The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-04-30
HV|NGNG LIVE INTEREST
Women Take Big Part In
New Civic Body
MEET HELD LAST NIGHT
Mrs. w. ]. oToole, st. Paul,
Proved To Be An Inter-
esting Speaker

That Mankato women are taking
a lively interest in civic affairs was
evidenced last evening by the large
numbers who attended the womans
mass meeting held at the Y. NJ. c..
A. auditorium, called for the purpose
Of discussing civic problems. The
meeting was opened by a community
sing led by Miss Cornelia Mansfield,
while Miss Helen Black presided at
the piano. Mrs. ]. w. Andrews pre-
sided at the meeting and introduced
the speakers Of the evening. The
principal address was delivered by Mrs.
w. j. O'Tool. president Of the civic
league of st. Paul. Other speakers
of the evening were: Mrs; ]; w:
Andrews and w. H. Brickel, local
bureau, who is here from Chicago
for the purpose of establishing Civ
ic and Commerce association in this
city.
Pleased With Attendance.
Mr.. Brickel in opening his remarks,
said that he was indeed pleased tn
see so many ladies at the meeting.
for their influence in civic work will
mean much for the city Of Mankato:
said that he learned one trait of
Mankato people, and that is that
they are boastful of Mankato. This
boastful spirit spells success. Mr..
Brickel explained briefly the plan of
the American City bureau in putting
on a local campaign for the estab-
ishment of a chamber of commerce
The plan is now being carried out
for membership, and 1t Is hoped to
make the association the best and
most representative in the city. In
order to make il such, II is absolutely
necessary to have people from all the
walks of life in the membership. The
women should take no small part in
the work Of the association. The
speaker said that now dreams of a
In, and later make those dreams a re-
atty.
Brought Out BY Questionnaires.
One fact was brought out, Mr..
Brickel said, through the sending out
of questionnaires to the high school
students. The returns showed that
over fifty percent of the young men
and women now attending the local
high school intend to leave Mankato
of opportunity in this city. One of
the problems the women can best
busy themselves with. the speaker
said was to bring about conditions
which will offer opportunity for the
young men and women Of this city.
Miss Dora Robel Of the normal
school called attention to the fact
that an interesting lecture will be
delivered at Mankato theatre this
evening on the subject of Barriers
re Bolshevism" by Countess Turcz-
nowicz. She urged that the ladies
attend the lecture.
Good Work of Civic League.
Mrs. ]. w. Andrews dwelt at some
length on the good work of the Wo-
mans Civic league Of this city in
the past few years, in bringing about
kato. She stated that the time has
come now where the league has to
have the backing OF some large body,
and for that reason, she urged the
women present to join heartily in the
work of the Civic and Commerce as
Mrs. w. ]. o'Toole, president Of
the st. Paul civic league, was the last
speaker of the evening. She said that
q word OF encouragement in favor Of
the Civic and Commerce association.
Mrs. O'Toole said that cities the
size of Mankato are turning to civic
and commerce associations in which
to center civic responsibility. For
that reason she would advocate that
the women Of Mankato go whole
heartedly into the work of the new
association.
The Amerieanization Work.
In Americanization work, Mrs.
O'Toole said that one of the great
problems for the women of today TO
solve was the interpretatin of Ameri-
can ideas and ideals to the foreign
population of this country. This is
work that every woman should en-
list In. There are many of the ma
to have ideals interpreted to them.
The teaching of the English language
is the most tangible step toward
Americanization. But in teaching the
English language, the speaker said
that great care should be exercised
not to give the impression that for
eign languages should be despised.
Great care must be used In methods
of Americanization. II the foreigner
is to be Americanized an American
izing attitude must be brought to
him. Each nation which goes to
make up the great American nation
has brought something of value to it.
It is the duty of Americans to know
what those values are. A spirit OF
alOOfneSS must De aVOlueu. III large
sense the foreigner must American
dze himself, but 1t is up to Ameri-
cans to ut in his hands the funda-
mental processes by which he can
become an American.
Americanization ls Necessary.
Americanization Is not alone neces-
sary among the peoples of foreign
birth, but in industry. The Ameri-
canization Of industry means that
both native and foreign born labor
should be taught to work in CO. oper-
alton with industry and not against
1T.
Mrs. O'Toole said that in the
mountain districts of the east, there
are perhaps more real descendants
of the soldiers who fought in the
American revolution than in any
other part of the United States, and
vet it Is a deplorable fact that there
exists there more illiteracy than in
any other part Of the United States.
This shows the necessity of educat-
ing native born Americans. The
sneaker urged upon the women pres
emf that they take UP the work OF
education, for 1t is the foundation
mon which the country is founded.
In closing Mrs. OToole said that
the boys in the World war fought to
destroy autocracy. 1t is the duty of
every one pow to prove to the
stranger in this land that it is all
that they dreamed 1t was, and make