The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-11-18


| nant feature in education in the near
| future, If we are to attain the pros
| perity and success we should, as it Is
| the only solution for the problem of pow
| erty, but 1 will not touch upon this sub
| ject tonight, as we have the honor of the
presence of Mrs. Martha Gielow of
| Greensboro, an unusually gifted woman,
who has not only won fame in two con-
| tnents as an interpreter of plantation
lore and writer of much merit, but has
| organized an association for the Hitter
ate white children throughout the south.
| | am sure that Mrs. Gielow will bring us
| to q more realizing sense of the ignorance
| and illteracy of IA per cent of the ma
| tive white children of our southland. and
| urge upon us the necessity of penetrat-
| ing the darkness of this condition, by
| giving to this work our heartiest sup
| port.
Boys Industrial School.
| OF course you all know that the Boys
| Industrial school is a protege OF the
/ Alabama Federation of Women's clubs.
and I am sure that you are wondering
wnere Mrs. Johnston Is, that she is not
here to tell us something about her
boys" Nothing but the marriage of
one of her girls for she has girls, tool.
would have kept her away tonight.
Every woman in the state takes live
| ly interest in the welfare of these youths,
and the declarations in other states have
followed the example of Alabama In awak-
ening public interest for the securing OF
industrial and reformatory schools, where
unfortunate boys who have done wrong
are given a chance to make good, honest
men of themselves.
Miss Clark of Selma, a valued officer
and member of the Federation, suggested
to the convention last year that all of the
money subscribed for 1.-THE boys during
that session be given to purchase new
printing press of which they were sadly
in need. A total of $3.50 was received and
a first class press has been installed Mr.
Weakley says that they hope to do better
work than ever before, and solicits our
patronage. Remember, that last year we
promised to give them the printing OF our
year books and any other practicable
work. A little encouragement and judi
cious praise may prove the moral fibre
of these boys and help them to become
blessings to the community
civic Improvement.
Civic Improvement is a subject growing
throughout the country, and the club
women of Alabama requested your presi-
dent to make such committee one or
the standing committees Of the Fedora
ton, thereby showing the interest. en-
thusiasm and inspiration that was being
aroused for the identifying of their cities,
towns and villages. Mrs. Wyller, who
has always proven herself equal to any
task, whether as president of this body
or as chairman of a committee. was
placed in charge of this work. Many of
the clubs report great progress in the
betterment of civic conditions, and the
committee hopes that the club women
will inspire the communities in which
they live to take an active interest in
public welfare, by striving to make clean,
healthfu and attractive places In which
to live.
One of the medical journals states that
cit is strange how slow men are to rec
ognize that IN all matters of practical
hygiene the women are necessary, and
that we shall never have clean cities un-
til they undertake the job If each
| woman's club would devote at least one
programme a year to studying what they
may do to make outdoor surroundings
more orderly and beautiful, and then
use their influence for keener percep-
ton of beauty they would soon realize
what important factors they have, be-
come in civic and municipal problems,
Reciprocity.
The possibilities OF the work of the re-
| ciprocity committee are greater than
| have yet been realized by the clubs. 1t
! has proven a bond of mutual sympathy
| and helpfulness, and an added pleasure
to those who have shared its benefits.
| Many do not realize that this commit
| tee has year books on file, a 8 well as
| splendid papers on divers subjects and
| that they are urged to give them for help
| in time of need.
Our efficient chairman, Mrs. Albes of
| Decatur, writes that the hearty response
| of the clubs has been very encouraging,
| and that the observance of a reciprocity
| day has been quite general The idea
| INN, nd
| suggestions from other clubs has taken
| so we'll that at times the entire stock
| has been exhausted Again does Mrs.
Albes urge that this committee be made
| a bureau of information, for so many In
! quiries have been made relative to con-
| situations and bylaws, as well as upon
| subjects peculiar to club work. that such
| a bureau would be of great usefulness.
| No doubt more of these requests would
| be made II 1t were generally known that
| such means of information had been pro-
| vided by the Fedora ton. In short, II each
| club will send to this committee items
| that bear upon the work of the club,
| sketches of any work, legislative or phil
anthropic new plans for the coming sea-
| SON. constitutions, bylaws. etc, 1t will
| veritably become a bureau of information
| and helpfulness.
official Organ.
Tnere is no more active agent III re-
| ciprocity than the official organ, and
when you publish in 1t your aims and
| hopes and ambitions, as well as your
work and methods, you not only give
| them to your officers and club women,
| but when a bright, up-to-date newspa-
per becomes the medium of communiea-
| ton your influence Is extended into the
| broader sphere OF life and your sugges-
| tions and inspirations may bring into ex-
| istence many good works. that otherwise
might lie dormant for years The office
of editor Is an arduous and exacting
one, but when each of us will assume the
moral obligation of giving our best to the
education of a righteous public opinion
and interest in community bettermen.
then will the influence of the official
organ be widespread. and the final link
In the bond of interest between the club
member and the state organization be
welded
Mrs Robbins has more than fulfilled
all expectations as editor of the Fedora
ton Page, and she has aroused such gen.
une interest among the clubs, that there
should be a more general subscription
from Individual members. From other
states have come words of praise to cheer
her in her arduous task. A prominent
club woman OF Pennsylvania has written
that "the Federation Page of the Ala
bama clubs is indeed worth while. 1t
makes good reading, and I know of no
page like 1t In our northern states A
Georgia woman, equally prominent in life
says that 1t is without exception, the
best page on club work she has ever
read and many of my friends men as