Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-11-11

Fifth District. We point with pride
to women who have grown and
broadened out their lives until each
hour is filled with work for the bet
torment of mankind.
Dear friends II ] have seemed TO
criticize harshly 1t is said in all kind
ness. want to say to this body Of
women that ] feel guilty when !
think how much more have received
from this office than have given.
what you have given to me Will for
ever be among my valued posses
sions. What have given you, !
cannot find myself. consider II
an honor to be at the head Of this
organization.
Mr.. Geo. Harvey in writing for the
North American Review says: 1t
seems to me the quality Of the boy
now growing up in this country Is
peculiarly fine. Then he goes on to
saw in what way. and adds: THE
mother of today is responsible for the
change. Thirty years ago she was
middle aged at marriage, at 40 she
was good mother but failure as q
companion, in this age she grows
with us as we'll as for her children.
She is their companioa at any age,
again women's clubs hqvo been the
slipping stone. But we may not
stop here for we have been praised
for what we have done aud we have
praised ourselves-but. can we bear
nothing but praise, of that we have
had enough-what we now need for
our own good is not adulation but
intelligent criticism. We need some
one to tell us where we FALL short
how we fail to do the things we
might do. It is we'll for us to improve
our minds with the study OF litera-
ture and history, but that Is not
enough, we should take up civic I'M
provement, social conditions and leg
islative betterment and make study
Of whatever we undertake, thorough
ly educate ourselves in 1t. Education
means perfectioR-to be a perfect
woman, many sided and well rounded
is to be able to fulfil our duties, as
wives, as mothers, and as citizens OF
these United States, living up to our
highest privileges and claiming all
that comes to another citizen.
It is only through organized effort
that we are able to do these things.
II we would aim to be living part OF
the great organization, of women
that is doing so much for the world,
we must do our little part, and we
must do it in the right spirit.
hope you will pardon me II take
this opportunity to mention two
things that make it very hard to car
ry out any definite plans for special
work, one is self centered club and
the other the Indifferent members
in the individual clubs; sometimes
think we need great calamity g
waken us up. For too many OF US
keep our names upon the club roll
by paying our 800 per year, sat
isfied that that is sufficient, never
dreaming Of our lost opportunities
to give and to receive. We may not
live unto ourselves alone and make
good use of the talents God has
given us. The self conferred club
gives out nothing to the world of
clubs, the members are perfectly sat-
isfied with our club and our member
ship, they neither give nor take, the
are like the member who pays $1.OO
per year and their duty ends-but
on the other hand we find women
ready to do the thing that seems
necessary to be done, however ur-
pleasant 1t may be. Often times un-
kindly criticized but they are the ones
we look to when there are things to
be done, perhaps we envy their sue
cess when we should circulate the
process by which 1t came.
There is a future for US but it
will demand open-mindness and pro-
gressiveness that the work may adj !
vance. Each year we should grow
in influence and power-we cannot
stand still, we either go forward or
backward. Sometimes we forget what
a privilege it is to live in such an
era as the present-whst advantages
we enjoy as results of the faithful
labors Of others. What treasures
are In store for US II we viii diligent- |
ly search for them. How helpful
are the varied organizations in slim
ulating us to better work, which
shall quicken our thoughts, ennoble
our lives. strengthen our faith until