The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-04-12


We're four five minute talks by the girls
of the association New Books and
Their Trend" was the subject assigned
to Miss Mabel Digs. but as she is very
i'll and unable to be present her mother.
Mrs Annie l. Diggs, gave an informal
talk on the same subject. Mrs Dlggs
takes a hopeful view OF the literature OF
the day and says that Its trend is a
higher tone and more polished construc-
ton, and that each decade marks a bet
ter tone" This she attributes to the
active part women are taking IN the
literary field today for she says that
men and women working together are
better than either men or women work
ing alone. And she believes in novels,
for she says that the best sermons of to-
day are not written in essay form but
in romance.
A short paper on 1.-THE Neighborhood
Reporter by Miss Edith Brewer fol-
lowed.
Miss Gertrude Hill then read a hum
erOus sketch on The Newspaper Poet.
with whom all newspaper people are only
too familiar She spoke feellngly OF the
newspaper poet and his poetry which she
says is not poetry, and to substantiate
this remark she read some samples
which quite justified the statement But
she did not condemn all newspaper
poetry and in closing recited Eugene
Fields Little Boy Blue" which is
universal favOrite.
Miss Anna Carlson who was to talk
Of THE Woman Reformer." was Ill and
unable to be present.
A symposium entitled, The New
Conscience" was one OF the features of
the afternoon. Mrs. c. B. Hoffman OF
Enterprise read a well written paper on
THE Ethical Conscience" The paper
was long and showed that much care
and thought had been expended in its
preparation.
Mrs John P Fritts then followed with
a paper on, THE Club Conscience" 1t
was short but practical and was full of
helpful hints.
Mrs S. r. Peters Of Newton, was to
talk on the Public Conscience" but was
unable to be present SO it was omitted
as was, Aftermath, the Dignity of
Commonplace Conscience" an original
story by Mrs. Frank farrell, who was al
so prevented from attending by illness
in the family
One of the most interesting papers of
the afternoon was by Mrs. Laura M.
Johns, entitled, THE Newspaper Wo-
man and the Public School" The writer
was unable to be present and her paper
was read by Mrs. Lewis She says that
scarcely any other institution under the
Kansas sun is allowed to so nearly run
itself as is the public schools, and to
certain extent she says that this is the
fault of the newspapers as they do not
bring school matters before the public
enough, either for political reasons or
otherwise. She also advocates reform IN
Women'S dress in the school room and
thinks there should be a rule prohibiting
the wearing Oh long Shi1AS Ill l4AC SC4ACDl
room. One OF her strongest pleas how
ever is for a woman and a doctor on ev-
cry school board. A discussion was to
follow this paper, From the School
Point Of View by Miss Fife Graham
and From the Newspaper Point of
View" by Miss Eva Ryan, but Miss
Graham was prevented from attending
by illness and Miss Ryan was recently
married and. so dropped from the ranks.
The discussion was general and many
of those present stooks part.
The remainder of the time was devoted
to business. Mrs. John Q. Royce of
Phillipsburg, Mrs. Minnie D. Morgan OF
Cottonwood Falls and Mrs Charlotte
Wilder of Manhattan were appointed a
committee to compile q history of the as
sociatien for the historical society. Mrs.
Royce and Mrs Hoffman were chosen as
delegates to the National Press associa-
ton in June.
The annual election Of officers then
followed. with the result that all of the
old officers were reelected. They are:
Mrs Cora G. Lewis of k1nsley, pres:-
dent; Mrs. Minnie d. Morgan of Cotton
wood Falls, vice president Miss Ida
FrOW of Ottawa, secretary; Mrs. Mary
L. Rupe of Clyde, treasurer. Mrs Rupe
has been the treasurer ever since the as
sociation was organized. Mrs. Mary ].
McCaslin, editor of the Current Com
ment was voted a new member at the
afternoon meeting.
In the evening a. banquet was served in
the ordinary about o'clock The tables
letter Pi. Covers were laid for thirty-four
courses. The decorations consisted of
pink roses and sniIax
Mrs. Lewis, the president, made a de-
lightful toastnistress. and the toasts re-
full. The first was Our Aatchets by
Mrs. Minnie D. Morgan Her paper was
full of humor, and she evidently knew
what she was talking about In closing
she said: 1T has been said and from ex-
MOI
Ratchet in the hands of woman is as
uncertain Of s[r5klng the nall on the nea9
which it is aimed. But I do not believe
that a. doubt Of a woman's meaning viii
a wrong or stands by the right and when
She does this the pen is mightier than the
hatchet, but I believe the pen and the
hatchet might unite under the banner Of
Peace on earth good will to men, and
make a giant stride toward the nnlllen-
Mrs. Mary Vance Humphrey then re-
sponded to THE Woman Without a Mis-
SION She said that she had often thought
of q woman without a, mission, but that
she is entirely different from what she
nad fn9p s9nT ana 1i mat o Sm FortnafaI1
they are few, and are found only in the
halls Of the vain the idle and the selfish
siAuthorship'7 was the subject very ap-
propriately assigned to Mrs Wilder, as
She is a successful author herself and is
well fitted to speak on that topic. She
said that the book today is Matched in
an incubator And the eggs in that in
cubator are bought at different markets. as
we buy the literal eggs of today: the fresh
for so cents a dozen, the good for % cents.
and the cracked for a cent apiece These
literary eggs must be put into the arti-
fetal atmosphere of an incubator, turned
regularly by rule, and come out without
any mother, unless it, too, is of the ar
tificfaI kind
Miss Anna Marie Nellis. one of the new
members, responded to Hobbies with a
bright little talk which was thoroughly
enjoyed by ALL 1t contained many fat
tering illusions to the newspapers and
newspaper women, the press association
in particular
Mrs Olive I. Royce responded in a hui
morous strain on the subject The Man
PrimevaI." She suggested that if Evan
geIine when searching for Gabriel had
merely inserted short advertisement in
the newspaper, it would have saved her q