Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-05-17
County w. c. 7. U. Convention

County w. G. T. U. Convention
. TWO DAYS SESSION HELD AT SOUTH
PARIS, GOOD ATTENDANCE.
On Wednesday and Thursday the Ok
ford County Woman's Christian Temper
auce Union held Its annual convention
: in the Congregational church at South
Paris. There was good attendance oil
the women interested in the work from
various parts of the county, and profita-
BILE sessions were held.
Dinner on each day, and supper on
Wednesday, were served In the vestry Of
the church, and the visiting members
desiring it were entertained at the home
} of the local members.
Mrs. E. A. G.. Stickney, the county
president, called the convention to order
after the trains had arrived and there
had been time for greetings Wednesday
forenoon. A devotional service was con
Quoted by Mrs. B. G. Wentworth OF
Norway.
In brief but exceedingly we'll word.
ed address the convention was welcomed
tn South Paris by Mrs. Florence Haskell.
The response by Mrs. E. W. Chandler OF
Bethel was also brief and appropriate.
The new county song written by Miss
Isabel Shirley was sung by Mrs. G. l..
Banghart of Bethel, to the air OF the
Glory Song, and 1t was later decided to
have copies of the song printed for the
use OF the members. A brief letter from
Miss Shirley was also read, and vote OF
thanks to her for her song and her inter
est in the welfare of the union was
passed.
The report of the corresponding sec
rotary, Mrs. E. w. Chandler, gave sta.
tis,ics regarding the nine local unions OF
the county, showing them to be in good
condition. The unions are at Bethel,
Buckfield, East Brownfield, Hiram, Nor
way, Rumford, Rumford Center, South
Paris and West Paris.
The report of the treasurer, Mrs. Nellie
F. Farnum of South Paris, was read,
showing a balance in the treasury of
5000.
Reports of some of the department
superint endents, and routine business,
occupied the rest of the forenoon session.
Business matters also occupied the
first of the afternoon session. The ex-
ecutive committee reported in favor Of
consolidating into one the departing nts
of evangelistic work and Sabbath
observance. The message of the pre-.
sident, Mrs. Stickney, followed. AL
though there are minor features not s."
favorable, in general Mrs. Stickney con-
siders the situation regarding the tenn
perance movement very encouraging.
She sees many opportunities for the
organization of new unions in Oxford
County, in territory not now occupied.
The national convention held in Omaha
last fall was referred to, and many of
its inspiring scenes and striking features
were described. In closing, Mrs. Stick
ney emphasized the importance of the
local unions, and urged unceasing activity
| in them.
A letter of greeting from Mrs. Stevens,
the national and state president, was
read, and a solo was sung by Mrs.
Banghart.
A department quiz was conducted by
Mrs. Annie Barnes of Norway, the su
perintendent of the Loyal Temperance
Legion department. Mrs. Barnes had
distributed among those present some
questions regarding the organization and
methods of work of the Legion, and the
answers made by those assigned and the
remarks volunteered by Mrs. Barnes and
others made an interesting discussion.
1t seemed to be the general opinion that
the greatest problem was securing a
leader. In some places the legion is
organized within a school, conducted b!
the teacher, and little time ia allowed
10 be devoted to it the last of the after
noon on Friday. In other places its
work is done in connection with Sunday
Schools or young peoples societies, the
temperance work being taken up once
month.
The special feature of the afternoon
Wednesday was the children's hour. AT
little before o'clock about two hun
dred South Paris school children, &C
ompanied by their teachers, marched
into the church, to the music OF Lumley
Band, the boys band which has thus far
been 80 successful. A temperance song
was sung by the children, and they
we're then greeted by Mrs. Stickney, and
were taken in charge by Mrs. Fife Lam.
bert of New York, who bad just arrived
on the train. Mrs. Lambert has very
taking way with children, and does not
fire over their heads. She congratulated
them on living in a prohibition state,
! and gave them some instruction on the
difference between license and prohi-
bition state.
Talking about the saloon, Mrs. Lam
hert described one and asked how many
of them had ever seen one. Two hands
went up, and in answer TO her questions,
one girl said she had seen one in New
Hampshire, and one boy said be had seen
one in moving pictures.
Then she emphasized the importance
of total abstinence for every one, and de-
voted some time to talking to them OF
the evils of cigarette smoking. From
her remarks in regard to this matter, it
is evident Mrs. Lambert has in other
parts of the country found that habit
much more prevalent among the pupils
| in the schools than 1t is here.
An address by Mrs. Lambert was also
the principal feature of the evening ses-
sion of the convention, for which a good
audience had gathered. There was
special music for this session, and de-
votional services were conducted by Rev.
Miss Macduff.
Mrs. Lambert gave a practical tenn
perance address, calling her topic ITO
the Ropes!" She set forth that our good
ship of state was launched and we'll
started on the voyage to perfect liberty
that If we would keep her In her course
we must man the ropes by which her
course is directed. The ancient nations
went down because of the bad habits OF
the people; America has the inherent
power to save herself and 60 on to great
or power, or commit suicide. Liquor Is
the great enemy that threatens US.
Woman has always been the chief suffer.
or from liquor, and it is but natural that
woman should organize to fight the evil.
The origin, the aims, and the methods OF
the WOman's Christian Temperance
Union were shown. Mrs. Lambert has q
good presence, and is pleasing as well
as earnest and effective speaker, and was
heard with the strictest attention. Al
the close of her talk, she and assistants
canvassed the audience for new members
for the W. c. T. u, and secured mum
Der.
Thursday morning the regular bust
ness of the convention proceeded after
devotional service conducted by Mrs
McWhortsr of South Paris. The ole
1AN k1I M