The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-03-06
WOMAN COMMITTEE OF DEFENSE COUNCIL CONTINUES WORK AS COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Women Given Glimpse of All Local Charities Through Speeches Made at Meet ing in Hillman Ball.
 room Yesterday

 al defense held in the ballroom of the
 Hillman hotel yesterday proved of es- pecial interest as through it a glimpse of all charitable works of the city was gained. Each organization was repre- scented by an interesting speaker, who
 gave brief outline of her respective phase of the work, making 1t plain to those present the needs of a central or
 ganization, which might be of great
 assistance and benefit to all.
 Mrs. H. H. Shell, county chairman,
 presided. A resolution was read by
 the secretary and adopted, which was
 to the effect that the woman's com
 mittee of the council of defense con-
 tinue it's work as a community coun- cil.
 Mrs. Vassar Allen, president of the
 Boys club, spoke interestingly Of the
 work of her organization She an
 nounced a paid membership of over 400
 boys in the club. They are required to
 pay 25 cents at the beginning Of the
 year. which entities them to a years
 access to all the advantages of the club.
 Besides these 400 lads, who are super
 vised daily by the organization heads,
 the Independent church is given the
 use of the clubrooms two afternoons
 a week and seven scout troops also
 are allowed the use of the rooms.
 While these boys" said Mrs. Alien,
 are not counted among the 400 mem
 bers, still they are reached by the ln- fluence of the organization.
 CLUB JOYS AND COMFORTS The gymnasium and shower baths have proven a great joy and com1ort to the boys. Twelve of the members I,o Q attan6ad cOOklnP class conducted by Miss Armstrong at the Hoover kitchen and the boys have gained much knowledge in prepar- ing food as was demonstrated when Miss Armstrong took them on hike over the mountain and tried them out Carpenter and cobb1ing classes nave proven successful when needed to op- crate for the comfort of the boys. Last summer a series of picture shows was given throughout the district for the amusement of these young people ana Mrs. Allen is especially anxious that it be made possible to establish boys clubs in all districts of the city in or der that every lad might be reached and many boys receive the attention that is due them by their more Ior- tune friends.
 Mrs Allen closed her remarks with
 the announcement that on March 15 the Boys club would have a Tag Day. at which time everyone would be given an opportunity to assist in this most worthy cause.
 CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL Mrs. Crawford Johnson gave an in teresting talk on the work of the Children's hospital which, as she says, has been in existence about six years. 1 In recent months, Mrs Johnson says, the average number of patients has | 4 ', tpn Q c | being brought about by the epidemic | of influenza. She spoke of the sac rifices made by the nurses of the in stitution during the winter in giving up their beds to the patients and talk 1 ing shelter in tents on the grounds or l the hospital. She also spoke of the | lovely memorial to little Louise Fergu- son, which is bed for the sick chil- dren.
 Mrs. Stuart, representing Mrs Camp | bell Maben, was the next to speak in behalf of the Southside Neighborhood House She spoke of the necessity or having committees to assist in hndlng out who are the really worthy people, who should be benefited by this 1nstl- tuition. She told of many pathetic in, cidents, where little children would come to the neighborhood house to get their breakfast and in some in i stances would seem almost starved, She expressed a wish that home or hos pital might be established where weary, wornout mothers might go for just a | little while to rest.
 DIR. EAVES SPEAKS
 l. Dr. Eaves, representing the Tuber- culosis association, spoke of the needs of follow-up work in regard 10 l the tubercular men who were dls- charged from the army. Dr. Eaves stated that nearly 1000 men had been discharged and more than 1000 rejected
 on account of the disease, and stressed l the importance of following up these | cases He spoke of the great bene- l fit derived from the open-air school l held by the association, not only from | the standpoint of the disease, but from | the standpoint of civilization, as visit 1 to some of the homes proved that there was a need for teaching along other l lines as well as literature and hygiene. i pr. Eaves was pleased to state that
 between 5000 and $4000 had been re- l ceived through the sale of tinfoil gath l cred by the children of Birmingham. l Mrs. Charles Brown was the next | to address the council giving an in- teresting account of the, work of the Octavia White home for aged women. Mrs. Brown said there were 10 old ladies in the home at present. and sew eral of them had bzeen greatly interest