The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1914-10-29
TOWN I'M ROVE NJ Emf
SOCIETY SESSION
Travel Papers Read. Large Attend
ance. Presidents Address


was the singing of the pines of
Maine" by the members of the club,
Mrs. Elizabeth Merrill. the author of
the words giving the piano accompani-
ment. The president, Mrs. Annie F.
Fish, who ably presided over the
meeting then gave most excellent
opening address which was full Oh
inspiration and encouragement. The
secretary's report was read and APP
proved and brief reports of the sum-
mer's work were given by Mrs Ella
T. MOoers, Miss Gertrude Weston
Mrs. Angie Steward and the
Secretary, showing that the removal OF
burdocks, the cleaning up of unsightly
places and procuring bubbling cups
for the fountains were features of the
work done. Mrs. Elizabeth Merrill
then gave a very interesting and in
spring report of the Federation meet
ing at Presque Isle After a short
recess Mrs. Ellen Smith gave a report
of her trip to Montreal which was
full of interest. This was followed
by report given by Mrs. Ruth Eaton
of a trip to the Grand Army Encamp-
ment at Detroit, Michigan. This re-
port was very entertaining and
instructive. AT the conclusion of the
program refreshments of sandwiches
cake and coffee were served by the
directors. The music of the after
noon was admirably furnished by Miss
Edith w. Lewis, pianist.
Mrs. Fish said in her address:
Ladies of the Town Improvement
society, it is great pleasure to me to
extend greetings to SO many of you
on the occasion of our first meeting
and | wish to remind you that if we
would have a profitable year we must
each do our part in the work. We
cannot all lecture, write or sing. but !
will tell you how you may all be OF
great service to me and that is by be-
ing present at the meetings whenever
you have an opportunity. If you
knew what an inspiration it is to me
to see before me so many cheerful in
telligent faces and to feel that we arc
each interested in the same work. !
know you would be present as nearly
always as possible for in union there
is strength"
| feel that this club work was de-
yised primarily in order that we be-
come better acquainted with each
other, that keener perception of kin
ship may exist between the club mem
bers, the clubs. and the federation
both state and general and a deeper
sense of responsibility be opened tC
us who dwell together: for the prob
lem Of living together well in these
days is perhaps the widest and most
difficult of all problems. Does it not
mean putting aside the personal am
billions, annimosities and the desire
for supremacy and all other anti
social barriers and coming out into
the open path with a sympathetic re-
! Spouse to every good appeal a breadth
of vision that shall embrace the most
opposite tendencies and activities. and
spirit of unity that can comprehend
j the whole and bring all the interests
and habits of living to a centralized
| force-the ideal of the common good
We Maine club women number many
and may be found in most of the
cities and towns, representing a diver
sity of environment We should have
for our motto "In principle like our
granite; in aspiration like our noun
tains; in sympathy swift and far
reaching like our rivers" We some
how like to feel, although it is not
strictly set down in ethics and psy-
chology, and cannot be clearly proven,
that these wooded heights and banks
these rounded hills of sun beaten
rocks and the incessant flow of our
rivers, do have potent influence up
on us and tend to mould us. in a like
pattern, so that we stand closely alli-
ed to the various natural forces about
us and really do find tongues in
trees, books in the running brooks,
sermons in stones" and good We trust
in everything.
Our yesterdays have all been pro-
fitable under the leadership of our
past presidents and we hope the flu
| IuTe lOLHOIlOWS Will De also anu ludl
we may be more and more firmly
bound to the principles of simple liv-
ing, which includes not only the lowly
tasks of the most remote woman on
the little hillside farm, but those con-
nected with the more complicated af-
fairs of the city, or town as seen In
the home the school. the church, the
institution. the community and so on
through the whole state. Much OF
the present and future work of the
federation of the state may lie in the
hands of the women who are being
consciously and unconsciously devel-
oped, shut in by the mountains that
surround them, even as Raphael,
Madonnas lived and grew on the hills
of Italy"
l feel glad that our club may be
counted with those who are working
to make the cities and towns more
healthful and beautiful, and in rela-
ton to the state, we claim to stand
for better laws better citizenship, pet
ter homes and we seek to increase the
value of the State. in holding oody
of women united in a common cause
for the unfit of humanity,