Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1915-11-10

mis- home better ana 4 mora eniov. NJ.
noms' for many reasons, and to tell th.
reasons is to tell what is the resuit. or I
rev OF the results, Of womsnhood organ
lied into club life.
Aet US repeat the part Of that famous ad-
oress which is applicable on this occasion,
Tor 1t is with malice towards none and
charity for alp that we tell the story Of
organized womanhood, and it carries with
no depreciation Of the men, for forever
IN our hearts and on our lips should be
the words, 1--WE rise or fall together &C
| true Is it.
Let us grant at once that the first or.
san'zed woman's club was for study, fol-
mutual Improvement. IT. person really
and honestly desires improvement for
herself, she will soon desire it for others,
ana when this has become mutual i'm
proVement, progress is assured.
One club organized for Improvement in
place, and others soon followed. Then
II began to be realized that everyone
could not or would not join a club, SO it
was discussed what could be done for
those who could not or would not Join. and
the educational committee was formed
10 help spread abroad in the town OF CITY
what the few had learned. Then the
study became trifie broader, and the
literature and art department came. Il
was but the next step to q realization that
not ali the learning is Of the head, and SO
came the arts and crafts committee, to
spread more generally the worth of
knowledge Of tie great things achieved
by old and young by the work of the
hand.
Then the desire to make the towns more
beautiful, as at first they tried to make
the homes more beautiful-the work for
conservation, for civics, and then a
knowledge that back OF all these things
was wise legislation, and the legislative
committee was formed to spread among
the women knowledge of what was be-
ing done, what should be done, and their
part In the legislation Of state and nation.
AS strange as 1t may seem, all the COM
mittees mentioned were formed before
that OF household economics, which at
first glance is appalling, but upon second
thought you will agree with me that the
reason is obvious. The work OF the home,
the art OF home making, has always been
deprecated until woman herself did not
appreciate it. She thought know ledge OF
how to make home was q part of the
being OF every woman. This work was
not OF much value, for it was not out in
the open; it was not of much importance,
else woman could not do the work, and
often have the entire management OF it.
But along with a realization of many
other things, came a realization that it
took vast amount OF knowledge, OF holy
purpose, OF heroic effort and gigantic
planning to make the right sort OF home,
and knowledge that many OF the very
women who were supposed to have an
intuitive knowledge of it knew nothing
whatsoever of how to make the "right
sort OF a home", and that without this,
the whole outside world would become
tangled mass. Then she saw how the
child. the man, the town, the state-yes,
the very nation itself - rested on the
home, II being the foundation upon
which great men and great nations are
built.
More that ever did women realize that
to ''sit and rock the cradle" would not as
sure the moving of the world in the right
direction; there must be a knowledge in
And SO household economics saw the
light OF day, and organized womanhood
saw the worth of this great science.
The next committee to be added to the
list Of the efforts Of organized womanhood
was the reciprocity work. Facing her
some other woman did; that what she
did know might be just what some other
woman desired to know; and out OF this
give and take has come a levening OF the
whole lump. We are no longer hound by
club organization or by sex. 1t is no longer
make the women wise, no longer to make
the women work, that womanhood is or
ganized-but for the good of!the town, for
the benefit OF the public schools, for bet
ter roads, for the cleaner city, for the
better state, for the more prosperous
nation. To-day woman realizes that she
herself Is an sbject failure unless others
are interested in the great movements, in
the great causes. To-day women realize
that the greatest success can come only
by the individual interests, the combina-
ton, the union OF forces, all being aroused
to the greatest needs, to the best efforts.
Honestly desiring to guard against
"Reform run wild, humanitarianism with
out common sense, education to the verge
OF bankruptcy, and an insolent interior
epce with the liberties OF the people,
the women urge the cooperation of the
men, the careful consideration OF every
one OF the questions which experience has
taught them must have the vital interest OF
the " hole II the desired end be reached.
What do some OF the thinking men say
OF thi, attitude, and OF the efforts made,
and the results OF this organized woman
T. -. linz. Of aSIt 3 ion.