was made that
Albert d. Shaw, commander in chief of
the Grand Army, and his staff were at the
door. They were admitted and introduced
from the platform.
The commander in chief addressed the
convention in a brief but eloquent speech,
IN which he expressed his appreciation of
the work being done for the soldiers by
the Womans Relief Corps. He compared
the usefulness of the order to the Grand
Army, as the main spring of a watch,
whose mission is to keep the machinery
going" He acknowledged the good work
done by the ladies of the G. A. r. and
other patriotic organizations of women.
but stated that much the larger share of
Woman's Relief Corps.
Colonel Winins, of Ohio. and Colonel Nc
Lain, of Indianapolis, members of the COM
mander in chiefs staff. briefly addressed
the convention in words of appreciation
and encouragement. Immediately after
they had retired Mrs. Emma r. Wallace.
past national president; Mrs. Florence Nc
Clelland, department president of Ohio,
and Mrs. Agnes Hit, past national presi-
dent, were introduced to the members of
the convention. In a graceful little speech
Mrs. McClelland cordially invited the In
diana Woman's Relief Corps to attend the
national convention at Chicago in August
In response to the invitation to address
the convention Mrs. Hit said: MY mind
goes back to the time when the national
convention met in this church. / was the
department president of Illinois then and
Margaret r. Wickins was national presi-
dent. 1t was at this convend, IN that we
secured the passage of the law which en-
abled the Woman's Relief Corps to become
a member of the National Council of Wom-
en-, and 1 now have the honor of being
the Nation Council 1t seems a strange
mixing Of the past with the present" Mrs.
Winans very briefly addressed the conven-
ton. Mrs. Smith, department president
oil Idaho, who was formerly an army nurse.
was introduced She expressed the pleas
ure ii gave her to again meet the men,
bers of the Woman's Relief Corps in her
native State-Indiana, aid related the cir
cumstance of having been matroH of the
Soldiers Home in Indianapolis during the
war for the Union.
Mrs. Nettie Ransford gave very cordial
address of welcome to the delegates on
behalf Of the Indianapolis Woman's Relief
Corps. Letters of sympathy and greet
ings were ordered sent to the past depart
ment chaplain, Rachel c. Kenyon, Of West
field, and Past Department Treasurer Win
ma Crisler of GreenSburg.
PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
The president then read her annual adj
dress. She said: 1.-The result of the year S
work is not what 1 had hoped. but COM
fort myself in thinking that perhaps
have set my mark too high"
The president reported that she had writ
ten 1,050 letters and postal cards. issued ten
general orders and one circular letter, had
written seventy-five special orders and dis
pensations and issued two rosters. She
spoke of the faithfulness of her associate
officers, and of the watchfulness and 10y
atty of the Grand Army of the Republic
to its auxiliary.
On March 81. 1899, Isl corps were enrolled.
since which time five new corps have been
organized and nine disbanded. The gain
il membership during the year is 103 In
speaking of this slight gain the department
president said while the gain during the
year is not great, am proud to say that
have weeded out all of the puny, sickly
CORPS and with the exception of two, per-
haps three, shall transfer to my success
scr the remainder In strong, healthy con-
dition."
Speaking of patriotic instruction the
president said: This very interesting
feature of our work having been placed in
the hands of a competent woman and her
assistant having been selected with great
care to efficiency and ability the depart
ment will be gratified with the very excel
lent report that will be rendered by the pa
triotic instruction. The patriotic spirit that
has so thoroughly imbued the men and
women of our State has placed Indiana in
the foremost ranks of a grand movement,
the introduction of patriotism in our pub
lie schools.
I'VE are placing in the hands of our boys
and girls in the schools the Instruments
that will tend to the making of soldierly
men and patriotic women. Each year we
grow more and more jealous in our work
In patriotic teachings, more DESTROYS for
its extension. We want to set our stakes
still farther out, and broaden the field in
which to labor, but this cannot be accom-
plished in twelve short months The pa
triotic instructor must be allowed time to
systematize her work and lay her plans be-
fore starting out. and just as the interest
Is highest and success the greatest the
year is at an end. She must lay down her
work unfinished-another takes her place.
the work goes on. but not the same"
The president recommended that the
for two years. She expressed hearty thanks
to Capt. Wallace Foster for his co-opera-
ton and assistance rendered the patriotic
instructors and for his donation of one
hundred Patriotic Primers, which were
placed in the hands of the patriotic COM
mittees for distribution.
In the year there was expended in cash
for relief the sum of s2.113.11, and I'm relief
other than money. s3,13s59. The amount
turned over TO posts of the c. A r. was
SO. making total of s6.54SO7
No grander monument, the speaker said.
will ever stand as a proof of the loyalty
of the Grand Army of the Republic TO their
fellow-comrades than the soldiers or
phans' homes of our land The home in
this State, she said. is I'm the hands OF eff
ficient officers and teachers. and under
their management nothing more could be
desired. The amount expended for the
Christmas offering for this home and the
Home for the Predetermined, at Fort
Wayne. was $5l770. OF this amount $751; was
contributed by the corps in the department.
Speaking of the State Soldiers Home
she said: Here found everything in
the most perfect state of order and neat
ness. Cozy comfort seemed to impress
one everywhere The old veterans. happy
In the society of their wives, were GER
tainly enjoying Beulah land
'sThe Ladies' Aid Society," she said,
xyhCao birth dafao M III many voara hao al