The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-10-14
FEDERATED CLUBS.

The fifth annual convention of the
Indiana Federation of Clubs will meet
in indianapolis, October "a. rs and 26.
The announcement is of deep inter
est to the 10000 women of the ESQ
clubs which comprise it, for it is in
these yearly gatherings Of live ener.
getic co-workers that they gain new
ideas for the coming year, and the
inspiration to carry the mout
The woman's club was in the outset
the chosen theme of the would-be
humorist. The funny paragraph in re-
gard to the husband whose clothres
were ragged and buttonless, who came
at the close of a hard day to a dreary
supperless home, or who was left at
home to care for the baby while his
wife attended lectures on Greek art,
or read papers on 1bsen, is too we'll
known to receive more than passing
notice.
Some of the club work of the past
has doubtless been ill-advised Many
of the papers which required weeks of
encyclopaedia research from busy
middle-aged housekeepers might we'll
have remained unwritten. but like all
other movements that have brought
mankind forward, it has been an evo-
luton. This desire for self-better-
ment, for broader knowledge on the
part Of women who had been denied
the benefits of higher education, was
necessary as beginning, though, as
wider opportunities were opened for
women. the purely literary club was
destined to become less, rather than
more of a factor in the life of our
country.
But mental culture was only one
phase of the development of the club
idea. Training in parliamentary pro-
cedure. and the conduct of business;
and most of all. the broader outlook
upon life that came as the result of
the mingling on common ground of
tho intelligent, thoughtful women of
community, have gradually wrought
a vital change in the character of
women's club work.
Self-improvement was the keynote Of
the early club; the improvement of
others is the mission of the club of
today. and to accomplish these results
organization is necessary-organiza liza
ton of the various clubs of a city,
state and national organization.
The Indiana Federation of Clubs has
three departments and almost every
club takes an active part in one or
the other of them.
The department of conservatism has
for its work: Civics. civil service,
conservation of natural resources,
health, household economics, food
sanitation and industrial and social
The department of education con-
siders art. library extension, litera-
ture, music and parent teacher clubs,
as we'll as matter directly concerning
the conducting Of the federation.
The legislative department assists
in drafting bills for reform work in
the state legislature and In city coun-
ellis. They have taken an active part
in temperance legislation. in the hous-
ing bill to regulate tenements, in the
child labor laws. pure food laws,
prison reform, establishment of juve-
nile courts and many other measures
The record of individual clubs shows
that almost everyone has accomplish
ed something for its community
Most important is the work done to
assist in driving the saloon from In
diana towns, but notable work has
been accomplished in other lines.
Women's clubs have led in the move
ment for clean streets, for better side
walks, for better sanitary conditions,
a pure water supply, modern school
buildings, better schools, pure milk
and food supplies. honest measure,
public libraries or library extension,
art exhibits, music festivals, the beau
tifying of cemeteries, the planting of
trees in parks snd public places, the
of flower seeds with
prizes for we'll kept lawns and back
yards. the opening of play grounds
aud vacation schools, establishing rest
rooms for working girls. aiding juve-
nile aud probation court work. the
sale OF Red Gross stamps to aid in
stamping out tuberculosis. manual