Evening star., 1914-03-01

speaking Staff OF the woman s educa-
tional committee of the American Med
health department of the Wisconsin Fed
Grafton of Women's Clubs, and holds other
prominent positions in woman's work.
She was appointed by the Governor OF
Wisconsin as the state delegate to the
International Congress of School Hygiene,
held in Buffalo last year.
Women Learning Rapidly.
II regard the privilege of attending
that congress as my greatest experience
in welfare work. Mrs. Caples said, be
cause of the opportunity l obtained of
going home and telling throughout my
state Of the vital conditions of child life
discussed there by men and women of In
ternational fame. In Wisconsin. I may
say. we are learning rapidly. and some Of
the women of the east might well pay at
tention to what we are trying to do.
Along the lines of domestic science,
for instance, Wisconsin schools, with the
backing largely OF womens clubs. are
doing splendid and far-reachfng work.
Many young women of colleges and
schools will make their own commence
ment gowns this year. for the first time.
In one little town. Waupaca, Wis, which
has $500 Inhabitants, the girls, whose
fathers do not earn more than fifteen or
twenty dollars week, have obtained a
the practical knowledge they have OBJ
tanned Of the value, selection and prepa-
ration of foods is exerting It's influence
In a broad way, which is bound to lead
to health and a greater prosperity.
'Thc Milwaukee School Alliance was
the first woman's club in this country to
establish hot. nutritious. penny lunch
cons for its poorly fed school children.
Their experiment was more than sue
cessful and Is being followed widely now
through the country"
Mrs. Caples says she is not actively
interested in woman suffrage. but fully
believes it must and will come, preceded
by education rather than by warfare.
For Safety and Sanity.
1T do not believe in the sex-against-sex
policy" she said. Il do. however, sin
cerely believe that good men and good
women, working together. will accom-
plish, not wonders, but safe and sane
condition of affairs in regard to things
that women and children are particular
ly interested in.
"Surely no just or thinking person
questions the right OF woman to have
a voice in the handling of her property
interests, and in the care Of not alone
her own children, but of all children,
especially in the schools Of politically
ridden communities - tnOSe dl-tOo-ITe-
quent institutions, totally unfit. where
children are housed for so great a por-
ton of the tender, formative period OF
their lives.
There should, for instance. be a great
er protection in all schools against the
fire hazard. In the states where women
have interfered in that matter there Is
no longer political graft in school con-
struction. There is no combine against
safety, sanitation and ventilation. and
the shiftless, incompetent janitor be-
comes back number where women
hold the steering wheels Of school boards.
In Milwaukee some of the features
which have mace Milwaukee famous 40
not contribute especially to the popular
ity of woman suffrage. But, as brill
liant Wisconsin woman once said OF suf-
frage for women, we must go away back
to the very beginning of things to bring
1t about generally, for ever since the
time of Adam woman has been just
a side issue The men must stop treat
ing her as a side issue. 1t will come.
My personal opinion is that it no more
unsexes a woman to vote in national,
state or city election than it does to
give her stock in stock company. And
SO far as the cry Of contamination is
concerned. unless a woman be demented
why should she fear contamination at
the polls any more than being thrown
with men In railway stations or public
conveyances?
Interest in the Movies"
Moving picture shows seem to be at
tracing considerable attention among
women. among editorial writers and in
,ulpits; also the public dance hall, with
~ of the attendant evils of the latter.
rhe oman's Club of Wisconsin, one