Club Minutes: Mutual Improvement Association, 1957

Country Corner Inn, Grace Thomas's Meeting 1165 meeting, February 7, 1957

After a pleasant social time and lunch, the meeting was called to order by Katherine Adams.

The Treasurer reported a balance on hand of $17.

The next meeting will be with Isabel Wesley at Alloway, in April with Sylvia and in May we will have our celebration.

For her sentiment, our hostess, Grace Thomas told us, "There is no duty we underestimate so much as the duty of being happy." Also "Some people are like wheelbarrows, they don't progress unless they are pushed."

Lillie B. Stabler, Anne Ball Gilpin and Elsie Stabler, nothing.

Esther Stabler read from Robert Paul Smith's book on the art of doing nothing.

Elizabeth Canby told of the work being done in Hagerstown schools with the use of television. All the Elementary schools and two high schools there are using broadcasts of specific subjects, by expert teachers. Monitors, or the regular teachers are with the classes, but no preparation for that subject is necesssary for them, lessening their load. It is particularly useful in experiments or demonstrations. By next fall, it will have spread to all of Washington County, and it is being watched by the entire nation. It will help out in the shortage of teachers, and of course saves equipment.

Elisabeth Grey read from "Words to Live By", how to strtetch your imagination.

Nell Bebee read us a little bit about Maryland.

Alice Farquhar told of recently reading over the Annals, and of the first reference to the Association, and to others throughout the years.

Faith Morris told us a joke, and asked what to do for her house plants. "Tabs" are easy and efficient.

Patty Stabler a delightful excerpt from Howard Thurman's book, "Meditations from the Heart."

Peggy Cochoran said The University of North Carolina has its own TV station, but as far as she knows had not used it in connection with classes, as described in Hagerstown, however it is used for extension work.

Dr. Crum has some snowdrops in bloom.

Rose Hutton spoke of the power line PEP Co. is putting through from Dickerson to New Hampshire Ave, to connect with a line there. The hugh transformers, every eight hundred yards will be unsightly and a group of people through whose property it will run, is working to have them put underground. The Secretary was instructed to write the "powers that be"- protesting the erection, and urging that they be put underground.

Deb Wilson read, "Washington, the Inaugral City," an interesting story of the event.

Sylvia Woodward read an article that struck home to many of us. It was titled, "The Open Fire". Shall we light the fire was querried - and then all the reasons were given for not doing so, and it ended with, "but it is so nice to have a fire-place."

Rebcca Small read from Reader' Digest, "What is a baby."

Helen Moore read an interesting article about spraying orchards with an amazing hormone.

Lillie Stabler asked how she can get a grease spot from a carpet. It is hard, in fact almost impossible.

********************************************* There were no committee reports.

The centennial celebration was discussed. Suggestions from the committee appointed last month were made, and a working committee of Mary Reading Miller,

Deborah Willson and Betty Grey was appointed, they to continue to confer with the "consultation committee." They will bring in a suggested program, using the one sent us by Margaret Jones as a pattern, also suggestions for entertainment etc. to the March meeting,

Adjourned to meet with Isabel Wesley in March.

Mary Reading Miller, Secretary.

Wee Hame January 3, 1957 1,164 meeting

Elza Thomas, our December hostess, called the rather small meeting to order after a nice cozy luncheon and social time.

The minutes of the last meeting at this place were read, and those of the previous meeting were read and approved.

The rules and regulations were read as is usual at the January meeting.

The reading brought to our attention the fact that we are without a custodian of our minute books. Mary Reading Miller was named to succeed Mariana S. Miller who held that position for many years.

The Treasurer reported a balance of $15.50-

The next place of meeting will be Graclyn with Grace Thomas. In March we meet with Isabel Wesley and in April with Sylvia Woodward.

For her sentiment our hostess, Ethel Thomas read, "What I can Do." When I have troubles larger than I, I take them out beneath the sky, Just how, I never understand, But the troubles shrink, and I expand.

Elizabeth Canby read an editorial from The Evening Star, "The year and Us", a resume of the past year and a hopeful look ahead.

Rebecca Small read from Reader's Digest, "It all started with Eve". She also announced that Raymond Havens wil give a series of talks, illustrated with records. The series will be called, "Unforgettable Moments in Music", and will be given at the Library the second Monday morning in the next three months.

Helen Moore read the Hudson Valley Fruit Growers' report on Hail control - which seemed very satisfactory. 1400 square miles were under control. Clouds were seeded with some chemical which dispels electric storms, and allows gentle rain.

Betty Grey read a lovely hymn from the new, "When Friends Sing", the hymnal used in the Friends First Day School.

Esther Stabler told some Grandmother stories, which brought out some others.

Stella Moore, a guest read a delightful story, about the annual school Christmas entertainment, from "Town Journel."

Helen Hallowell read from the New York Herald-Tribune of the death of Ruth Draper - the well-known monologist.

