Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-06-22
Federation OF Women's Clubs.

The State Federation of Women's
Clubs met in Newberry last week The
convention opened Wednesday morning
with Mrs. Martha Orr Patterson, State
president, in the chair. The invocation
was made by Rev. &. A. Wright. DR..
George B. CrOmer, in charming and
felicitous address, welcomed the Fedora
tiOn in the name of the city of New berry.
Mrs. w. X. Sigh then extended q cordial
welcome from the Nowberry Clubs. Mrs
Celina f. Means, one of South Cardinals s
most gifted women, responded in behalf
of the visitors. Then followed the re-
port of tho various officers, approving a
growing enthusiasm in club work
throughout the State.
The Federation has department of
domestic science, which includes study
of hygiene, sanitation, healthful food,
etc, and the women who learn these
things and practice them are strong and
we'll, their eyes are bright, their skins
clean, they are animated and interested
in life. Such woman cannot be ugly
nor can her children nor her home be
neglected. The world is better for every
family regulated by such woman.
The great and vcxing problem of do
mestiC service was prominently discussed
by this convention, and committee ap-
pointed to look into the practicability of
establishing department of domestic
training, just plain everyday cooking and
sewing, into both white and colored
schools, the need being most keenly felt
for more manual and less literary train
ing for the average negro girl particularly.
Mrs. Martha Orr Patterson has filled
the Office of president of the Federation
for two years, the constitutional limit,
and she has made her administration
memorable by great work she has be.
gun, that is the establishment of an in
dustrial school for criminal, vagrant,
neglected or orphan boys. This subject
is very near Mrs. Patterson's heart, and
she has made strong appeals to clubs
and to women personally and indirectly
to interest themselves in the subject.
Hundreds of boys are added yearly to the
sOrrowful, the dreadful list of hardened
criminals by the present system of herd
ing boy offenders with vicious men. An
ignorant lad, in sore need, steals two
bushels of oats, he is sent to the peniten-
tiary for five years, and at the end of his
term comes out to join himself with
burglars and proceed to further iniquity.
There are instances, one of them being
told by Greenwood lady at the Fedora,
ton, of a boy of thirteen or fourteen, for
an Offense against the majesty of the law,
was chained by the ankle to a negro,
herded with negroes at night and made
to labor beside them during the day.
What can be expected of that boy when
he is again at liberty? The reforming of
these boys is not visionary scheme.
just such school as the club women of
the State wish to establish has been in
existence in Alabama for nine years, and
its records show that of the lads edu-
Gated and trained at that institution only
two per cent revert to wicked ways upon
their graduation. Many of them are fill
ing positions of honor and trust in their
own and other States. That school was
established through the untring efforts
of woman, and the women of South
Carolina are determined that the poor,
neglected lads, any one of whom, but for
Gods mercy might be your boy or mine,
shall have a chance in life.
The report of Miss Waterhouse, of
Beaufort, on civics and forestry, fine
paper, was read by Miss Varina Brown,
of Anderson, Miss Waterhonse being
unable to attend the Federation.
At the close of the musical program a
lecture on civics, illustrated by stereop-
tican views, was given.
The attendance on these conventions
Is becoming 30 large that the motion
was made that hereafter the delegates
should not expect entertainment in pr.
vate homes, but as in large bodies go to
hotels and boarding houses at their own
expense. This matter met with warm
discussion. and the motion being put
was lost.
Inc newly elected officers are: Pres-
dent, Mrs. S. X. Sigh, of Newberry;
first vice president, McKissock, OF
of Greenwood; second vice president,
Mrs. Nichols, of Chester; recording
secretary, Mrs. Vsanska, of Charleston;
corresponding secretary, Mrs. Andrew
Moore, of Columbia; treasurer, Miss
Varina d. Brown, Of Anderson; auditor
Hiss Frazier James, of Darlington.
The next meeting of the Federation
will be held in Union.-An Anderson
Delegate, in Daily Mail.