Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-09-10

did at the University of Michigan,
after being graduated from the normal
department Of the University of Nash
vile. At Ann Arbor she was one of
the editors of the college daily, which,
though she did not know it. was the
breaking in for the work that was be-
fore her.
After leaving college she joined her
parents in Florida, where, as she says.
she began writing of things in which
was especially Interested the
upbuilding of the state" Rather an
unusual subject for a girl to be inter-
ested in. that was. But in the Dodge
family is an ancient patent of land
rights given to one of her ancestors,
who was brigadier in the Revolu-
ton and the friend of Washington
The document says the patent was is
sued to General Ebenezer Learned
"Who did valiant service Tor the pub
lie good and encouraged his heirs and
successors to continue in like virtue
and noble conduct
Continuing in like virtue and noble
conduct. therefore, his great-great-
terested in the public welfare. Her
girlish letters on the "upbuilding of the
state" We're published in a Florida
newspaper. Girlish though they were,
they spoke the power and spirit of the
woman Awhile after she wrote them
Miss Dodge went to Tampa to visit
friends, and while there She was in
vited to become a member of the staff
of daily paper-and there she is at
present.
Technically Miss Dodge's post is that
Of society editor of her paper. but she
has broadened her mission till it in
cludes all that goes to the bettering and
beautifying of Tampa and that part of
Florida. This is what newspaper wom-
en- and all other women in America
might do and ought to do in their re-
spective localities but too often do not
Miss Dodge became society editor of
the paper some two years ago and ut
once felt that on her it was incumbent
to give good justification TO all the peo-
pie of Tampa for her selection She
Widened the duties of society editor to
take in the schools and public institu-
tions of Tampa She founded a mu-
steal club and an art club She herself
is a singer of fine gifts.
Part of the labor of love she imposed
on herself was to visit personally the
Tampa schools and report items CON
cerning them that interested the public
in their progress She made d tour Of
the schools about once every six weeks
during all the last school year.
The largest of her undertakings, how
ever, were the planning and successful
carrying through of Tampa May
musical festival Tampa needed an
orphans home. Miss Dodge resolved
to start a fund for It's establishment
To this end was the musical festival.
1t lasted through three days, and Miss
Dodge arranged its programme and ev-
cry detail and mana ged it herself The
exercises included a children's concert,
old folks concert and military and
minstrel matinee 1t was the first May
musical festival Tampa had ever given,
and it went off with a whirl. At its
close. when all its affairs were settled.
Miss Dodge laid down several hundred
dollars as starter for the orphans
home fund. Considering the size OF
Tampa, this was an admirable result.
Then the young lady dropped back
into the public spirited society editor
But the people of Tampa appreciate so
well her good work for them that they
cannot speak too highly in her praise.
Miss Dodge has now In hand project
for the erection Of free drinking foun-
tain for her city
She says modestly of herself that she
Is not so much literary as interested in
public affairs and that she was drawn
to newspaper work primarily because
1t offered so many opportunities for be-
ing widely useful
MARCIA CAMPBELL.