Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1915-10-08
STATE FEDERATION
OF WOMEN's CLUBS
Mrs. Shedd Outlines What Washing
ton Club Women Are Doing in
Civic Work

The civics committee of the Wash
ington State Federation of Women:
Clubs, of which Mrs. James Cowar
Wilson of Wenatchee is chairman
way for the stimulating of civic in
terest throughout the state. 1t has
arranged for series of civic con-
ferences in seven central districts OF
the state, with subdivisions of these
where calls are sufficiently urgent.
These districts include North-central
Washington at Wenatchee; Spokane
North Yakima district; TacomaSeat-
tle-Mt. Vernon district; including
four counties; also the southwestern
district at Chehalis
This committee held two civic con-
ferences last spring, one in Seattle
and one in Burlington. They were
received with such enthusiasm by
both men and women that these two
districts have planned to repeat the
conference during October.
The first conference of the series
was held in Wenatchee, Saturday,
October 2, in the high school audi
forum. The meeting began at 10
a. m. and continued throughout the
day. A luncheon was served at noon
by the home economics department,
for a charge of rs cents.
Invitations were sent to all
women's clubs, whether federated or
not. The great desire of the civics
committee is that every organization
of women interested in the welfare
of their home town send as large a
delegation as possible to these con-
ferences. Each club will tell what
they have done and are doing Clubs
are not to wait for a special invita-
ton but send word of the number
coming and of the organizations they
represent.
The idea of the district civic con-
ference is new application of an old
idea to local civic needs and, so far
as is known, this is the first state
in the Union to carry out this plan.
The object is also to find out what
has been done to make the commun-
1ty all 1t might be, and to train
women as well as men for efficient
housekeeping. This can
not be done in one day, but practical
methods of work can be presented
and the sources for the best informa-
ton along all lines of civic improve
ment can be made known.
This is not town improvem ent,"
In the old sense, in which few came
together to do good to the town, to
give 1t things, to induce the most
prominent citizens to contribute a
fountain. They did that way when
only few in the town had an ink
ling of what could be done. Now the
need is to develop the whole town
to have not merely an inkling but
face to face look at what the town
not only can be, but must be. if it
keeps UP with what the world is
learning about living. The new spirit
OF community realization is to the
old idea of improving what the new
principle of constructive philan-
thropy is to the proceedings of Lord
and Lady Bountiful of rare charity.
The new way of civic work is the
way not of paternalism but of
The heart of it is the revelation
or the real solidarity in any town,
and in all the towns community con-
can be developed, but not
without effort. Each community
must recognize it's own essential So
cial functions as builder of the life
OF the state and the race. This can
come about only by constituting that
comm unity, not by merely living in it
or on it. The means to this end is
service. The end it seeks, and this
Is really the beginning, is not town
improvement but fellowship"
In the different conferences such
subjects as the following will be pre-
scented in short, pithy speeches:
THE spirit and equipment needed
by civic workers"
Meeting the practical needs of
the community"
How civics clubs may cooperate
with towns in community house
keeping"
THE Standardization of the
town"
Training citizens in the public
school,"
The community center"
THE community sing"