El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-08-03
Mrs. Percy V. Pennybacker,
President of the Federated
Clubs, a Home Woman.
CBy w. d. HoRNADAY1

Austin, Texas. Aug. 3.-For the next
two years Austin will be the capital Of
women's clubdom. 1t means some
thing to be president of an organiza-
ton containing a membership of ap-
proximately 1000. 600 women. No great
er honor is withintthe gift of the wom-
en- of the country.
Mrs. Percy V. Pennybacker. who was
elected president at the recent biennial
convention of the National Federation
Of Women's clubs at San Francisco,
has due appreciation of the magnitude
of the position to which she has been
called and the responsibilities that it
entails upon her 1t is an office that
possesses farreaching and tremendous
power. The organization performs
work of vast import for the uplifting
and betterment of the women of Amer
lea No governor of a state is charged
within his power the performance Of
more vital services than those which are
embraced within the limits of action OF
the president of the National Fedora
ton of Women's clubs.
The Needs Of the Masses.
This organization which reaches
into the homes OF the people of near
~ every town and city in the United
States. has perhaps a greater grasp OF
the real needs and aspirations of the
masses of citizenship than the political ,
Darties which are dominated nv mon
Mrs Pennybacker, knowing full well
as she does, the great factor for per-
can be made to serve, is entering upon
her term of office deeply impressed
with the RESPONSIBILITIES that rest
leading 10 the betterment of woman
kind in the United States that the Ma
uOnal Federation of Womens clubs is
derful results have been accomplished
by the work of the well directed ef-
forts of the organization. Aside from
its own separate and distinct opera
{ . n m a n M or an
aid to other interests in accomplish /
ing things that have for their purpose {
the uplifting and improvement Of wOm- I
en- Many Instances might be cited of /
what has been done along this line
A Typical Home Woman.
Mrs. Pennybacker is typically a I
the higher Inspirations came from
home life. She has been a widow for :
Is years. Her husband was Percy Y. !
Pennybacker, a prominent educator OF /
Texas. She has three children. Bon
ner Pennybacker, age "a, is her oldest !
son. For the last two years he has !
public land in western Texas. He is
now living temporarily in Seattle,
Wash. The next oldest son is Percy
Penny hacker, age II, who is being edu-
Gated at a Virginia military school
Miss Ruth Pennybacker, age Is, is her
only daughter. She has given her
children the advantage of two years
schooling in Europe, and during that
time Mrs. Pennybacker lived with
them.
For many years the people of Austin
and of Texas have had an affectionate
regard for the woman who now heads
the National Federation of Women's
clubs. She has long occupied a posi-
ton of prominence and honor in the
educational and literary affairs of the
state She is author of the history of !
Texas that is used in every public
school in the commonwealth. She /
first wrote the Texas history p years
ago, and since then it has been re-
vised several times.
Taking Up Club Work.
What led You to take up club
WOman's work. she was asked
MY greatest inspiration to enter
1T was my husband who also gave
me my inspiration to write the history
of Texas. When questioned my abil-
ity to accomplish that task, he said: !
know you can do it
Mrs. Penny hackers home in Austin is
beautifully situated under almost the
very shadow of the state university.
She finds no happier way of passing
the time than living in this comfort
able home surrounded by her aged
mother, her children and books and
looking after the manifold cares and
duties of the household
She admits that the new responsible
ties which she has taken upon herself
involve an enormous amount of labor.
but she feels that the things to be ac-
complished are well worthy the addi-
tional efforts that are required of her.
y
the officers of the organization receives
any salary
Club VFOman's Social Rank.
From what social rank is the av-
erage club woman drawn?' she was
asked.
1t is a cardinal principle of the
club movement to bring into
the ranks of the different local organ
iZations women of all walks of life
without regard to socaIled social dis
tinctiOn. All social and wealth lines
are obliterated in the best woman's
club. All are working for the one
purpose of improving and lettering
mankind. The average club woman is
moderately welltOdo; her sympathies
broaden each year; she grows more
just both to the rich and the poor"
Women Police.
Where does the d@mand for women
police come FROM
Especially from cities where girls
and women need protection in travel
ing. Ports OF entry have this need
greatly"
rs there any sectional feeling in
the national organization "
NO; on the contrary it is having
great influence towards celebrating
sectional lines and bringing the peo-
pie of all parts of the country closer