The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-02-26

IN a specific line of work how our
hearts culver with pride over our sec
ond grown child. who bids fair 10 even
outstrip the motherl What magician
hand is 1t that has-out of nothing save
broad philanthropie desire to help school
conditions throughout the state-eyolved
this wonderful School improvement as
ISOLATION? Ali mother hearts were stirred
to see children being taught under con-
ditions so unfavorable TO health, morals
and mental development, and our noble
women gave themselves to try to better
those conditions, and SO wonderful has
been the result that their services have
been recognized and means put at their
disposal to carry on the work. Today
the School Improvement association, the
child of the Alabama Federation of Wo-
men clubs stands as one Of the most
powerful organizations in the state,
whether it be of men or women.
In a quiet. gentle, unobstrusive way
is the free kindergarten movement be-
ing pushed. | prophesy that ere long
through the inspiration of you women of
Birmingham alone It will burst resplenz
dent upon the horizon of the state and
be an added star in your crown of good
deeds.
And now I speak with pride of our
eldest child. The Boys Industrial school.
the pride, the joy, the beloved of our
hearts, the greatest educational philan
throphy in our state. And | bow my
head in homage to its founder, and its
strong support. our Mrs. r. d. Johnston.
What spirit has animated and
made possible the accomplishment of
these things? l unfalteringly answer,
The Spirit of Reciprocity The giving
and receiving Of that which is highest
and best From each according to her
store, to each according to her need. In
otto all yir,ey raoIT af,ff
committee is the obedient servant of the
Individual. the club, the officers and
chairman of the committees-the fedora
ton, as a whole. The committee where
help can be sought and help be given.
1t Is the medium of establishing per-
-sonal relations between our organization
and the individual. From the active,
alert progressive club Is given inspira
ton and strength to the club needing
direction and help. In spirit 1t is the
tower of strength of our federation. l
plead for the cultivation and full devel-
opment OF this spirit of reciprocity. 1t
not only moves into activlly each club
and each club member and makes them
realize in its fullness a personal respon
sibility for the welfare of others, but
thereby, we. ourselves, are better en-
abled to avoid the rough places and pit
falls along llfe's journey and climb to
the lofty plano of noble deeds Then If
perchance we can ever attain to the high
tower of strength and safety where the
uplifting hand is no longer needed we
can make ourselves the more secure,
stronger and nobler by extending help
ing hand to those about us. Occupying
such positions and with such associations,
as age creeps on, We grow broader
deeper, stronger, better and sweeter, and
each unselfish act and each reciprocal
deed becomes bright link in the golden
chain of reciprocity that will bind us
Into a noble womanhood, and we will
be enabled to leave to our succeeding
generation a heritage of strength, good
ness and glory never yet bequeathed by
a race of women.
have spoken in detail of the educa-
tional work undertaken by our fedora
ton and the spirit which animates and
preserves 1t, but is not all this more
far reaching than at first appears? Rath-
err, should say, does 1t not come near
er home? Can we ignore in the sum-
ming up of the educational and reciprocal
work. what it has done for you and me?
In calling on every nature for its high
est" have we, too, not been uplifted2 In
pledging ourselves to better civic sur
roundings, better citizenship, better laws,
to work together for health and hap
piness, to secure for our children bet
ter educational facilities, In helping the
helpless and caring for the weak, do we
| not go back into our own homes with
| higher ideals, remembering we are first
| of all wives and mothers-home-m makers
and we must endeavor to live our in
| dividual lives in that rarified atmosphere
| to which we are trying to elevate others
| I am minded to relate to you a child
| story. A young boy was chided for
| teasing his younger sister. In her anxiety
| to correct the evil the mother told hin
/ III n,.5h p u tofa Oyas
thing that married the beauty and hap
piness of his home. Otherwise 1t would
| always be the house of joy. He was
| greatly impressed with the fact that he
/ had destroyed the beauty and happiness
of the home and slipping away was later
| found writing. The story that came from
| his faltering childish pen was in sense
! as follows: There was a lady beautiful
| and two children beautiful. They lived
| In castle beautiful. When trouble would
come near the lady and the children
| guarded the castle so closely that the
danger was turned away. Together they
would go up into the tower and then
| each giving courage and strength to the
| other, they kept watch and trouble
or evil with ugly visage approached. to-
| gether and hand In hand they would
drive 1t away. So closely guarded was
| the castle beautiful that no evil ever ven
tured, no unhappiness ever came. 1t was
a Joyce house"
The application is not far to seek
| Our homes are castles and beautiful
| should they be. Our federation can be
our watch tower of strength and strong
should it be; and we stand upon the
battlements thereof, bound together by
the spirit of reciprocity, and made the
stronger and the sweeter by our en-
deavor for noble deeds, as wives and
mothers-as home-makers-are better able
to turn away evil from the home. can
bring JOY and happiness to Joyce house,
and thus be triumphant in OAR battle for
the pure, the noble and the good
friends very informally yesterday after
ston, whose marriage to Miss Nancy John
ston, who's marriage will be one of the
events of early spring. The affair was
a o'clock tea, guests being seated about
table beautifully decorated with a CEN
trail PLAGUE of bright-tinted tulips. In
the party were Mrs. McLester, Miss
Johnston, Mrs. William NJ. Walker, Mrs.
Paschal Shook, Mrs. Carroll Long, Mrs.
John M London, Mrs. John H. Frye,
and Miss Anna Gage.
Miss Glennie Mosely returned yester-
day after visit to friends In New Or
leans.