The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1914-06-26

| gathering place oil the next biennial
in 1916, but it will not be officially
announced until sometime during the
next year when the council of the
federation will meet-probably in In
| annapolis, Ind, to decide the matter.
One Of the interested spectators at
| tOday's session was Miss Margaret
Wilson. daughter of President Will
son, who made n brief talk to the
convention on suffrage. Miss Will
son was enthusiastically greeted by
the delegates when she arrived and
hundreds Of women rushed forward
| in an effort TO reach her side The
| entire state of officers as selected by
the nominating committee was elected
/ There was no opposition and light
vote was polled.
Members of the General Fedora
ton of Woman's Club received n
hook last night when Prof. George
j. knccland described, in terms many
Of the members considered dnncccs-
HarlIy vivid, "Thc Girl Astray". Pro-
te-.nr knCe3aud, who is director Of
investigation for the American ily-
tenn" Ae#U1aIltU, &c l.I,d tie mat
.'iY OF these girls 20" u"Uh'. Ia..-
,uI.d,d nor abnormal. Ills rmgrir
were based on slistrs gathered by
ul. department and on ,h- rcrml o.
....' t."atuH..
Histories Of 300 Girls
Professor hNe..ut agent. in the
.,. year nave gathered histories Of
800 girls not yet pryfc ioaal!y i'm
moral, but well started on the down.
ward path. Many of them were only
Il years. few were older than IS.
"They are not carrying the burden
Of poverty and all are not employed
IN unskilled labor" the speaker de-
clared. "Some of them are from
homes such as yours-their fathers
are merchants. real estate agents and
managers Of large business enter
prises. One that we have interviewed
is the daughter Of a minister Some
are employed in department stores
and Offices. They are stenogrsphers,
cashiers, ticket sellers-some do not
work. but live at homes in idelness.
Their fathers own watches and auto
mobiles. Some are in the grammar
schools, some in high school. We
have letters from them showing mark
ed intelligence ant facility in express
ion. We have photographs of others
and you will agree with me they are
typical American girls. daughters of
respectable and prosperous parents.
Rebellious Spirit
"All through the reports we find
a rebellious spirit toward their homes.
The dullness and strictness of home
life, the restraint put upon them, a
fierce desire to leave it for more
freedom and excitement, to go to the
big city with lights, the theaters, and
all the gaveties, to go on the stage, to |
see life. They speak with bitterness
about their parents, referring to the |
mother as "the old woman" and the
father as "the old man."
These girls are suspicious and |
scornful of friends of their own age. |
They are 'boobs' and know nothing |
the girls declare. | won't go out with |
any boy he would tell everything that
was said or done"
1T seems incrcditablc that girls of |
this kind should be intimate with |
persons unknown to them. Until we
began to study them this fact was a |
puzzel to me. We found they pre-
fe.red to meet strangers or married |
men. Secrecy is the base of all their
exploits. They shrink from exposure,
while they present an innocent and
demure front"
Hides Real Character
"My father would kill me if he
knew | went out with u strange man,
said one. I don't like to 90 out with
the boys in this town. You've got to
keep your reputation. | go to Sun
day School and my friends don't
dream that 20 out"
"Dance halls and moving pictures
from their amusement The girls of
this type have wide knowledge of
evil. Where they obtain this knowl-
edge is mystery. Conversation of
demure. apparently innocent girls of
this type is full Of slang, oaths and
obscene expressions"
Prof. Kneeland suggested the club
women find the girls in their own cit
les and give them healthy, sane in
struction.
Provide amusement for them; help
them to get married." he said.