St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1910-06-08
Women's Clubs in Convention.
Annual Meeting of State Federation Held
at Rutland.-GO0dW Work Accom-
pliShed by Various Com
miffeeS.


The 18th annual convention of the
State Federation of Women's Clubs was
held at the Universalist church at Rut-
land, June and 2, about 20 delegates
being present. Greetings were extended
from the New York state federation by
Mrs. Arthur Holme of Albany, N Y,
and from the New Hampshire clubs by
Mrs. c. 6. Shedd of Keene. Addresses
of welcome were made by Mrs. Henry A.
Hartman in behalf of the Rutland Wo-
mans club, Mrs. ]. B. Needham for the
Progressives, and Mrs. w. F. Nelson for
the Unity club, each being president of
the club she represented. Mayor Car
penter welcomed the ladies in behalf of
the city and Lieut.. Gov. John A. Mead
gave them a further cordial welcome.
The response to the words of welcome
was given by Mrs. Charles Fl. Spooner
of Mortified. The convention was en-
tertained by the choral class of the Rut-
land Woman's Club which sang several
selections, Mrs. Walter Quinn of Boston
gave a reading and Mrs. Julia c. R. Dorr
read a number of her own poems. Re-
ports of officers were given and Mrs.
Henry A. Hartman of Rutland and Miss
Susan E. Clark OF Brattleboro gave re-
ports of the biennial at Cincinnati.
Three clubs Joined the Federation, the
day club of East Thetford, and the Yer
mont Teachers club. the latter number
ing about 600 members. Reports of
club presidents and of committees took
up much OF the afternoon, and Mrs. A.
H. Putnam of Bennington addressed the
meeting on the work accomplished by
the Industrial and Consumers League.
Rev. Joseph Reynolds gave an address
on Labor. Justice to Women and Child
rem" On Wednesday evening Mrs.
George 7. Chaffee threw open her beauti-
full home to the visiting delegates and
nearly 300 ladies attended the reception.
The rooms were lavishly decorated with
flowers and ferns and the Stafford Mel
low orchestra furnished music. In the
first receiving line were Mrs. George T.
Chaffee, Mrs. 0. c. Ashton, Mrs. c. c..
Fits of Brattleboro, Mrs. 2. F. Hazen
of ST. Johnsbury and Mrs. Josephine
Arms of Bellows Falls. In the second
line were Mrs. T. A Davis, Mrs. c. H.
Spooner of Mortified, Mrs. H. A. Har-
man, Mrs. ]. B. Needham, Mrs. J. A.
Mead and Mrs. w. +. Nelson.
The forenoon of the second day was
given to reports by presidents of the
various clubs and chairmen of commit
tees, and two able addresses, one by
State Forester A. F. Halves of BurlingI
ton and the other by Mrs. P. F. Hazen
on state penal institutions. 1t was re-
ported for the committee on legislation
that through Governor Prouty an effort
was being made to ascertain the number
of children in the state defective in one
or more senses. Another announcement
of great interest to the federation was
the final settlement of litigation whereby
legacy of $50. 900 at Brattleboro has
become available for educating these
children and a farm of 200 acres has
been bought as a site. The federation
took au important part in bringing this
about.
In the afternoon Mrs. Marcus Nj. Mer-
rift of the Boston Daughters OF Vermont
gave greetings from that body of women.
Mrs Ashton gave her report as state
president, telling of indications of pros
perity observed. The convention closed
Thursday evening with a public session
at the church. Enjoyab BILE music was fur
nished and Mrs. Walton Quinn of Bos-
ton gave another of her delightful read
ings. The address OF the evening was
given by Miss Rhoda M. White. dean of
women, Middlebury college, and profess
sor of sociology. She took as her sub
iect Rural Problems" discussing it
under the heads OF the school and the
church.
The same federation officers will serve
until the next annual meeting.
Some matters brought up for discus
sion were the capacity for entertaining
delegates. and the time taken at the
meetings for reports by presidents of the
clubs, neither of which were acted upon.
The large picture, First in Peace"
presented to the Federation few years
ago by the Daughters OF Vermont, was
hung in the church where the meeting
was held and it was voted to send it to
the Industrial School at Vergennes for
the summer months.