The Topeka state journal., 1905-08-12
CoWOvcrfO SYhHRsAHAYBfzffVuLFB Il BR0wAl-eaesA0e0n

| the climb to the spring, and the final
discussion of fried chicken in the
| shaded dining room, with a -hay-rack
ride TO the station to take train back to
| the park
From Lincoln park across to Clay
Center as the crow flies, is not far, and
again the club woman finds herself in
| the heart of a busy community. Here
we find the same earnestneSs of pur-I
pose, the same fine intelligence behind
| the enterprise, and the same fixed de-
! termination to build upon lasting foun-
dations, and these clements have al
| ready borne much fruit, even in the
| second year of the institution. for here
! is a platform of magnificent talent, sue
/ cessful departments, and management
| conducted on "sure-to-win" lines.
| Mrs. N. 1. Mcdowell, of Salina, as
president of the Fifth district. is in
charge of the club department, and has
conducted in manner to win, from
highest praise. She has made a charm
| ing hostess, a tactful superintendent,
and successful platform manager. The
club meetings have been attended be-
yond the capacity of the small pavil-
| lion so that adjournment to the taber-
nacle was necessary in the first days of
the assembly.
The travelling art gallery is one of the
most popular features of the assembly
and adds lustre to the club department
It had been planned to pay the ex-
penses of the gallery by a small admls-
sion fee, but the management realizing
! the value of the exhibit, offered to fur
nish the necessary funds. that the art
tent might be thrown open to all visi-
tors. Thus this is the only Chautauqua
in the state which gives its thousand
guests the advantage of a free art ex-
hibit. Mrs. Arlington gives art lectures
morning and evening, as she takes
| classes through the exhibit and mas
been rewarded with constantly increas-
This recognition of the state fedora
ton and it's institution, is very crafty
ing, and the knowledge that our work
and influence has so far exceeded ex1
pectations gives US much more pleas
ure.
Forest park, Lincoln park, Huntress
park-what lesson do this trio of sum
mer schools teach the club woman
who makes the circuit? One thought
is that here is a breadth of vision
which resembles the catholicity OF CLUB
work in it's scope, and so furnishes us
an opportunity for congenial co-opera-
ton; another, that the liberal accept
ance of the club woman's thought ana
effort, and the fact that she does not
fall short of the measure, will help TO
give her place in the large afalrS OF
the world of men. It will dignity her
as a public factor, and while it brings
into her life an upward mental I'M
petus, it will establish her as prac-
teal force in public affairs, and the
men who learn to depend upon her
counsels in such enterprises as this
will instinctively call upon her in that
great coming critical hour when our
country may need the combIneo FORCES
of it's best minds to save it.
There are many more lessons than
this-lessons taught us as we sit be-
meath whispering trees, as we watch
the succession of wonderful dawns and
| twilights, out in Gods world, apart
from the conventions which usually
find US, but they are lessons which
come in different tone to each OF US,
and which we cannot express, save as
they are expressed in our living in the
after days For it must follow that
when thousands of Kansas people step
aside for a season each year for this
mental and spiritual refreshing, the
ideals of our commonwealth will be
raised to a higher plane.
MAY BELLEVILLE BROWN.
Clay Center, Kan, Aug. 8.
To the Editor of Club Column:
| The club spirit is delightfully."- evil
dent at the Clay Center Chautauqua.
| Upon the platform, and in general
conversation one hears frequent REFER
ence to the effective work done by
women's clubs.
This spirit was manifest at the re-
ception given Monday night by the
Library club and the Helianthus club
! to the state and district officers.
! Belleville Browne, state president; Mrs.
N. I. Mcdowell, president; Mrs. Trott,
vice president, and Mrs. Campbell,
secretary of the Fifth district; Mrs.
Hoffman, chairman of forestry COM
mittee of the General Federation; Mrs.
Jennings, president Clay Center fedora
ton; Mrs. Ross. retiring president of
Library club; Mrs. Osterhout and Mrs.
Thompson of the Helianthus club;
Mrs. st. John and Miss Zimmerman of
the W. c. T. u. and the c. L. S. c..
and Mrs. Arlington, superintendent of
the State Federation travelling art gal
lery. The large c. L. S. c. tent was
elaborately decorated with flowers for
the occasion. Refreshments were
served to the five hundred guests in
attendance.
Was there ever a more beautiful
event than Club Day at the Clay Cen
ter Chautauqua? It opened with the
address by Mrs. May Belleville Brown
on '"The Sphere of the Federated
Clubs, which was asplendid production
and exceedingly well received. Miss
Morrison of the Emporia Normal fol-
lowed with a reading, Culture in
| Dixie" In the afternoon again the
club women were given an hour on the