Omaha daily bee., 1915-10-05
Are the Negro
Women Making Good?

FEW weeks ago 1 was returning from a coun.
"A try school. where had gone to help the teacher
race money to finish the school house. which had
been begun two three years ago 1t was
cold dark afternoon and would have expected
every woman least every country woman, TO 'e
close up the fireside Country people love TO stay
their hearthstones at least my country folks 90
But drove slowly, Topsy my little BLACK
horse. who takes all about among my country
friends pricked up her ears. listened moment and
in the distance heard the soft paintive tones OF
dozen women they no othet
women can sing:
Bent Bent cell cell e., The rel S Al Sc, there
Oh Mary oh Martha don't call the roll TIL get there
want want TO TO s shswer 10 10 my name
Oh Mary. oh Martha. want to answer to my name.
The country woman expresses herself generally in
song. whether she is sad or happy. This afternoon
these women were-shall l say happy2-well they
content Once inside the building l was not
long in finding out that in woman's club.
real club where subjects OF vital interest to COM
munlty being discussed. not something these
had read about, for not single one Of them
could read ordinary book OF newspaper, not sub
jeot that lecturer had discussed In their church.
lecturers usually spend their time with this
Of people. In this sort OF community--if they
only wouldl-but these women young more
older had for that meeting the subject How 10
make hard water soft" This IL limestone district
These women work In the fields until Friday night
Saturday noon, when they down to the creek
TO do their weeks washing. and the hardness OF the
water Is of the greatest interest TO them. 1t hal
begin to think there is sure to be action. the
result OF which viii be their general intellectual de-
veopment
There are 800 or more mothers in the little town
where ! live who hold four meetings a month, at
which any who feels like II sings and
who IL moved by the spirit prays; any one speaks
upon the subject given II Is free speech meeting
At OF the recent meetings the question thrown
out, How many little babies have been born in my
community in the last twelve months and where
WAS How shall I the affection
OF my husbandr' One woman laughed good-naturedly
and said I'VE women ought TO go to all the conven
lions things where our husbands They travel.
they read, they study and we should do this too. or
fall behind them" Another spoke up and said;
Don't let be tired all OF the time when he
comes home" One of these has bought a
nice four-room cottage, painted II. has good COW.
a good horse and buggy. always makes her
garden and more than all, has rernade her husband
from cobbler into real respectable carpenter.
Others OF this organization following her example
Where will II all end? No tell except to see
that revolution has begun regeneration In
and these women who have gone through trials and
trihlations going 20 take their stand at dts
tant day with the great American Womanhood, and
share their part of the responsibility in increasing
the nations efficiency.
There are more than 100000 negro women IN this
country on the plantations in small towns. and in
the cities. We seldom heard FROM and not always
considered a factor In the solution OF the great
problem in which our husbands and brothers figure
so largely. The home and the family Is the starting
point since the spirit OF the demands that the
mother should have Wide knowledge OF all matters
pertaining to the moral, spiritual and intellectual
training OF her children women must meet the
demands by making our organizations avenues OF
help to the better way.
We club women have made beginning In laying
n foundation a means to end The work OF
such organizations have described influences not
only the women directly connected with them, but
reaches to the homes that not represented In
clubs The incidents given above are typical OF the
awakening and growing activities OF our women all
over this country-for our national association Is
made up of women from every state in the union
The each state direct their energies toward
particular local need. Indiana women have for
some time been maintaining tuberculosis camp;
New York women, old folks home The colorcd
of Alabama, some years ago. founded at Mt
Megs boys reformatory, for which they raised out
of their stores $1,000 each year until through
the energetic lobbying of three women's clubs that
had worked hardest for 1t. the state persuaded
60 take It But wonder IL there stil those
who ask: 'Are negro women making good?'