The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-01
Mrs. John E. Shelby Talks About the Attentions 10 the
 Ladies Al Con0enion of Rotary Clubs in Houston
By DOLLY DALRYMPLE

IL IS QellclouSly re1feSnlng these SNei- tering days to See anybody as enthusias- tic on any subject as is Mrs. John E. Shelby about the recent International con vention of rotary cubs at Houston, Tex, which she attended. and 1t is especially exhilarating to find anyone who so de- lightfully recounts the many happy ex- periences with so much genuine pleasure as does this charming woman.
 It is quite natural that .drs. Shelby should be interested beyond others in Rotary her husband, Mir John E. Shelby being one of the honored vice presidents dhe only one reelected, by the way) and one of the most popular and prominent of all the international officers of Rotary clubs
 Both Mir and Mrs. Shelby were delight fully feted and toasted in Houston during the recent convention. and while many of the newspapers referred to Mr. Shelby as the silver tongued orator of the south,'' none less complimentary were the beautiful tributes paid to Mrs. Shelby when she respondel to the toast at the banquet given to the l5o0 visiting Ro- tarians.
 WHy w omen 1HuOlse ft0ldIy.
 
 Did you have stage fright or are you just used to doing these things?" 1 asked Mrs. Shelby as We sat In her attractively appointed apartments at The Ridgeley yesterday and ehatted about her trip.
 T didn't have stage fright when the psychological moment arrive for me to speak" said Mrs. Shelby in the sweetest sort of way but all day I was really very nervous. l stayed in my room prac- ticaly all the forenoon and sort of got myself together and when the evening came I really wasn't bit frightened"
 The scene was the most beautiful I ever behed,' she went on to say.
 There were 1900 at the banquet, ladies and gentlemen, the table arranged in the form of d wheel Qotary), gorgeously dec- orated, and l have never beheld a more imposing sight. When I looked at that vast assemblage and realized that those present were the representative business men of the world, for a moment I was so overcome with the spirit of Rotary that l could scarcely speak
 Rotary is such a wonderful thing" Mrs. Shelby said effectively. Tt stands for so much; 1t is not new religion, as same might think, but an age-old religion of the brotherhood of men. As one of the foremost ministers In Houston said in his
  Rotary and its spirit is too deep to ex- plain it can never be understood by the uninitiated; it is too big and broad and fine.'
 Was this the first convention you ever attended," I asked.
 'I missed the one in Buffalo last year." said Mrs. Shelby. .I have always accom- panied by husband on trips of that sort we enjoy such things; I do not mean es- peciallV Rotary conventions for, Vou knOur the club here is young and it Is only re- gently that we have grown to such splen- did proportions, but when MT. Shelby came back from the convention last year he said he never wanted me to miss an other. So, when the president of the In- ternatonal Rotary Clubs MT. Russell F. Greiner, telegraphed MT. Shelby and asked if I'd respond to the toast suggest ed at the convention at Houston, I was more than delighted. l have been very much interested in Rotary work. During the past year MT. Shelby has organized 12 clubs, and I have caught the spirit of it.. It is really contagious in way, and I've absorbed it to a tremendous extent"
 What is the attitude of the clubs as 8 whole toward women and Rotary?" l asked
 "I think the men like the encourage ment and enthusiasm or the women in it's behalf" said Mrs. Shelby, but I do not believe auxiliares will ever prove satis- factory. I thought so before I went to Houston, but since then I have changed my mind. I don't believe women are big enough for it, or broad enough, or wise enough. It Is strictly a business men s affair, although in Toledo. O., the Rotary club has instituted an evening for the ladies and, I was told by several mem- bers from there that it had proved most satisfactory"
 T wish 1 could tell you of all the de- lightful attentions that were showered upon the ladies at the convention in Hous- ton," continued Mrs. Shelby. We were treated royalty in every way, and I wish everybody in Birmingham could have seen our representatives. They were the most notable and the most noticeable of all the delegations. Our Birmingham men cer- tainly carried off the honors of the day and attracted more attention than any other body of men, I was very proud of my townsmen. l can't say too much of Houston's cordial hospitality"
 Just here Mrs. Shelby said she wanted to show me very beautiful remembrance that had been presented to her by the members of, the Birmingham Rotary club who attended the convention, and she brought out very handsome set of solid silver spoons in lovely case engraved with the Rotary design, and with the most charmingly written card, extolling her charms and commenting her upon her splendid success at the convention
 My story wouldn't be complete ss g. gested, unless l could tell my reaoe IS what you said at the convention. Won't you give me the spirit of your response to the toast 'Why Women Indorse Rotary?"
 with pleas said Mrs. Shelby. and very kindly complied with my request.
 The sentiment is so pretty, the manner of expression is so attractive, and the spirit so genuine that it gives me great pleasure to use 1t as slimax to most interesting (to mel interview on the sub ject of Rotary"
 At the beautiful banquet at Houston's 8 handsomest hostelry, with Mrs. Shelby the most important speaker of the evening, she said to the 1900 guests assembled: Mir. Toastmaster, Ladies and Gentlemen, Rotarians All:
 It is with a full heart and knowledge of the privilege that is fine I rise to re- spond to the toast of why women indorse Rotary I have been wondering what can say as to why the women indorse the strong. swiftly turning wheel of Rotary. Before touching upon Rotary, however, should like to speak of your beautiful and progressive city, your splendid club, your wholesouled hospitality We left our homes in various sections of the coun- try-we crossed the tawny waters of the mighty Mississippi with hearts beating high with anticipation--we skinned over poppy-starred fields, through cool. green woodlands, where clear streams silvered and sktmmered- past pretty, prosperous towns and villages of the Lone Star state -even into the splendid city of Houston. We were prepared for the splendid well come we received, for the magnificent en-