The San Francisco call., 1909-04-28
TRAINING NEEDED
FOR PRISON WORK
President Wheeler Criticises
Condition of the Penal
Institutions
Talks to Club Women About
Advantages of the New
university Idea"

Our state prisons are in terrible
condition here, because they are in the
hands of unframed men who have not
learned their subject" said President
Benjamin Ide Wheeler of the Univer-
sity of California in an address given
before the members of the California
club and their guests on The New
University Idea" That workers who
have been trained in the conducting of
prisons should have charge of all such
institutions was said in the exploita-
tion of the idea that specialized train
ing is needed in all branches of occu-
patton. just as it was formerly con-
sidered necessary in the professions
only.
President Wheeler told fully of the
ramifications of the university idea as
maintained by the state of Califor-
MIA. and gave many interesting details
as to the schools and stations in con-
nection with the university
The difference, he held, between the
old and the new idea was in the fact
that formerly things were taught as
masses of facts, but it was now the
plan to teach students how to find out
things for themselves and to engage
in research work.
In closing he said that the greatest
of all the many great things done for
this state by the pioneers was the
founding of the University of Califor-
MIA, and that this institution should be
the thing of all others of which Cali
fornians should be proud.
The California club entertained the
presidents of the various women's clubs
about the bay yesterday afternoon at
their regular meeting, which was
social day" and presidents day as
well.
Mrs. James B. Hume, president of the
state federation. was the particular
guest of honor and made a brief and
amusing address, in which she paid
tribute to the California club by saying
that whenever the assistance or sup
port of women's organizations was
needed no one thought of appealing to
the state federation. they went in
variably to the California club, and
she complained in humorous fashion
that the state organization was
dwarfed by the local club.
Musical numbers were given by the
the leadership of Mrs. Taylor, among
those singing being Miss Gladys
Kaighin and Thomas Dobson.
Spinners Elect Officers
The Spinners met yesterday after
noon for their annual election at the
home of the Misses Withrow on Pine
street, the business affairs being fol-
lowed by delightful musicale and tea
The musicale was given by several
of Miss Marie Wfthrow's pupils, who
sang delightfully."- and with quite pro,
fessional skill An interesting fea-
ture of the music was that as encores
the singers gave songs of Miss With
rows composition, among the most
enjoyable of which were He Goes into
Nirvana, from The Light of Asia,
and Doris"
Those who contributed to the pro-
gram were: Mrs. Pierce Miss Sher-
ma an-Jones. Miss Ruette Lynch, Mrs
Isovelace and Miss Paramino.
The officers elected were as follows
President, Mrs. Ramon Wilson; first
vice president. Mrs. Elizabeth Gerber
ding; second vice president, Mrs. Ere
mont Older; secretary, Mrs. Conrad
Well; treasurer, Miss Eleanor Daven-
port; chairman of the music section
Mrs. Raymond Benjamin. chairman o1
the art section, Mrs. Charles Plotner
chairman of the literature section
Mrs. Russell II. Cool chairman Of the
dramatic section, Mrs. e. w. Stebbins
trustees of the Spinners' benefit fund
Mrs Elizabeth Gerberding, Mrs. Ernes
S. Simpson and Miss Eleanor Daven.