Mrs. Klopp, also a guest read from the "Postscripts" in the Saturday Evening Post.

Katherine Adams gave her time to Deb. Willson, who read from The American Treasury of Quotations from 1455-1955. A most fascinating book.

Grace Thomas told a little of their trip to Williamsburg at Christmas.

Dr. Crum told of a young Doctor friend.

*****************************************

As the first order of business, we had an election at which time the same officers were returned for another year.

There were no committee reports.

Attention was called to the fact that this is our centenniel year. The chair was directed to name a committee to bring in suggestions for a celebration to take place in May. This committee is to be more or less consultant, another one will be named later to carry out the suggestions.

Those named were-- Fanny Iddings, Margaret Jones, Helen Hallowell, Esther Stabler and Mary Reading Miller.

Adjourned to meet with Grace Thomas in February.

Mary Reading N. Miller

Alloway March 7 - 1957 1116 meeting

After luncheon, served in the delightful recreation room at Alloway, the meeting was called to order by Ethel Thomas, in the absence of Grace Thomas, our last hostess.

The minutes of the last meeting at this place were read, and those of the last meeting were read and approved.

The Treasurer reported a balance on hand of $36.50.

Katherine Adams and Sylvia Woodward have exchanged meetings, so the next meeting will be with Katherine, then in May we will have our celebration, and the June meeting will be with Sylvia Woodward.

For her sentiment, our hostess, Isabel Wesley, read a letter from our former member, Thelma Anderson, who now lives in Florida, where is is quite happy in another rural community.

Patty Stabler told us, "every Judgement is a self Judgement", for she quoted Howard Thurman as saying the things one finds annoying in others is usually a fault one also has.

Anne Hallowell read from the Sunday New York Times about what to do in the garden now. Possibilities are mostly in the cold frame at this time, and preparation for a busy time a little later on. She also read a word about house plants, which seem to take a new lease on life about now. She commented on the lovely arrangements Isabel has all around.

Rose Hutton read Ogden Nash's delightful poem on Baltimore from the current Holiday magazine.

Fanny Iddings read of the rare historical china which is to be exhibited in the rooms of The Maryland Historical Society in Baltimore. It is the collection of Liverpool and Staffordshire ware belonging to Robert McCauley of Western Maryland.

Alice Farquhar, Bertha Crum and Helen Moore nothing.

Faith Morris read a funny little joke.

Helen Farquhar read of the twenty-seven remaining Whooping Cranes. This small number divides itself into groups in the Audubon Park in New Orleans, and two places in Texas, and they are watched with interest, hoping the flock will increase.

Betsy Grey read from a scrapbook of her mothers, the poem being, "Charlie's courting".

Sylvia Woodward read an exerpt from the letter of a cousin in New York who does book reviews, requiring a gteat deal of research etc. She told of the very busy life she is leading, and when she finished Sylvia told us that she is eighty-eight years old.

Elsie Stabler told of the legend of Valintine - a pretty story of the young Valintine who was imprisoned. He pricked messages on the heart shaped leaves of the violets, which he could reach outside his window, and sent them to his loved ones, by doves.

Sue Stabler told of how her question came to be in the This Week Magazine . She has a George School class mate on the editorial staff, and he called her to know if she would like to have her name on a question. Her Question, "Can you die of a broken heart", was answered by Dr. Paul Dudley White, the heart specialist who attended President Eisenhower.

Wendy Lawrence, a guest, asked how to rid the lawn of moles. She was told that mole knots and/or mole balls put in the runs had proved effective.

Lillie Stabler, also a guest, told us a joke.

Esther Stabler read from the National Geographic magazine of Harpers Ferry, an interesting article, even though it was not the one she had selected, as she picked up the wrong magazine as she left home. So we can look forward to that one at a latter meeting.

Rebecca Small, from Reader's Digest, "Why Didn't Someone Tell Me".

an amusing article of the pit-fills of talking to the people one meets at parties,&is intruduced to without any clue as to the indentity, likes dislikes or professional connections.

Dorcus Marshall read a quotation from an ancient Russian, "What you keep is lost, what you give is yours forever."

Gladys Stabler read from the little C & P Telephone booklet of the Braille switchboard which has been installed somewhere, and sightless people are to be taught to use it, becoming operators.

Katherine Adams told a humorous story.

There was no standing comitttee reports, but the Centeniel celebration was discussed.

Dorothy Wetherald has gone on a long trip and is resigning as our representative to the Hospital Woman's Board. Helen Hallowell asked that someone else be named, and preferably someone who is not already a member. Katherine Adams will serve until someone else is named, as there is a meeting on Monday.

It was announced that the History of Sandy Spring for the past year will be read at The Library on Sunday evening, by Mary R. N. Miller, historian.

Adjourned to meet with Katherine Adams in April.

Mary Reading Miller.