The Republican journal., 1909-10-21


and always helpful.
Mrs. Flagg, now President Of the Fed
GRAFTON, said before that vast assembly.
that when she appealed to the Travellers
Club of Belfast for text books to facili-
tate the work of the teachers at the
Jackson school the response was so
hearty and prompt that she was aston
ished. Then Miss Clifford, Cooking so
sensible and seeming so interested in her
work. gave in her report, list of the
books we sent and expressed high appre-
citation of them.
Mrs. Abbott, of the literature COM
mittee, whose face and dress betokened
the highest type of refinement, paid a
glowing tribute to Sarah Orne Jewett,
saying that her stories would pass the
pure food law test, they were so simple
and wholesome, and that she considered
"Nancy" her masterpiece. Mrs. Abbott
read letter from the late Miss Jewett
from which l will read this extract:
81 have watched tendency in the
clubs to give up effort on the part of
most of the club members, and to make
the meetings depend upon outside enter
tainment. Often these lectures or talks
are not half so good as some of the mem
bers themselves might give, and the
good of receiving, of being amused for
an hour, is not equal to the good that
comes from developing our own gifts.
If we cannot write papers we can have
! interesting things that we have taken
the trouble to find; or we can have inter
esting talks between three or four mem
bers who have looked up matter Of i'm
mediate interest. | do not undervalue
our entertainments from outside, but to
me they are almost always second in
value to what we bring out of our own
treasures of thought and experience. |
do not think that they are what our
clubs are really for, and the mere fact of
the long lists Of people who do things
for the clubs, shows dangerous tenden-
cy to stop doing for ourselves! Cannot
we make new plans toward this end?
Yours sincerely,
S. 0. Jewett. "
Mrs. Abbott also said not to leave the
training of our children to the school or
street, to point out to them the beauties
of nature and to try to cultivate in them
taste for good literature.
The arts and crafts exhibit was ex-
ceptionally attractive and interesting.
particularly enjoyed the birch bark pic
lures. There was one, supposedly a
bachelor, with a most disconsolate ex-
preston and darning his own stockings.
The picture was entitled, "Serves Him
Right, - and it was purchased by one of
the ladies to hang in the den of gentle
man friend. There We're also In this
collection some very beautiful candelabra
shades made of silk and velvet to repre-
sent the fleur-de-lis Many of the ex-
hibits We're from the Randall colony at
Boothbay Harbor and l understand Mr..
Randall offers a scholarship to the Fed
Grafton.
Mrs. White, in speaking of the work
of the Federation, said it was instru-
mental in raising large sum of money
for tuberculosis work and had introduced
the Federation teacher. That the good
work done at Malaga Island had been a
great uplift to the inhabitants, and that
we should accomplish more by making
our club inclusive rather than exclusive.
The Foresty Committee reported that
steps were being taken to have the re-
gion about Mt. Katahdin reserved for a
State park, thinking it would tend to in
terest lumbermen in the forestry ques-
ton.
The Civics Committee reported that in
identifying city we added to its wealth,
as it would induce people to come and
establish homes.
DR.. Mary Croswell said children
ought to be trained in the principles of
hygiene; that more attention ought to
be paid to the teeth, and that people were
willing to subscribe larger sums for the
inspection of their trees and cattle than
for their children.
Mrs. Mason of the Legislative Com
mittee reported that the Child Labor
Law, for which the Federation had work.
ed so hard, would take effect January l,
1910.
The Reciprocity Committee said that it
had many calls for papers on Forestry,
Civics and Industrial Training, and wish
ed every club would at least send one.
One lady said home reciprocity was
much enjoyed by her club. Mrs. Flagg
enquired what that meant The lady
answered, 81 don't know, as l am re-
porting for someone else." Mrs. White
came to the rescue, and explained that it
was inviting member from another
club to come in and entertain ones own
occasionally, and to return the favor.
Another lady said it was custom at
her club to have someone make note of
incorrect expressions used by the men,
bers, and at the end of the year read the
corrected list. This was thought to be
very helpful and caused no discord.
Now | suppose it isn't just loyal to a
women's convention to say that man
carried off the palm, but it was generally
conceded that the lecture on 1.-THE Fell
lowship of the Common Life" by Prof.
Chas. Zueblin was the browning glory of
the program. He said, 1--WE do not
know enough people and the people we
do know, we do not know well enough. -