The Portland daily press., 1901-02-11
WOmCn'S and Chill dren'S Work in The
Factories.
Consumers Leag ue and
Tenement Houses.
Interesting Papers Read BY
Portland l. aides.

Inc programme Wnlcn Was aiNohkoN
for the meeting OF the Literary Union
yesterday afternoon, was rather DEPART
ure from the usual line that has been
taken In the past, but 1t proved thor
oughly interesting ons. and 1t Is qrite
fair to expect that Its effect may
prove of practical value.
The president, Mrs. Charles f. FIagg
called the m setting to order and a short
business session followed. relative to the
report Of committee Of which Mrs,
Flagr was chairman. Mrs. Oscar Wish
acted as president while Mrs. Fiagg gave
her report of the conference, which the
committees from other organizations held
In regard &c o memorial for Mrs. Philip
Henry Brown. 1t had been decided to
build a wing at tbs Temporary Home as
this memorial, the Inscriptions FOR
whioh were TO be entirely vol untary
Mrs Flagg asked for instructions as to
the methods to be pursued by the union,
and It was voted that each delegate bring
TO the next directors meeting the oiter-
ing of her club.
The first paper of the afternoon on the
SlElAA AhCbSAhk
and Children" was written by Mrs. Is
mas Thompson. but owing to Mrs Thomp-
son s Illness was read by her daughter,
Mrs. Abner Lowell Mrs Flagg said that
she felt the ladies would all appreciate
the courage which Mrs. Thompson had
shown in writing this papsr while con-
fined to her room, when most women
anfhrfant
cause for excuse.
In introducing her subject, Mrs.
Thompson gave a picture of the work OF
women In their households OF hundred
years ago, with the domestic duties, care
OF the miIk and butter, as well as cardiDg
and spinning Later came the opportn-
nifty offered to women OF work In the
mills, as we'll as the home work OF gar
ment making and ''shoe-binding,
which often helped brother or child
through college,
With the influx of the Irish immigrant
came another complications; and with
the competition Of cheap labor and the
demand OF cheap goods, the''swest shop
system, with all Its horrors, has grown
up,
Fortunately, there is brighter side to
this picture, and in the laws which are
grad 1ally being enacted in our states for
shorter factory hours. compulsory educa-
ticn; and as well, the interest manifested
by the most cultured people In investi-
eating the questions suggest the prospects
for better conditions.
AIRS. Thompson paid high tribute to
the teacher. laid great stress upon home
influences and on the right sort of train
ing in schools. which wonld bring up in.
telligent and capable wage-sarners and
necessarily better conditions.
Mrs. Everett j. Thompson in her pa
Per on the "AIts and Crafts" presented
An interesting statement in regard TO this
question, She spoke OF tAe reac tionary
effect which we are going through In re-
voting, as 1t were, against machine
made goods, which have flooded the coun.
try, and in trying now to resusicitate
"hand work.
Mrs. Thompson gave an account OF the
Desrtield Needle Work Society, and also
read letter from its secretary. Among
other industries for women which have
been rssusitated and developed are basket
making, Woodworking and rag carpet
making. The story OF rug-making was a
very interesting one, showing how the
brains of city women, visiting in the
country, started a hone industry, adapt
ing the old rag carpet into a worsted
affair, which will stand beside an oriental
rug for durability. This "Sabatus" rug
has for It's home, Lowell Centre, Maine.
and was started by Mrs. Douglass volk
Of New York; while the Abanakee rug is
made at Choooma, n. II. Among other
crafts now undertaken by woman. are
book-binding, art-pottery, and lace-mak-
Ing; and Mrs. Thompson gave also inter
ssting accounts of the ''Royorafters, "snd
Beria College, and read several letters
from the women interested in fostering
these "home industries"
At the close Of Mrs. Thomnson's papel
Mrs. Flagg stated that the linen wori
done by the southern women for cur
tains, table covers and SO on, was similar
in color and design to that done by tn
New England women of fifty and hun