Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-01-31
The Maine Federation Meets
at the State House.
One OF Most Successful and interest
ing Meetings Ever Held.
tiiiy-one Clubs Represented Two Clubs Ap-
ply Tor Membership.

/ ---SNi NoliiiS5 .dilt SUCCESSFUL Oh any
the previous meetings of the organiza:
tlon. 1t was a success both in attend
ahce and the live interest shown ant
was thoroughly enjoyed by every ont
present, both members and visitors.
f1fty-one clubs responded to the rol
cail which is the largest OF any mid
winter meeting. The morning session
was held in the rooms of the State
Board of Agriculture and there Were
| so many present that there was a great
lack of space and some were unable
10 find room to sit down. In the af-
ternoon, however. the ladies met in the
Hail of Representative and although
all space was well filled there was
plenty of room.
The morning meeting was called to
order, at 1880. by the president. Mrs.
Anna Sargent Hunt of Augusta. who
by the way. presided over the entire
meeting with admira Bile tact and de-
clsion. showing her capability TO ill
the honorable office in a manner per-
fectiy satisfactory. Devotions We're
conducted by Mrs. g. d. Is. Pepper. af-
ter which the words of greeting by the
president, We're listened to WITH gre t
pleasure.
on motion BY Mrs. Armstrong. the
heads of the departments and the
chairmen of the standing committee
We're declared members and We're en-
titled to vote. The report of the re-
cording secretary was read and az
cepted as was also that of the CORE
spending secretary. The following
general officers of the Federation were
all present: President. Mrs. Anna Sar-
gent Hunt Of Augusta: vice president
Mrs. Emma Dow Armstrong of Lewis
ton; recording secretary, Miss LCttie
+. IaWry of Rockland: corresponding
secretary, Mrs. Carolyn Kemptcn
Partridge OF Augusta: treasurer. Miss
lnez a. Blanchard OF Portland.
Applications for admission were re-
ceived from the Shakespeare Club Of
Calais, and the Fort Allen Clan of
Portland. These clubs We're admitted.
An invitation from the New England
Conference was listened to with inter
est. Reports of the regular and spec
ial committees We're read ana Il mes
sage of greeting from Mrs. Porter.
formerly president of the Federation.
now a resident of California. was read.
The subject of the most Importance ut
the morning meeting was The Forml-
ton of a New England Federation
The members seemed unanimous in
objecting to joining or being identified
with such movement Miss Lucia
connor of the Fairfield Dial Club. gave
a most eloquent and striking talk on
this subject.
The board Of directors. the members
Of the standing committees and the
heads of the departments We're the
guests Of Mrs. John F. Hill at lunch
at the Executive Mansion where they
were delightfully."- entertained. 1t is q
fact worthy of notice that Hon. w. w
Stetson was given the sacred privilege
of being the sole person Of the male
sex TO join the ladies at lunch.
The afternoon session opened at las
with the reading of the minutes of the
morning meeting. Voted to accept the
report of the song book committee as
read at the morning session by Mrs
Shaw Of Rockland, chairman of the
committee. An invitation was read
from the Thursday Club at Biddeford
to hold the October meeting in th1t
city. The invitation was accepted with
thanks. Mrs. Frye of Portland. spollc
! to the Federation in behalf of the Ma
tional Dorothea Dix Association which
is working for the erection Of Il suit
able monument to the memory OF that
noted Maine reformer, whose work
was in behalf of the insane and who
was a nurse during the Civil War. Mrs
Carolyn Partridge. corresponding sec
retary read messages Of regret from
ex-President Mrs. Alice Pride Briggs.
Mrs. Nellie +. Marston of Monmouth.
Mrs Harriet II. Mcdonald of Bruins
wick. who were compelled TO be alb
sent.
The report Of the educational com
mittee was read by Mrs. Annie Q. Clark
of Portland. its chairman. who declar-
cd that the committee could gladly re-
mort progress Mrs. Clark spoke of
/ some of the work performed by the
different clubs along this line which
was far in advance of previous work.
She mentioned the school savings
/ banks in Portland and said the ladies'
of that city We're much pleased with
the idea.
Hon. w. w. Stetson, State superin-
tendent of schools. addressed the Fed
Grafton. Mr.. StetSon was greeted with
APPLAUSE He said that he knew some
thing about the committee on educa-
ton of the Woman'S Federal ton. He
knew the work done in the improve
ment of school grounds. buildings and
rooms He paid the ladies high com
pliment in this direction. Mr.. Stetson
said that the inclination of our schools
seems to be to try and do too much
The kindergarten tries to do the work
OF the common school, the common
school that of the High school, the
High school that of the college. he be-
lieved in the old-fashioned way. Let
the common school teach the boys and
girls to read, write and cipher. II
believe in less topic study and in let
ting the children do for themselves
what they should do. with the teach
er's supervision but not too much as
sistance Another thing. | think our
children are too much in evidence in
social life" Mr.. Stetson dwelt at some
length on this subject and also on the
dress and food of school children. His
plea was for simpler life, more
child-like existence The speaker men
toned some ways in which the women
of a community could be of vast as
tN,. oil