St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1916-03-25


ty, not so successful with these anti
social teachings as might well be
feared. Woman's work in munlci.
palities brings abundant evidence
that women have begun to feel them
selves part of a larger Whole than
that represented by the limits OF
their own domiciles and their own
families. Already they are sharing
in community tasks to an apprec1-
able extent; and in many towns. es-
peciaHy In the newer sections OF tn,
country, the women rather than the
men are the pioneers In public SER
vice. In one respect, that of edu.
cational opportunities, they are bet.
ter equipped for public work. for !.
/ is q significant fact, that. at the
present time more girls than boys
are graduating from our hign
schools. Women, 1t seems, are boil
giving and getting the education.
In the most important respect, how
ever, they are under-eQuipped, since
in most cases they have had to carry
out their work without the aid OF
the municipal vote. For this very
reason the woman has found the
well-organixed club an invaluable as
set to her work. She has found that
what . well-organized family means
to home, q well-organized assocta-
ton means to . community.
When we consider that dfty per
cent Of the population Of the United
States live in communities OF 250C
and less, building up the small town
looms as a subject Of vital import
ance. No one realizes more than We
here, that organized community
spirit is the open sesame to the &C
complement Of this growth. Even
from the meager experience women
have had they have learned that II
they wish to reach an ideal In the
field, they must organize
and go after that particular object
In q body; II they want q social ser.
vice measure introduced, they ac-
comphsh this only by concentrated
effort; and 80 on down the entire
list of community interests.
With the systematic organization
Of work in different communities,
goes the next step. that Of one or
ganixation helping out the other. I'M
til the women not only Of one parish,
one state or one country are passing
message Of enlightenment among
one another, but the international
associations are cooperating and
helping to broaden and educate the
whole sex.
For cooperation Of any kind, how.
ever, there must occasionally be a
time and place for exchange Of ideas.
II we do not all meet there, still
those Of us who can properly con-
vey to and receive from our neigh
Dor the message and experience
which has proved valuable. will at
tend and disseminate our knowledge
On this point more will be said ct
this gathering as 1t Is one of the
purposes for which this meeting
was called.
No exchange is 80 force.ul and en-
phatic as when 1t is made in con-
crete and tangible form. How much
better aid could we of q larger COM
munity give to some Of our ncigh-
bors of the rural districts, II we
could meet on common ground at
least once q year, and disalay and
tell OF some Of the developments in
our home and community W.
could certainly demonstrate the So
cial value Of some sort of an organi-
cation to teh women Of the farm who
have too long been kept In state of
solitary confinement as pertains tc
any social developments Of the age.
With this organization Of the farm
er's wife would cooperate the or
ganization Of the small community
which in turn receives ideas from
the federated clubs Of Its state. This
last organization Is also part at the
national federation. from which del
egates are chosen to represent our
country's interests in international
meetings, such as was held at the
Hague in the interests of the peace
In conclusion may say the final
Of women into civic
work has been accomplished, and
their presence is now accepted as In
even by the most dire pessi-
mist. And with their experience In
the work comes the realization, from
their innate power for home govern