Putnam County herald. (Cookeville, Tenn.) 1903-1922, 1921-06-23
Tenn. WOMAN'S
P. and A. CLUB
Held Twenty-F First Annual Con-
vention At Nashville
June 8, 9, and 10
Clara Cox Epperson

The twenty-first annual convention
of the Tennessee Woman's Press ana
Authors Club convened in Nashville
on the Sth, 9tn ahd 10th of June, with
Mrs. Charles w. Baker Of Nashville,
the president, presiding. The local
Press and Authors Club, with Mrs.
Alex Caldwell, president, was the
hostess club and all business and
program meetings were held in the
Centennial Club through the cOurte-
sy Of Mrs. John Hill Eakin, and the
Centennial Club members.
On the first day very charming
evening was spent with Mrs. Geo.
Whitson and Miss Alice WhitsonI
two gifted sisters, at their lovely
home, "Lookaway" in Eastland. Mrs.
Whitson is Beth Slater Whitson the
writer of popular songs and Miss
Whitson writes clever stories for
boys under the pen-name of AL Whit
son, therefore is often thought to be
man-writer. She is also a writer OF
verse.
After the alfresco tea on the lawn,
the guests seated beneath the wide
spreading trees with the myriad lights
of the State Capitol in the distance
and the twinkling lights ON the many
stars above, gave a very unique and
spontaneous program of verse, song
and story, and each one told anus
ingly of the first check received for
pen work, these checks ranging from
thirty cents to two hundred dollars.
A delightful day at historic Her
mitage, was spent On Thursday, ana
at the luncheon served In the pavil-
ion, in sight of the wonderful old
home, and of the time honored tomb,
with the birds singing all around, a
round table discussion Of Old Kick
ory, was enjoyed and graphic de-
scription was given OF Sergeant
York's visit to the home and to the
tomb where he reverently removed
his hat and remained with bowed
head for a few moments, as if hero
heart was speaking to hero heart in
that momentous hour.
After the day at the Hermitage a
beautiful banquet was served in the
Centennial Club rooms with many de-
lightful toasts and after this Prof A.
M. Harris of Vanderbilt University
gave an hour of "reminiscences of the
writer's he had known when working
as young man on the newspaper OF
Hartford, Conn. He made you al
most see and hear Mark Twain, OIL
yer Wendell Holmes, Harriet Beech
er Stowe and others of that time.
Then to his surprise he was called
upon to give the group or poems he
would find in his pocket, placed there
by his wife at the request of Mrs.
Baker, and we found that Mr.. Harris
is versatile, indeed, being clever
poet as well as wonderful reconteur.
The closing business session was
held on Friday morning. at which the
following officers were elected: Pres-r
dent, Miss Ernestine Noa, of Chatta-
nooga; corresponding secretary, Mrs.
Chas. R. Hyde, Chattanooga; record
ing secretary, Mrs. Emma Look Scott,
Nashville; treasurer, Mrs. John Ep-
person, Cookeville; chairman legisla.
ton, Mrs. Chas. w. Baker; chair.
man of constitution, Miss Beatrice
Stevens, Dyersburg; chairman Of
membership, Mrs. Ddna Lynn Simms.
Knoxville.
The next meeting Of the club will
possibly be held in Chattanooga or
vicinity
Thus closed one of the most enjoy
able conventions of the Tennessee
Woman's Press and Authors Club
ever held. The membership now
numbers one hundred and twelve
with a number Of honorary members.
Nashville has tory members. a great
er number than ady other city in the
state.