The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1916-05-15

VI Ihe CouHLIS, TWO ana nalL mllllOn
of whom arc represented in the Gen
eral Federation of Women's Clubs,
have perfected a plan for the greatest
convention in the history of the fedora
tion in New York this month. The
dates are May % to June s. During
those seventeen days it is expected
that fully 10000 women representing
clubs in every state in the union, as
we'll as some from Alaska, Japan, Eng
land, Hawaii and South America will
attend many of the innumerable meet
ings and social functions that have
been arranged.
! New York city this year is said to
have more than 500 different conven-
tions on it's calendar but from all indi-
cations none will equal in attendance
the gathering of women. Special SEN
timent is attached to the women's con-
vention by the fact that although the
federation was founded here twenty
six years ago, 1t is the first time since
then that the women have met in New
York. 1t was Jennie June" Croly, ono
OF the founders of the Sorosis, the pio-
nee" woman's club in this country,
who initiated the idea of general
convention of women's clubs in 1889,
and the outcome Of this was the hold
ing Of the first convention Of the gen.
eral federation in New York in the fol-
lowing year when 63 clubs were repre-
sented by 126 delegates and the Sorosis
was hostess.
Chicago, Philadelphia, Louisville
Denver Milwaukee, Los Angeles, ST.
Louis, st. Paul, Boston, Cincinnati
San Francisco and Chicago again,
have been the convention cities in the
order named. The forthcoming con-
vention, the thirteenth, will have
Sorosis again as it's hostess, in con-
junction with the New York state and
city federations which are working
their hardest to make the gathering a
notable one in every direction.
The main drill hall of the armory of
the Seventh regiment of the New York
national guard, which will accommo-
date upwards of 5000 women, will be
the principal meeting place. The col
onel's room and other officers quarters
will be turned over to the women for
headquarters. The armory is located
at 66th street, occupying an entire
block between Lexington and Park
avenues.
The chief executive is Mrs. Percy v.
Pennybacker, the president of the fed
GRAFTON. whose home is in Austin, Tex,
but who for the past two years has
been travelling throughout the country
keeping in personal contact with the
activities of women's clubs. She will
not be a candidate for reelection this
year. however, and the question of her
successor will be one of the most i'm
portant items of business during the
convention. The two candidates for
the offices are Mrs. Samuel B. Sheath,
Of Tiffin, O., and Mrs. Josiah Evans
Cowles, Of Los Angeles. The Ohio
candidate is at present first vice presi-
dent of the federation, and is a club
woman of wide experience. Mrs.
Cowles. whose name has been put for
ward by the California women, has
also been prominently identified with
the federation several years as direc-
| tor, treasurer and chairman of various
committees.
In the words Of Miss Lutte e.
Stearns. one of the directors of the
federation, the business of being a
clubwoman is q big business and is
getting to be a bigger business every
day." This is apparent from the elab-
crate program that has been arranged
for the convention. The topics indi-
/ cate an increasingly wide range of af-
| fairs in which the clubwomen are TAX
ing not only an interest but an active
part. There was a time, for instance,
when the New York City Federation of
Women's Clubs could report on all of
it's activities at each convention, but
now. says Mrs. Eugene J. Grant the
president Of the city federation, it
takes the six conventions of an ad-
ministration to get through the reports
of the SO committees which have de-
IVeloped.
The general federation has as its
broad object the furtherance of every
movement in the interest of women,
children and mankind in general, and
the program calls for reports and dis
cussion by committees on art, child
welfare, civics, civil service reforms
home economies, conservation, indus
trial and social questions, legislation
education, literature, music, public
Ihealth,-and under these headings come
subjects ranging all the way from
moving pictures to international rela.
tionships. One important announce.
ment that will be made at the conven.
ton is the fact that the federation has
raised an endowment of 100000. The
plan to raise such a sum was voted al
the Cincinnati convention in 1910, anc
now that the sum has been realized Il
will be invested by trustees, the inter
lest being used to help carry on the
work of the general federation.
i Many women prominent in New
York club life will take their turns az
hostesses to various sections Of the
great gathering. Mrs. Thomas A. Edi.
son, for instance, will be one of the
!. first to entertain the women, at hel
home at Llewellyn Park, n. J. Mrs
, John Hays Hammond will be hostess
at a luncheon to all of the state presi
dents. Mrs. William Tod Helmuth
will be hostess at a pioneer clut
women's dinner and in addition there
will be luncheons and dinners anC
other entertainments at various WON
!; ems clubs. A Shakespeare masque, {
! reception at the Metropolitan museum
of art and a number of other OUTSIDE
, features will be included.