The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-26
HANDS SING
ENTERTAINING 1000
VISITING TEACHERS
Many Pleasing Features Dur
ing Day Make Easier lmpor-
tant Work Being Done By
Convention.
Educators, With Business Ses-
sions In Several Auditoriums,
Dinners and Social Events
at Clubs, and Sightseeing
Have Strenuous Day.

sedate educators Of the department
OF superintendent. y. L A. to the
number Of nearly two THOUSAND, lost
all regard for convention under the
spell of melody and harmony az pro-
duced by the score Of negro factory
hands at the City auditorium last
night. and clapped stamped, even
whistled. until President Ben Blewett
was forced to acceed to the demands
for more. The SINGERS had already
held the stage for q good ha1f-hour but
still the large audience was unsatis-
fed and demanded that Just one more"
selection be rendered
The attempt was made to bring the
novel feature of last evenings public
session to n close ny having male
quartette sing. but it was unsuccessful.
although the number was thoroughly
enjoyed. and when they left the stage
a tumultous round IF applause swept
the auditorium until the first of the
female singers again appeared between
the curtains. and. followed by the re-
mainder of the chorus, gave another
number
The negro chorus feature has proved
one of the most conspieuously popular
events which the local committee has
yet arranged for the entertainment OF
the visitors and not one of the dele
gates who heard them last evening
but returned to their rooms at the
hotels with added respect and vastly
exalted opinion for the negroes OF the
South. and especially OF Richmond
But few in the audience could realize
that the chorus WAS singing without
any training. save that which had been
developed as they toiled at their labors
In local tobacco factories, A number
declared that they were going to make
a tour Of the tobacco factories.
Miss Susie v. Powell. state agent Of
girls clubs. United States bureau of
plant industry. OF Jackson. Miss. was
the first speaker OF the evening.
The address was made under the di-
Miss Powell, who spoke of the work
being done by girls clubs. especially
in the Southern States, declared that
hers was one Of the most pertinent
experiments of the day, and that with
the results which had been produced
1T had about passed the experimental
state and its value toward the mental,
moral and physical benefit of the coun-
try girls had been fully demonstrated.
She rapidly traced the development Of
the work in her own State Mississippi
from the modest beginning in 1911.
when under excellent conditions the
work was inaugurated with clubs in
two counties consisting of a total mem
bership of $50 girls. to the organi-
cation for the present year which con-
sists of clubs in thirty-two counties
with a total membership of over 1000.
The work furnishes mental. moral
and physical stimulus. the value of
which cannot be counted" said the
speaker as she noted the amount of
the work accomplished by the various
clubs.
Improve Living Conditions.
The girls upon Joining the club.
pledge themselves to carry out the in
structions given them by attending the
meetings keeping daily records OF the
progress, and by making reports TO the
county agent The purposes OF the
organizations are to improve living
conditions in the homes of the farmers.
cheaper the cost of living and to ex-
tend the season of farm productivity.
This is done by encouraging the girls
to pack their products in a permanent
form for home consumption and to sell
the surplus. thus preventing the great
waste. which prevails in so many rural
sections OF the country"
Miss Powell was followed by Miss
Cora Stewart, superintendent. Rowan
county Morehead. Kentucky: and by
Mrs. Josephine G.. Preston, State
superintendent Of public instruction,
Olympia. Wash. Both Miss Stewart
and Mrs. Preston further emphasized
the work being done along the lines
as described by Miss Powell and
furnished much additional information
OF the experimental work now in
progress.
Normal Schools Work.
The department Of normal schools
held a meeting in the Jefferson hotel
auditorium at o'clock In the after
noon at which the following speakers
discussed work relating entirely to
the normals:
David Felmly. president. Stale
Normal university, Normal. ILL.,; d.
b. johnson. president. Winthrop Nor