The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1913-11-19
OPENING EXERCISES AT AUDITo.
RUM ATTENDED BY AUDIENCE
THAT FILLED HOUSE.
DELEGATES and VISITORS
given HEARTY WELCOME
Feature of First Session Was The An
nuaI Address of Mrs. w. r. Wright,
President of the Federation-Re-
ports of Other officers Made.

With the largest gathering of bril-
liant and prominent women ever as
'sembled in this city, the 18th annual
convention of the Mississippi Fedora
tion of Womens Club was called to
order in the Auditorium at 1O:3O this
morning. The stage had been hand
somely decorated with ferns and white
chrysanthemums, and with an audi
ence that filled the house, the scene
was one of animation and beauty. In
cluded in the audience were more than
100 delegates coming from every sec
tion of the state and several visitors
from other states, embracing women
of statewide regulations for culture
and intellectual achievements.
The convention was called to order
by Mrs. w. S. F. Tatum, president of
the Woman's Club of Hattiesburg, who
in words of unmistakable sincerity
briefly assured the delegates of gen.
uine welcome, saying that Hattiesburg
had for months been looking forward
with pleasure and anticipation to this
event. Many of the women had suf-
fered for days from insomnia, she
said, and even the children had caught
the spirit, as illustrated by the case
of one little girl who one night recent
ly woke from sleep and finding her
auntie with sleepless eyes, asked,
"auntie, what are you thinking about,
the Federation" Even some of the
husbands have been having wakeful
nights; but the best evidence of all
that the event has been all pervasive
is that some of the cooks had gone on
a strike
Reassuring the convention of
hearty welcome, Mrs. Tatum called
upon Rev. Charles w. Crisler, pastor
of the Main Street Methodist church,
for the invocation. The earnest petit
tion closed with the Lords prayer, in
which the audience Joined.
This was followed by a violin solo
by Miss Katherine Selby, of this city,
accompanied by Miss Ethel Powe.
The address of welcome, couched in
fine diction, was gracefully delivered
by Mrs. Annie Harper Turner, who in
closing expressed her desire to extend
a genuine "Hattiesburg welcome"
Ellis B. Cooper welcomed the visitors
in behalf of the city. In addition to his
words of welcome he paid high tribute
to the Mississippi woman; saying
that while her achievements in every
field she enters are worthy of the high
ideals they hold and compare favor
ably with what men do in similar
lines, it was, as he thought, in the
home where women reach the pinacle
of beauty and of service.
Following the distribution of the
programs by twelve young women
pages, the president, Mrs. William R.
Wright, of Jackson, introduced Mrs.
Dunbar Rowland, who in behalf of the
Federation, responded to the addresses
Of welcome.
Mrs. Rowland paid tribute to the
spirit of the people that had made Hat
tiesburg a place of delight in which
to dwell, saying that the name of this
city had gone afar as one of the pro-
gressive cities of the south.
Following Mrs. Rowland's address,
which was heartily applauded, Mrs.
Hardy moved that she be given a vote
of thanks. The motion was adopted
by rising vote
Miss Marie Henry, of Jackson, cor
responding secretary, delighted the au-
dience with vocal solo.
The roll of clubs was called by the
recording secretary, Mrs. Geo. S. Beall,
Jr., of Durant, who announced men,
bership of eighty-nine clubs, IS of
which had, as the president stated,
been secured during the year, largely