The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-06-10
WOMEN2S CLUBS
CLOSE NEE TING
Mrs Slayon of Morrsve Elected President of Federation
Marc s. Brooks Tells How to Americanize Foreign and
Native Bcra-ConventiOn Ends With Song.

like charity, must begin at home. we
found that we could not work Tor the
foreigners. we could only work with
him; and we found also, to our sor-
row and shame, that many native
born citizens are far more in need OF
Americanization than Their foreign
born neighbors Now, III the light or
all these experiences and in obedi-
ence to new instructions from Wash
ington we are taking up the study Of
citizenship. 1t has taken me for the
club women to realize the need for
this particular line OF study, Now
that the bars have been let down and
we have entered into public life it is
for us to prove that we are capable
I OF bearing our full share of the re-
sponsibil ty of citizenship and that we
are willing to assume the task. We
must realize fully that it is not a
privilege that has been conferred up
on us but a sacred obligation which
we are bound to fulfill. Upon club
women this OBJ ization rests with es-
pecial force because they are an or
ganzed body of trained and lntelli-
gent women whose purpose is mutual
Improvement and the advancement Of
humanitarian ideas We may no
longer shift the blame for community
evils upon the shoulders OF the men,
for we are now equally accountable
with them and the world waits to see
how the women will measure up to
their own standards OF morality and
efficiency.
We were all anxious to do commun-
ity service work but here agan we
found that trained leaders are neces-
sary. The underlying principle of
community service is to bring the
JOY Of living into the lives of the
commun ty, hut this does not always
mean recreation. 1t means raising
the standard of life to meet the best
idea of American manhood and wo
manhood; it means that our boys
and girls shall be given chance to
develop into the best possible men
and women and that their hours OF
leisure shall be properly provided for
Lecause these are dangerous hours.
''lt has been more difficult to
arouse interest in the thrift move
ment than IN any other, because, as
so many club women say, We have
always practiced thrift 1t has taken
much effort to make them compre
hend that they were not selected for
this service because of their own
need but because their years Of train
ing have made them the most avail
able as well as the most competent
body Of teachers upon which the gov
ernment can call to so out among
those who have never learned these
lessons and who sorely need the in
structcns
we have been under obligations tC
both the General Federation of Wo
mems club and to our national gov
eminent to work along these three
mes during the entire admiuistra
ton; all departments planned theil
work along these lines. The results
which you have heard from YOU
chairmen have been gratifying il
many ways
More than 100 invitations have
come to me; so you see there are
many pleasures and privilege con
nected with the responsibilities. Ff
ty of the 67 clubs have been yisitet
during the administration, 13 clubs
? have been added and the individua
membersh p increased by 25 per cent
we feel more deeply that music, ar
= and literature are not for our selfsl
pleasure alone Now we know tina
home economics, thrift, heath an,
: child welfare are not local questions
only, but upon them depend much o
the prosperity and happiness Of ou
beloved Vermont
5 "The value of the district meeting
to the smaller towns can scarcely b,
= estimated, In multiplicity of counse
there is wisdom and every woman
: needs to come into contact with othe
t intelligent and progressive women;
gives fullness of understanding ant
! breadth Of vision that cannot be ac
l quired from books. We need to rea
5 liZe that it is an honor Just to beloni
to a great movement that will in
: fuence the world for all time to come
1 we need to recognize the fact that !
. we can do moth ng more our home
= and our small fee of money helps tn
, federation accomplish results that H.
+ single group of women could achieve
| "The rural club has its mission-t
( add beauty and happiness, dignit
T. and honor to country life. The smal
g town club is the most useful instru
e mentality to create strong commun
e ty spirit so often lacking IN smal
+ towns The large department clu
must be the link binding us to tn
4 General Federation with its man
: departments of social service.
e Publicity is our greatest asset an
, we must appoint our most competen