The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-04-07
FOHFth lnstalmtent of Federation
History During the First Decade OF

Growth.
When the Fifth Convention met. at
Wilmington, in April. 1907, the ex-
treme illness of the President, Mrs. j. |
I. Alderman, prevented her attend
ance. The work and responsibility |
OF the meeting devolyed upon the
Vice-President. Mrs. Eugene Kelley,
who met the enlergenc with courage
and ability. y warm welcome was
extended by Sorosis. through Miss
Gibson, which was responded to by
Miss Fries, Of Salem. 4
luncheon to the Executive Board (now
the CounciD was given by Miss Glib
son at her home.
Flowers and a telegram of love and
regret were sent to Mrs. Alderman.
The clubs numbered thirty-three, with
a membership about 500, and the Gre
dental Committee reported a voting
strength Of fOrty-four present. h
evidence of continued growth was
most gratifying. Meeting together
was no longer an exciting novelty but
an anticipated pleasure, the strength
OF union wa apparent to all, as was
the fact that many things in the State
needed woman'S cO-OpertaiOn. Greater
seriousness began to mark the meet
lngs, and the spirit Of altruism was
predOminating over the love of pleas
ure n the desire for literary cul-
ture. Women were gaining the our
g Of their convictions and had
ceased to tremble at their own voices.
Reports, discussions, motions, and
resolutions filled each session. A res
OlutiOn was passed that in future one
entire day, including the evening SEES
sion, should be given to business. At
a later convention this was changed
to two entire days, the present Gus
tom, which already begins to be in
sufficient.
A pleasant incident was the pre-
sentation Of a gavel to the Federation
from the Charlotte Woman's Club.
This gavel was made Of wood from
Mount Vernon, the presentation was
made by Mrs. John W. Miller, and
Mrs. D. Y. Cooper accepted for the
Federation. 1t was faithfully USED
by Mrs. Kelley, the acting President
during the Convention, and remains
one Of the treasured possessions O.
the Federation.
An address on Woman in Civic:
and the Home was made by DR.. Dix
on-Carroll, of Raleigh. An Invitation
, from the Colonial Danes, to attend
! the unwilling Of a monument to Cor
: neliuS Harnett, was received, but a.
the event was to transpire the follow
ing week, the delegates could not ling
er to enjoy it.
l The new Federation pins, a pin,
cone, with the letters n. G. F. w. c
o44 " DoSh OoA0 - AoA oAoS oi>
white enamel, were on sale and eager
~ bought by the delegates.
:, Miss Adelaide Fries presented
plan for a scholarship at Salem Acad
envy, in honor Of Mrs. Stonewall Jack
son, an alumnae of that institution
o The convention endorsed this plan
I and later the clubs responded in do
: nations Of money for this scholarship
At the suggestion Of the acting Presi
e dent, Mrs. Kelley, a Department 0
G Literature, was added to the work
: and Miss Fries was made chairman
@ Under her management this Depart
ment proved of a great value as
! stimulus to literary culture n a pro
moter Of activities on literary lines.
It was at this Convention that tn
first official action was taken in re
n gard to the StonewaIl Jackson Train
o ing School. The question Of a Stat
reform school had been discussed i
le every meeting since the organizatio
e Of the Federation, but no action Ia
l. followed the discussions. In the NEAR
! time the North Carolina Legislator
II had authorized the establishment
Concord Of an Industrial Trainin
le School for boys, as a needed reforl
a measure for the good of the State an
er as a memorial to Stonewal1 Jackson
the Confederate General. The club
had been invited to join with til
le Kings Daughters in erecting a co
tage at this school At Wilrningto
j. the Department Of State Charities w;
re changed to Industrial and Child l.;
Dor, in an effort to have the State D,
partments coincide with those Of II
j. General Federation, and the chat
t. man was instructed to take up II
e. special work of the Stonewall Jacl
10 son School The spirit of co-ope
ut alton was further emphasized by IL
appointment of Mrs. r. r. Gotten
a Federal delegate to the Conventic
ne of Kings Daughters, soon to be he
in Henderson. This was probably Il
first example in North Carolina Of c
10 operation between two Organization
Of women, and marked the beginni,
n Of that true spirit Of unity whiC
O. should underlie all action.
d. The General Federation had chang
its system of management and nc
permitted each State to elect its on
ge General Federation State SecretaI
Who was to do the work former
Of done by a committee. Miss Gertru'
Ty-1 1loo<o 70 l ~ rfFon IT.