The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-04-03
Pan-American Congress
In Cuba Proposed By
Mrs. Pennybacker

My Dear Friends: Has life ever
brought you six weeks packed with
vivid impressions, one succeeding the
other so rapidly that you felt gen.
timely distressed at your lack of
leisure to digest and to assimilate?
This has been my condition since the
9th of December. The Pan Ameri-
can Scientific Congress lasting two
weeks The American Civic Associa-
tion, both held at Washingt a
meeting Of the general federation
board of directors at Old Point Com
fort, Va, the National Civic AssO-
citation in our capital city, the
Americanization committee at Phila-
delphia, trip to Cuba and an all
too-swift fight through rapidly de-
veloping Florida-this has been my
itinerary.
Therefore, l beg the clubs to CEN
tralize on a systematic study course
for the year 1861 Topics rec
commended are: Pan Americanism;
the life, in all its bearings, of the
women Of Mexico, of Central and
South America; the Spanish lang
uage. May we not encourage our
children to join us in these studies,
especially in the last mentioned? 1t
is but step from pan-Americanism
to another subject of equal interest.
which is our duty toward American
izing the immigrant. This is also
urged upon the clubs attention. Let
us test results arising from unity of
study as well as unity of action.
A Visit to Cuba
On going to Cuba we (Mrs. Alice
Blount and Miss May Peabody
chose the shortest crossing, that
from Key West to Havana. Neptune
was by no means kind on either the
going or returning trip, but we felt
repaid for our suffering when we
saw the charms of the island repub-
lie. do not know which we loved
more, the wonderful harbor, the
waters of which are dazzlingly blue;
old Moro Castle standing guard;
the Prado and the Malecon, filled
with cosmopolitan crows to whom
the night seemd even more open than
the day; the narrow streets filled
with beautiful shops, these streets
suddenly widening into magnificent
avenues; tropical foliage every
where; architecture suited to the
climate; picturesque, artistic iron
work guarding the doors and win
dows; overhanging balconies from
which graceful women and beautiful
girls looked down. Everything cap
tivated us.
When one reflects that Cuba has
had her independence only fourteen
years one is amazed at her progress
The excellent sanitary condition,
the miles of paved street, the pub
lie Improvements and the free
schools, all show that the people are
awake to the call of the century. By
the way, we may take lessons from
Havana as to salaries of teachers,
where l was told that $85 per month
was a minimum.
The Woman's Club in Havana
that is member of the general fed
Grafton, numbers nearly two hun
dred, twenty-five per cent of whom
are Cubans. This club has done
much excellent philanthropic work
and never fails to send delegates tC
the biennial. The founder and presi
dent, Miss Thurston, will be with us
in New York. One of the most in
telligent women we met in Havana
told us that up to the time of hel
husbands death a few years ago sh,
had never crossed her threshold
without asking his permission. Thi
gives some idea of the old tradition
that still govern the upper classes
and makes us have all the more ad
miration for what the women hav
accomplished. The few men Of af
fairs whom I had the pleasure o
meeting expressed their desire tina
women interest thmselves in civil
life, feeling that the republic woul
be much more prosperous If womel