The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-10-30
W0MEN'S FED.
IS HERE
Hundreds of Women From
the State Gather in
Bergen Reformed
Church.
PRESIDENTS ADDRESS
Urges Federation to Work for
q Woman Factory In
spector- DR.. De Hart's
Welcome.

"Hark! Hark! the dogs do bark,
The women are coming to town,
Some in bonnets and some in hats,
And all in brand new gowns
| With an unprecedented attendance of
over 600 women the New Jersey State
| Federation of Women's Clubs opened its
seventh annual convention this morning
at ten o'clock in the Bergen Reformed
Church, Bergen and Highland avenues.
decorated with that exquisitely balanced
| taste-just enough of everything that
Miss Katharine Crowan displays and al
Miss Katharine Grower displays and
which always calls for her services at
these affairs. The platform was trans-
formed into an artistic garden Of palms.
ferns and flowers, intermingling laurel
with the carnation pink of the Woman s.
in blushing confusion On the pulpit, IT.
self hid with the blue satin banner Of the
Federation, rested bouquet of lily Of
the valley in honor of the retiring presi-
dent, Mrs. Stewart Hartshorne.
IN SILK ATTIRE.
Mrs. Hartshorne was prompt in open
ing the Federation. Promptness has al
ways been one of her strong points, and
as retiring president she did not want 10
spoil her reputation even though her bell
We'd with the motormen's of trolleys
from two directions unloading their hui
man cargo Of silks, ruffles and laces at
the door-even though her voice was IL
most drowned by the hustle and rustic
of each besilkened figure nodding and
bobbing up the aisles, for Dame Mirror
had kept most of the out t-of-town, and
not a few of the in-town guests, late.
With the charms accredited to music to
quiet down even a gathering convention
of unconventional women, Miss Clara
Kraus opened with piano solo and got
her audience in readiness for the invoca-
tion by the Rev John L. Scudder, whose
wife had declined to be nominated for
president. DIR. M. f. De Hart then well
coined the Federation to Jersey City on
behalf of the twelve entertaining clubs
of Hudson County. She said she was
glad of the opportunity to welcome the
Federation because it stood for that club
movement, that awakening among wo-
men which has swept not only the State
but the nation, and induced women of all
classes young and old, rich and poor to
leave their domestic duties for while
and form clubs or classes for the study
Of history literature science, and art.
Here" said she, I'VE renew our
| Shakespeare, and feel with the poet,
how good it is to live and learn After
these hours spent with the poets women
have gone back refreshed, having learned
| from these great souls how to find beau
| ty in common things. Daily tasks be-
| fore distasteful have become pleasant
| But, good rs culture and self develop
ment are, there is one thing better. In
deed, as Tolstoi says, living activity for
others is the only rational activity
FEDERATION'S WORK.
''The Federation has always brought
before us those who are needy and for
whom we can work. 1t has made us
realize that it is not enough that our own
homes are spotless but that we must go
| out and work for others to preserve
| those homes. As we cannot have physi-
| cal health while pestilence is in our
| streets, SO we cannot have mental or
moral health while public sentiment is
| unsound, and even SO good thing as
culture is spoiled without some thought
of helping others and using it to make
the world better.
In oldep days women were content
| if their own children were cared for
| We were taught that our sphere was do
nestle and women did not need educa-
tion. But wider knowledge and the new
spirit Of progress in the air has destroyed
our old content. These who have charge
of State and National societies are call
ing on woman to do in those societies
what she has done in the home.
Not only food and clothing. but
books. education, parks, Fairgrounds
and loving care have been furnished to
littfS children The best thing the Fed.
Grafton does for us is the best thing one
human being does for another-makes us
think and feel
MRS. sHARTSHORNE SPEAKS.
To this Mrs. Hartshorne gave response
in condensed and complimentary form,
saving herself and time for the Presi-
dents Hour, wi1ens gave her address
as retiring president. In the meantime
reports were given by Mrs. David M.
Miller, recording secretary: Miss Char
lotte Y. Tuttle, corresponding secretary,
Miss Cecilia E. Gardner treasurer; and
Miss Fannie ]. Taylor, auditor,
Miss Mary u. Currie gave a. charming