The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-10-05
NEWS OF THE DAY
| IN SOCIETY WORLD
Mrs. Rountree's Address To
Woman's Congress
NOTES AND PERSONAL
Datts Announced for Several Autumn
Weddings-CardC Clubs ReOrganixe.
College Women With Miss
| Downcy-0ther Items
BY MYRTLE MILES.

represented that interesting organization
yesterday at the afternoon meeting OF
the press and authors day of the wom-
| ans congress in Knoxville Birming-
ham was we'll represented by this bright
woman, whose intellectual grace and at
tractive personality have made her an
important figure at many assemblages
| of cultured women.
| Her subject yesterday was, THE Wom-
ans National Press Association: Its
Scope and Work. How cleverly she
treated it may be seen in the copy of
the address reproduced here.
1.-THE Woman's National Press associa-
ton, composed of newspaper workers.
authors, editors, illustrators, magazine
writer's and reviewers. stands pre-emi-
nentIy for the highest type of journalism.
in its broadcast sense among women"
said Mrs. Rountree.
with membership that is interna-
tional, its influence is broad. its standard
high, and its aim unbounded. Organized
| in 1882 at Washington, D. c., it hss
the distinction of being the oldest organ
ization of its kind in the world, and one
of the earliest of women's clubs Under
its auspices were organized the Interna-
tional Press union and the District Fed
GRAFTON of Women's Clubs.
"At it's head has been such women as
Mrs Emily Edison Griggs, it's first presi-
dent. known by the pen name OLIVIA,
who was the first woman journalist al
lowed admission to the reporters gallery
of the United States Congress.
Martha d. Lincoln. one of the mos;
voluminous newspaper writers of both
prose and poetry. under the name OF
| Bessie Beech, was Its second president
and these have been succeeded by Mrs
Mary S. Lockwood. an author of wide
note. who for years was editor of the
| American Monthly; Mrs. Hannah d.
Sperry, former editor of American Farm
and Home; Mrs. Ellen s. Cromwell, one
| of the journalists whose portrait may be
| seen In the famous painting of the Elec-
| toral Commission in the United states
cantol. Mrs. Mary s. Gst (deceased).
who was war correspondent from 1901
to- 1865; Miss Frances Graham French,
a woman known in both American and
foreign periodicals, and Mrs. Belva Ann
Lockwood, the present presiding officer,
who ranks as high in journalism as IN
her legal profession, a woman whose
broad view of life and high plane of
ideals has created a higher standard
| for women and set us an example OF
purity of purpose and nobility OF living
that will leave its impress upon the age.
"Formed for the purpose of advancing
and encouraging women in literary
works: promoting fraternal intercourse
with kindred associations, and securing
the benefit arising from organized ef-
fort. the Woman's National Press as
ISOLATION in its % years has accomp-
rsbed much good, and been Of valuable
aid to its members.
Special courses in journalism are now
being studied by the association: meth
DDS are being advocated for the suppress
sion of the colored newspaper supple
ment: for the Improvement and cleanli-
ness in general of municipal highways
and byways, and special interest Is De-
ing taken in the conservation OF our nat
ural resources
= american journalism today controls
national thought. 1t is the originator oil
ideas, the instigator of reforms. and the
promoter of advanced methods and ac-
tive achievement. And in 1t all the wom-
an has her part-big and broad and full
of responsibility.
"Ours is an age of progress, and the
woman writer of today must deal with
conditions of the future; wide must be
her vision and high her aim.
THE writer Of Juvenile stories can
leave her impress upon the men and
women of tomorrow-those who are to
take up the questions of life as we lay
them down.
.sThe author who ldelves into lifes grave
problems may find for someone some-
where a solving that has long been
! sought
"The news reporter covering tragic
work has the power to mould and in
fuence the dcstinies of many.
1.-THE society editor controls the heart
throbs of her people; the rise and fall
of their social eminence depends upon
| her favor; many mans rating at the
banks is guessed by the extent of his
wife's entertaining, the candle power Of
her jewels as publicly described. FASH
| ion centers around the social editors
page, and her descriptions are as meat
and drink to those who are both in ana
out of that curious realm Of powar, the
society world.
1.-THE dialect writer is preserving for gem
| erations yet to come the sweek folk lore
| of melody and pathos, that already be-
longs to a by-gone age.
| while the poet-that dreamer Of fancies
puts something of sentiment into this
prosaic age of commercialism, which will
| outlive the tension of high finance.
Think what it means, this power that
is held in the hollow of our hand we
women who belong to the world of jour-
nalism; we, who, all unconsciously, may
in our work. snaps and influence the lives
of Others. and leave our impress on the
| conditions that surround us.
"Let us guard our treasures we'll. and
use our opportunities with wisdom; let
us be big and broad and generous of
| thought, shutting out the little person
alities and narrowness of spirit that try
so hard to find way In; let us keep our
ambitions pure and our ideals high. maxi
ing of our work something really worth
| the whole, so that
after all, when life is ended
| And our task at last Is done
] We will find our compensation
/ In the struggles we have won;
1 And the knowledge that our efforts
wrvHnr