Club Minutes: Mutual Improvement Association, 1896-1900

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The Association at Fair Hill was deferred one week owing to sickness in the family. We met there on 6th 3rd 1896. A lovely summer day only eleven members present but more than twice that number of guests made the company large.

Eliza N. Moore will be missed from our meetings she sailed on the 23rd May for Europe & will be absent four months. We hope to receive a contribution from her pen telling of her pleasant wanderings.

Elizabeth G. Thomas was first called upon to read. She selected "Wise words first". A noble nature can alone attract the noble & alone knows how to retain it. "Every lady is making mistakes" every lady is finding out afterwards that she has made a mistake but there can be no greater mistake than the stopping to worry over a mistake already made. She also read "Nearing the end". Mary Osborne pictured an attractive home not adorned with costly things to make it so but the result of taste & refinement

Margaret Hallowell's will was good

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to let us have the benefit of a letter written fifty four years ago to her - but the author being present she declined having it read. Mary E. Moore from Friends Intelligencer an article by a colored man on the education of his race containing valuable suggestions if they could be carried out. Mary Colt was excused & likewise Sarah T. Miller.

Frances F. Stabler a guest read Miss Proctors beautiful verses "A doubting heart"

Ellen Farquhau's "Scraps" were "Tenacity of life in insects" "The habits of the Arabs and the origin of "Charing Cross" which was followed by Albina O. Stabler whose article told of a company called "the odd job & tinkering Co" which must be a most useful institution, she also read about Common things"

Miss Forest a visitor told of Miss Stewart's flower enterprise who collects flowers, that have been used at an entertainment the previous night & sends them to hospitals & such places.

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Caroline H. Brooke read for Lydia G. Thomas (who was absent ) a humorous piece. As her own contribution she gave "A new woman from a womans standpoint" showing there is no such thing as a new woman she is the same as of old only under the influence of more enlightened understandings of world greater resources.

Lizzie Davis read a touching story of "Jiminy & Jackie" Sue L. Thomas gave an anatomists view of the physical condition of woman endeavouring to prove she was the weaker sex & not equal to the attainment either mental or physical that men are.

Corrie M. Brookes "True view of life" was excellent. Mary W. Kirk read a story in verse entitled "Brought to light". It told of a man who had disappeared from the face of the earth & after sixty years his remains were discovered under a ruin & recognised by the one to whom he was betrothed in his youth. when an old woman of seventy

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The sentiment given by the hostess was as follows. There is not any thing that is finished that is worth the having. No mans character is finished until he has appended his last breath - no mans education is ever finished - no mans soul life will ever be finished and in short - I know of nothing that ever was finished."

The association was as usual remembered by our beloved friend & member Hadassah J Moore who sent a beautiful extract with her love.

The exercises of the meeting being concluded & a sumptuous supper enjoyed we adjourned to meet at Mt. Airy the home or Sarah T Miller on 6th mo 25th 1896 at 3 O'Clock

Sarah E Stabler Sec

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The clouds were lowering on the afternoon of June 25th 1896- when the association assembled at Mt. Airy but our pleasure was not marred by rain. 14 members & 15 guests were in attendance. Sarah T. Miller offered the following sentiment

"Take joy home and make a place in thy heart for her. And give her time to grow and cherish her then will she come & oft will sing to thee When thou art working in the furrows Aye or weeding in the sacred hour of dawn It is a comely fashion to be glad joy is the grace we say to God"

Mary Colt opened the exercises by reading "The laugh of woman" some times it comes to us in the midst of care or sorrow or irksome business and when we turn away & listen & hear it ringing in the room like a silver bell to scare away the evil spirit of the mind. How much we owe to that sweet laugh it turns the prose to poetry".

Mary E. Moore read a poem by Rich'd. H. Thomas.

Florence Wetherald a guest gave an