Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1911-07-20
THE WOMAN's CLUB.
To Take up Civic Beterment---An Interest
Ing Lecture,

ing Lecture.
Mrs. M. M. Caldwell, president of the
Woman's Club of Roanoke, addressed
the Tazewell Woman's Club on Monday
IN the library room of the High School
building on civic betterment. AS a pre-
liminary to her talk on civics Mrs.
Caldwell gave history of the oryaniza-
tion of the Sorosis Club of New York
the mother club of the Woman's Clubs
now scattered throughout the world and
numbering 100000 members. She
then told of the last meeting of the
Federation of Woman's Clubs at Roam
oke, and of how the editor of one of the
leading papers of that city was convert
ed from sneering skeptic to an ardent
advocate after becoming personally ac-
quainted with the work being done by
the organization for civic betterment
In the department of civic better
ment, Mrs. Caldwell told of the work
done in England-how England had
deteriorated through the long hours of
woman and child labor until the stan
dard requirement of height in the Brit
ish army has been reduced from feet
ii inches to 5 feet inches, and how,
after the Woman's Clubs began the agi-
tation, they had reduced the. hours of
woman labor and raised the age at
which child could be employed. She
told OF the unselfish work in this coun-
try for public Fairgrounds, in charge
of Christian women, so that the children
of the slums could have chance.
She complimented the women of Taze-
well for their work along the line of
bettering local conditions; the Cemetery
Association in caring for and keeping
the cemeteries, and the Musical Club for
its public performances, ard hoped to
see these activities all merged into the
Woman's Club.
1t was a very interesting lecture,
we'll delivered and is bound to have its
effect in the work of improving the con-
ditions and appearances of our little
city.
In speaking of the Sorosis Club as the
mother club of Woman's Clubs of the
world has led many to believe it to be
the first Woman's Club in the United
States. and, in fact, it is sometimes so
spoken of. AS matter of fact, how
ever, the first woman's club in America
was organized in New Harmony. Indi-
ana, on the Goth of September, 1856. by
Miss Constance Faunt LIE Roy. This
was nine years before the organization
of the Sorosis Club of New York. This
is generally recognized, for at the bien-
NAL convention of the Federation of
Woman's Clubs held in st. Paul five
years ago, the title of "Mother of
Clubs" was conferred upon her, and
two years later, at a similar gathering
IN Boston, she was received with signal
honor as the pioneer in the club move
ment. She was a remarkable charsc-
ter; the granddaughter of Robert Owen,
the father of cooperative socialism,
and the niece of Robert Dale Owen.
Her childhood was spent in the U topian
colony at New Harmony, Indiana. At
sixteen she went with her uncle, who
had been appointed United States Min
lister to Italy, and spent six years in
study and travel. Her later and broad
er education was secured at Stuttgart.
Returning to New Harmony she found
the Episcopal church closed and the par
ish without pastor. She showed her
unconventional zeal and religious enthu-
siasm by reopening the church and con-
Quoting worship, with a preaching ser
vice, for three years. This unusual ex-
periense found a happy ending in the
marriage of the young lady to the Rev.
DR.. Runcie, former rector of the church.
Mrs. Runcie followed her husband to
st. Joseph, Missouri, where she organ
lied the Bronte Club and later became
the head of an organization which has
since borne her own name, and of which
she was elected president for life.
Mrs. Runcie passed away at ST.
Joseph not long ago, aged seventy-fve.
Her husband preceded her to the Great
Beyond twenty-five years ago.