Club Minutes: Mutual Improvement Association, 1905-1909

23 Adjourned to the home of Mary G. Colt.

Mary Bentley Thomas Sec.

10/25, 1905 the Association assembled at noon in homelike Wrenwood, where fine potted plants were outside and in and the mantel was mad bower-like with one of the prettiest collection bird's nests, we have ever seen, in a private house. Our hostess made several women happy by the bestowal of her floral treasures, she expecting as usual to spend her winter in Washington. Guests of the day were Elizabeth S. Iddings, Minnie Iddings, Catharine Janney, Fanny B. Snowden Isabel Fussell, Frances and Elizabeth T. Stabler, Hellen Lea, Emilie L. Massey, Mary C. Bentley, and Mary A. Gilpin.

The sentiment was a single verse from an unknown writer "Who Sacrifices Most Drinks deepest life's rich drain, Counting no cost, But, giving self on every side, Daily and hourly sanctified."

Elizabeth S. Iddings read a comical Morman scrap, a version of "We Are Seven" only it was "We are 67," and she gave a child's definition of gravity "A serious carriage of the body invented to conceal defects of the mind." Louisa T. Brooke brought us a poem in more serious vein of which we culled a verse

"He holds the key of all unknown, and I am glad, If other hands should hold the key. Or if he trusted it to me, I might be sad. What of tomorrow's cares even here with out its cost! I'd rather He unlocked the day.

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And as its hours swing open say, My will is best."

We were told that there were many more women in Mass. and D.C. than men, but in all newly, setted countries the latter predominate. Sarah T. Miller gave from "The Outlook" an account of a woman's trip by trolley from New York to Boston; rapid transit was considered a boon to many once lonely home-steads, bringing culture, happiness and new life to them from' closer touch with the world. Sarah E. Stabler gave a few verses on "The Days gone by"

"With their childish faith in fairies, and a giant's magic ring, The simple, soul refreshing, glad belief in every thing, When hope was like a story hold with neither sob nor sigh, In the golden, olden glory of the days gone by."

Albina D. Stabler read extracts from, "Joy and strength of the Pilgrim's Day." We were warned that it is very possible to become more thick-skinned in conscience as we grow older, hence it behooves us to never lower standards of morality. A second selection advised us to do common tasks faithfully and cheerfully, and the reward of a finer character is sure to follow. But we must perform our work with love in our hearts and do it willingly, or we miss the blessing. The next contributor's name was omitted, but we noted an interesting sketch of 'the effect of sensational papers in the slums of the way a half column would be deavowed if devoted to some scandal while small space was given to any

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news of an elevating charcter, and nobody seemed to desire anything but undesirable information generally. A really good paper with no so called comic sheet, and no "scare lines, would sell readily in the better portions of N.Y but the teeming East Side had no taste for such tame reading. Mary T. Bond told of Arbuckles projected boarding house on a farm where a working man or woman may spend two weeks for $7.00 efforts will be made to furnish employment to regular inmates who can thus become self-supporting to a large extent.

Our new member, Helen Stabler was heartily welcomed, she brought a story of the remarkable achievements of an English clergeman in taking long tours over Europe with no other aid, except in crossing the water, than his own powers of locomotion. He has thus explored France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland and Italy and pronounces it the only satisfactory way to travel. Ellen Farquhar gave some extracts from a letter written many years ago by Sallie Lea the former owner of Wrenwood, several recalled her admirable traits, and the wonderful patience shone during her last days, so full of suffering. Elizabeth J. Stabler gave some information with regard to the Jamestown Exhibition the place has been called "The Cradle of the Republic," as some 4000 people had settled in Va. 13 yrs. before the Mayflower landed her passengers at Plymouth.

Harriet I. Lea had statistics on some of the great things of the world, the streets of London would stretch around

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the world and leave enough to reach from England to San Francisco; there is one library in Paris with 40 miles of shelving and a canal in China 1000 miles long. The avenues and galleries of the mammoth cave extend for 150 miles. Frances D. Stabler gave a gem from In Memoriam well known lines and always beautiful. Catharine Janney read a few verses the last being,

"God thought, a million blazing worlds were wrought God willed, Earth rose, while all creation thrilled Godspoke, And in the garden love awoke, God smiled, and in the mother's arms a child."

Va. Steer told us of the Helen Keller of Illinois, for whose education the legislative has voted $2000, although deaf, dumb, and blind she seems to be gifted mentally. Mary E. Moore's selection assured us that "Worry was a spieces of Insanity," it never helps, it invariably hinders, so come let us reason together and look on the bright side of life evermore. The Sec read from the Chicago Tribune a cheerful article which opined that society had passed an unwritten law abolishing old age, people are to be young till 45 and middle aged all the rest of their time. Prof. Shaler of Harvard regards the abolition of old age as a sign of progress. Certainly if more of us can persuade ourselves that the world needs us as we grow older it will inspire us to justify the cliam on our own powers, and possibly tend to present them. After a

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pleasant and we believe, profiftable meeting we adjourned to Walnut Hill.

Speak of copying minutes and of new book.

Mary Bentley Thomas

Marden

(See page 181 of old book for minutes of the Association at Norwood which met Oct 1st 1904)

12/15 1904. Outdoors winter reigned supreme in the guise of cold searching winds, deep snow and the sound of sleighbells in the air, but Marden was all warm and good cheer within. Despite the fact that this was one of the smallest meetings of the Association for many years, several remarked upon the life and interest of the occasions which was of a most sociable character. Guests were Elizabeth S. Iddings, Estelle T. Moore, Margaret G.T Moore, Dollie E. Vedder and Olivia Linsey of Virginia, Sarah A Bond, and Rebecca T. Miller. Our hostess, Alice Tyson, gave two sonnets by Van Dyke breathing a spirit of loyalty to country andhome. Her second selection was upon Agricultural Prosperity." A judge had declared that the "hen was not an animal" but the writer was inclined to characterize her as "a gold mine" giving most wonderful statistics to prove her value to the world at large, and the U.S in particular. Sarah J. Miller had not brought anything but was supplied by the hostess with an editorial, from the "Tribune," upon the stand taken upon the Temperance question by Insurance companies. As total abstainers live longer and are much less liable to accidents than tipplers, even of the "moderate drinker" type, a number of Insurance Companies will in the future, refuse