The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-14

With the Alabama Federation of Women's Clubs to open it's convention on Monday, November 15, 1t is inter esting to review the work of the fed eration and see into what vast fields of education it has gone in Alabama, how great has been it's work, and what immense good it is able to accomplish all over the state.
 In speaking to the state president, Mrs l.. J. Haley of the social service and educational work of the federation, outside of the purely study work, she said:
 You ask me to tell you what the federation has done in the way of so- cial service. That is hard question to answer, for as in all inspirational how much we have done, or just how much of what has been done is due to our influence and encouragement.
 "To begin with, want to say that the federation is not per SC reform or ganization, that it's method is rather constructive than destructive"
 And then Mrs. Haley goes on to tell of the. work, stating 1t has ever been the mission of the federation to set standards, create ideas, and be a great public opinion forming influence" The federation has ever encouraged and aided the women of Alabama in every effort of selfimprovement; first, through study of the purely cultural, and then by actively supporting all practical measures in which the cry of the thousands of clubwomen could re- echo as a force.
 Securing Legislation
 Such work has been done as support ing and advancing the passage of d
 law permitting local taxation for school purposes. A compulsory edu- cation law the placing of a woman on the school boards the standardization of Alabama schools and colleges, the introduction of kindegartens manual training, and domestic science in our public school system, the estalSishEent of libraries in rural schols. the forma- tion of the school improvement asso- citation in every county in the state, the promotion of statewide health and conservation plans, and adequate child labor law system of gift and loan scholarships, the establishment of in- dustrial and reform schools for both boys and girls. Such a long list of work would prove, first, that con- certed action is the best and most di . rect means of attaining finished work, and, second, that cooperation is ab- solutely necessary for the realization of any enterprise.
 Although primarily this work done through the federation is education in it's broadest sense, it has become a source of social service most valuable to any community.
 The active movement in Alabama in the last six months to remove illiteracy is an old story with the Alabama fed eration. For 14 years has it felt the need of such work, and has attempted to help the conditions Twelve years ago the federation's educational chair man, Mrs. Kate Hutcheson Morrisette, gave an accurate survey of educational conditions, but the effort to eradicate 1 tha great disgrace was feeble. How ! ever, the work went on never forgotten i in the rank and file of the federation members, and now the federation Is | reaping it's reward in seeing the enact
 ment by the 1915 legislature of local l taxation laws, woman on the school 1 boards, compulsory education and a l fairly good child labor law, all of which the federation's legislative com
 mitteef has worked for faithfully and earnestly The federation is divided 1 committees on art, civics, child wei l fare, health, home economies, educa .
 tion, legislation, scholarships, etc Committee to Report
 | At the convention each committee 1 will report the progress of it's work l for the year and make recommends | tions to be carried on in the future. As 1 the represe entation at the convention is | made up of women from all over the state, each Is able to take home the germ of new work for the coming g | club year.
 l Out of the conferences at annual con