Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-02-19
Mrs. Brewster, President
WOmen's Club Federation,
Speaks to Study Club

In an Inspiring Address She Explains
How Women's Club Work May be
Effective and Shows the Advan-
tages of Federation Of Clubs
"Club Women and Their Work"
was the subject Of most interesting
and inspiring address given by Mrs.
William E. Brewster of Dexter, presi-
dent of the Maine Federation of
Women's Clubs, at the regular meet
ing of the Augusta Study Club held
Friday afternoon at the home of Mrs.
George A. Ellinwood, 81 Sewall street.
There was a large attendance of
members and all keenly appreciated
the talk given by Mrs. Brewster and
the other features of the program in
Guiding a vocal solo, given by Mrs.
Kenworthy, accompanied by Mrs.
Brickett, pianist.
Mrs. Brewster in the course of her
address said in part:
"Some years ago, owing to changes
in the economic world, many. women
had an increasing amount of time at
their disposal. BY a natural and So
cial instinct and a desire to do things
worth while, women came together
and organized clubs. The programs
undertaken by the clubs were just as
varied as the women who made UP
the membership. The club has be-
come the continuation school and the
club woman is fast becoming the in
diligently trained leader in public
opinion.
1--WE have been hearing much about
reconstruction problems and in
vague sort Of way we have felt that
in America those problems must be
related solely to the returned soldiers,
but leaders of social thought and our
own government officials would call
our attention to some startling facts
that were revealed through the draft
records. The draft army was cross
section of American people. through
it we get composite picture of our
selves.
Three facts which the draft re-
vealed were pointed out by the speak
err. as follows: On test which re-
quired sufficient education to read
newspaper and to write a letter we
find that from 20 per cent. to 40 per
cent. of those two million young men
were illiterate. Something is wrong
somewhere in our elementary educa-
tion," she said. "a democracy needs
an educated electorate. Education
has been called the insurance Of the
State"
The second, fact which was Just as
serious was that it was shown that
80 per cent. Of all the men called to
service were rejected as physically
unfit to fight. Good health and
long life are the inherent right of
everyone, but they are not to be OBJ
tanned for the asking" said Mrs.
Brewster.
The third fact was that the regis
tration Of all aliens revealed that we
had ten millions among us who had
not become naturalized. Ten million
who were part of the common
wealth and yet not of it. And Mrs.
Brewster brought out the point that
to meet these and other problems the
General Federation has asked the
clubs to center the work of all the de-
partments around Amereanization.
Thrift and Community Service.
The need of bringing to the Ameri-
can youth the best in literature and
in music and Of seeing to 1t that only
clean and wholesome moving pictures
are exhibited, was emphasized by the
speaker, who pointed out that there
are big tasks awaiting the women,
tasks that need the wisdom gained
from combined study, tasks that need
altruism that the women get from
working together and tasks that need
the energy they can get fron, a COM
bination Of effort.
In closing her address Mrs. Brews-
ter pointed out that by federation.
study clubs realize that study Is more
or less ineffective unless the knowl-
edge acquired through study il an
Piled to the betterment Of the world.