The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1909-02-10
GIRLS HAVE POOR
CHANCE TO STAY
SINGLE IN PANAMA
Deserted Hospital Doctors Send
for Nurses Forty Years Old
and Very HOmely."
ARLINGTON CLUBW0MEN
HEAR ENTERTAINING TALK
Miss Boswell Tells of Conditions
that Make Women Discon=
tented al Esthmus.

Why w~omenhave been discontented in
Panama and what measures have been
taken to remove that discomfort among
the wives and other relatives of the
canal workers was explained to mem
bers of the Woman's Literary Club, of
Arlington, yesterday. by Miss Helen z.
Boswell, Chairman of the+ Industrial
committee of the General Federation of
Women's Clubs.
Scarcity of young women, and espe-
cially nurses, was one Of the conditions
noted by the speaker in Panama, where
she went at the request of the govern
1nent to Investigate the situation as it
affected women.
The pretty unmarried girl was very
much in demand. she said. 1T is hard,
indeed, for any girl to leave the 18TH
mus unmarried. Why, the doctor in
one OF the hospitals complained to me
that he lost seventeen nurses in three
months, and sent word to Washington
on no account to send down any nurses
under 40 years of age, and that they
must be very plain
TOO Little TO DO.
L ltuIlL ptGlilidI tCilultIDllSH pom lily
arrival" said Miss Boswell. THE women
had too little to occupy their minds.
Their housework was a simple matter.
The houses. built and equipped by the
government with mission furniture,
electric lights. distilled water and fuel,
were easily cared for, and the fact that
The rainy season lasts eight months
obviated the dust problem. They had
t,a o<,o,cne ux- fAr FOOD op1E nIofhae.
their husbands made from % per cent.
to So per cent. more thar they made in
the States, and there vas no method
of spending time or money, no theatres,
etc. Consequently they We're discon-
tented. And again the class problem
was presented. The army Jadies. the
judiciary ladies', the clerical ladies and
the steam shovel ladies', all adhered to
their WI ranks" Miss Boswell said
that with some difficulty She brought
all classes together one afternoon, land
7 found" she said. "that they were all
Just women, n lonesome, and a long
way from home"
1T was an idea of the government
that perhaps clubs for the women
might prove a panacea for the discon-
tent rife from one end to the other, and
to Miss Boswell was entrusted the work
of forming these clubs. In her three
months ~sojourn she organized eight
clubs of from forty to 100 members
each and each club embraced four
departments, home, education, philan-
thropy and entertainment. Miss Bos-
we'll reported that the clubwomen made
a point of inviting at least once a week
n of the young unmarried men to
dinner. The hotel and mess life"
she said, ARE not the pleasantest,
chiefly because of the bad cooking, and
you have no idea how much they APP
p~reciate this little glimpse of home life.
Mothers of sons who are at work in
the canal zone ma feel assured that
their boys are receiving some attention
now that the women are banding to-
~gether in an organized effort to help"
CIub Movements Success.
The club movement has been so sue
cessful that the national president and
vice-president of the General Federation,
Mrs. Philip N. Moore and Mrs. John
Dickinson Sherman, are now in Pan
anna attending the February meeting.
In a letter received by Miss Boswell
yesterday morning Mrs. Moore reported
that Pre~sident-elect and Mrs. Taft at
tended the federation luncheon and ex-
pressed their appreciation and wish to
cooperate in the work.
Miss Boswell said that church growth
has been slow because of the mistake. of
the denominations in sending down in
competent representatives.
Vocal solos, 'Springtide'' and when
in Waking Dreams 1 Lie were IN
tributed by Mrs. John Buckhout, and
the program was followed by a social
hour. when chocolate was served. Mrs.
Charles Latham, the president, was in
charge, and Mrs. Nellie Presley was the
hostess.