Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-09-02
COUNTRY WOMEN In CLUB
Farmer Wives Near Ashland and South
Bend Have Ideal Organization.
DOES GREAT AMOUNT OF GOOD WORK
AZ Annual Picnic In Wartman's
Grove, six Miles from Ashland,
Old and Young Have
Fine Time.

Just what a woman's club may mean to
a community was admirably demonstrated
last Wednesday by a picnic given by the
Fairland Country woman's club in Wort
mans grove about six miles from Ash
land. The club is made up of wives and
daughters Of farmers living in the vicinity
OF Ashland and South Bend and 1t is its
annual custom to give a picnic sometime
during August.
Last Wednesdays gathering was the
second out-of-door affair of which the club
has been hostess and the farmers for half
a dozen miles around suspended their
work and laid care aside for the day to
bring their families and participate In the
festivities, Between 200 and 800 men.
women and children enjoyed the outing
and all day long the grove and the field
adjoining rang with shouts and laughter
OF old and young. While the crowd was
gathering between II and IL o'clock.
program was presented by club members
end club sons and daughters. A platform
had been built in the grove and an organ
installed and Mrs. o. ]. Workman, presl-
dent of the club. presided. There was
music by the glee club. the boys quartete
and the girls quartete. organ solos. re-
citations and readings and at the close
Mrs. Workman spoke briefly, explaining
the purpose of the monthly meetings Of
the club was to bring the women of the
heighborhood together for the discussion
OF things pertaining to the home and for
some literary study. She invited all the
women who were not then members TO Join
the organization and bring to 1t what help
they could And then the baskets were un-
packed and the luncheons such as only
farmers wives can provide, were spread
upon the cloths under each trees, several
families uniting at each spread. Later,
while the women cleared away the REM
nants OF the feast. the men sat about In
groups discussing crops or stock, while the
young people made ready for the games
scheduled for the afternoon.
Flag Drill by Little Folk.
The first was a flag drill by a num-
Der of little people who went through sew
eral intricate figures to the inspiring strains
OF Marching Through Georgia" furnished
by mouth harp.
A basket ball game by the young women
came next, the teams being uniformed In
simple short, blue calico dresses and little
black caps. A suitable clearing was made
and the baskets fastened to trees and the
spectators sat about in the buggies or
"oeOho VI otOOu dDOuI IHe Guko TO WatCn
the game. AS the immediate neighborhood
AFFORDED no suitable clearing the whole
party adjourned to a nearby pasture for the
base ball game. A semi-circle of carriages
and wagons, drawn UP about the diamond,
AFFORDED grand-stand from which the\
women and girls cheered the game while
on either side the soft sod served as
"bleachers for the men and boys who
rooted Justify. The two teams were uni
formed In fresh overhalls black shirts
and black caps A base ball game between
the girls basket ball team and team of
young men was the closing event Of the
afternoon, and 1t was well toward sun
down before the picnic broke up. That Il
was success was the general verdict
but, ias one Of the club members said, IL is
question II It was generally realized what
hid made gathering possible.
Mrs. workman Founder.
Tho club was organized two years ago
by its present president. Mrs. o. ]. Wort
man. who had been a prominent member
of the Ashland Womans club. A farmers
wife herself. Mrs. Workman had come
through experience to realize the narrow
ness OF the busy life Of the average woman
on the farm and determined to institute
some diversion by which the women OF her
community might profit. The Falkland
Country Womans club was the outcome
and It is today thriving organization
of about thirty-hve members, its meet
ings being held every fourth Thursday at
the homes of the various members. Aside
from an initiation fee of 20 cents there
are no club dues. the expenses of the or
ganization being met by giving enter
tainments that serve the double pur-
pose OF raising funds and promoting ac-
qulintance and good feeling among the
people of the neighborhood. Some OF the
members have to drive SIX or eight miles
to the meetings, but regardless OF the
weather the attendance is invariably good
and this has in no way tended TO limit
the membership or the interest
Meetings All summer.
Unlike the city club, the meetings are
continued through the summer. which,
though they are held only every four
weeks. gives almost as many meetings to
the year other clubs have.
An especial effort has been made to inter-
est the young women and 30 successful
has It been that the club has been asked
to contribute to the program OF the coming
convention Of the Nebraska Federation OF
Womens Clubs. talk or a paper on how
to gain and hold the interest of young
WOtnen concerning inc cluD Gfb WORT
man said Wednesday,
THE women Of the cities or even OF the
smaller towns have no idea how much our
club means to us 1t Is practically all We
have In the way OF diversion or recreation
or opportunity for an exchange OF ideas.
Before we had the club comparatively few
Of us even knew each other. We do not
all attend the same churches and, having
little time for calling had no chance 10
meet. There are 30 many things In the
country that might be 30 different II peo-
pie only knew each other better"
How we'll the club has served this pur-
pose Is shown In the fact that since it's
organisation the nelghbors are better ac-
quainted than for twenty years and en-
brace every occasion for coming together.
The club will hold It's annual election OF
officers In November and In February gives
It's annual social The social and the picnic
are the two big events of the year and the
indoor gathering last winter was scarcely
less interesting than Wednesdays picnic.
II was an evening gathering and those In
attendance ranged In age from months
to 30 years. The club is at present Of
hcered by Mrs o. ]. Workman. PRESIDENT
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