The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-03
Writers Conclave Holding Interest |s Of Women

l The second annual conclave of Ala Fbama writers will be held at Florence, Ala., at the special invitation of Flor bence Normal college.
 The chairman is Mrs. Charles Sharpe Eof Birmingham, who was also Ala. kbama's woman delegate to the democrat ic convention held in New York in in Hume. Mrs. Katherine Leiser Robbins, Ia well known writer for Young's, Saucy Stories and Snappy Stories, IS chair lman of the program.
 { The conclaye is gathering of women twriters principally, though men are not kexcluded who are interested Tn orlglnai fwork. mot who by interchange of ideas land helpful criticism hope to further the cause of southern authorship. There fare now 15 wide-awake writers clubs in Alabama and some good work is be- ling turned out. Many have gone be- tyond the amateur class and have ceased to be mutual admiration societies. The conclave for 1924 will be called to order by the chairman, Mrs. Charles Sharpe, on Monday, September $, when a memorial will be held in honor of Mrs. Mary Staten Gilmore of Birming-
 
 claye, who died several weeks ago, and was it's first chairman.
 Following the afternoon session, which will discuss such subjects as "What Influences an Editor in Buying" Syndicate Features" ; Marketing What We Write" and kindred subjects, a drive over the Tri-Cities will fill the afternoon until dinner.
 Tn the evening session the usual for malities of adress of welcome, etc., will be gone through, followed by entertain. ing features by Miss Martha Young of Greensboro, Ala, who is especially gifted in dialect, and pickaninny pick up and by Mrs. Mildred Saffold of ] Montgomery, which are always br1ef an dto the point. f
 The morning and afternoon sessions of Tuesday will be devoted to the tech niaue of the short story from different angles. the afternoon being featured by the inyenile story, when several wom- on who have won prizes along thls line will tell "how they did it." chief of whom will be Miss Maud Lindsay of Sheffield Florence, whose child sto- 1 ries are famous in Boston and the east, though not as well known in the south i as they should be. Beside these most l attractive books of stories, Miss Lind say teaches large al..iost free kinder garten in the mill district of Florence, where her work is marvelously attrac- tive.
 At a :3O Wednesday, informing the news naner section will be held, with women and men who are staff writers on Ala bama's big dailies.
 Tbursday will be Helen Keller day, and the conclaye will adjourn to Tus- cumhia and see the little white cottage which housed this pure young girl dur ing her early childhood. They will see the Long Moss Spring which was the insniration of tho story of that name by Caroline Lee Hentz. There is also near the normal college the little pink etucco house where she lived in the seventies and dispensed most charm ing hospitality in the aristocratlc town of Florence.
 Muscle Shoals will also be visited on Thursday and the writers will nave given in their honor tea at the T'ennessee Valley Country club, when the Blue Pencil club will be hosts and Miss Maude Lindsay will preside.
 Al 8 o'clock on Thursday Mrs Marie Rankhead Owen, head of the arcnlVes and historical department of Alabama, will preside, and the subject Will be "Dra1na and the Little Theater." one-act play will be presented. Only one business meeting will be held, when officers for next year will be selected and when the League of American Fen- Women will be presented and Alabama women invited to join the branch asso- citation in Mobile.
 At ' o'clock Friday evening the an nual banquet will be held, when study will be forgotten and pleasure will be the rule. Dr. Willingham, president of Florence normal, will be toastmaster, and toasts from six women will pc. heard. Mrs. Sharp will sum up the events of the past year and introduce the new president.
 Music for this happy occasion will be furnished by Maude Humphrey, Ala bama's opera star.
 On Saturday morning the writers will remember they are householders as well as literary lights and will turn their faces homeward to meet the brass tacks of Sunday dinner and butcher and baker, and come down to everyday living, cheered, however, by the thought that there will be another ronclave next year which will be bigger
 "a L.AGou ord roora far-raa ching