Club Minutes: Mutual Improvement Association, 1912-1916

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of the greatest curiosities in the world, we suppose,

Emilie T. Massey had a short account of the narrow escape of the Pretoria: a few weeks since she collided with another vessel in the Atlantic and the accident was so similar to that in which so many lives were lost when "The Empress of Ireland" foundeded, it is hard to see why that disaster was not duplicated. Our friend, Joseph H. Janney, was one of the passengers. The next day an impressive service of Thanksgiving was held by Dr. Clarke, head of the Christian Endeavor movement.

The Sec'y had a protest against the style of bed and bedding, generally found in small hotels and boarding houses, not only often scanty in quantity, but usually too short, and too narrow to protect even a small individual from the vicissitudes of winter. She also gave "Reasons Why Women Should not Travel in Railway Trains." - Because traveling in trains is not a natural right. Because our great-grandmothers never asked to travel in trains. Because woman's place is in the home and not in the train. Because it is unnecessary, there is no point reached by a train that cannot be reached on foot. Because it will double the work of conductors, engineers and brakemen, who are already over-burdened. Because men smoke and play cards in trains. Is there any reason to believe women will behave better."

Adjourned to The Cottage 8-6-1914

Mary Bentley Thomas, Sec'y

The minutes of the meetings held at The Cottage and Marden, (also Roslyn in 1914) will be found on the last pages of Vol. IX.

85 Belmont 10-8-1914

On 10-8-1914 The Association met at Belmont, the pleasant and homelike home of Edward P. and Mary Bentley Thomas, where the hearty welcome that experience had taught us to expect was supplemented by that of a beautiful hearth-fire that cheered both body and mind. The guests were Ellen Stabler, Mrs. Wilson, Annabelle Page, Mary G. Colt, Mariana S. and Rebecca T. Miller, Florence Hooper, Kate D., Marnie M., Elsie, Ethel and Miriam Thomas, and the three sons of the house were also present in the dining-room where they helped to dispense the many good things at luncheon.

Neither our host nor hostess showed any recognition of the fact, but we who enjoyed the delicious viands and beautiful fruits, felt they had just cause for pride in the products of farm and garden.

When the mtg. was called to order, Alice Tyson handed to the Sec'y a receipt for 3.00 payment for membership in the State Federation of Women's Clubs during the coming year from the Treas., Rosalie G. Small.

Being hostess, Mary B. Thomas asked to be excused from taking the minutes, so Eliz. C. Davis was called upon to act as Sec'y for the rest of the mtg.

The sentiment for the day was an unusually fine and strong one from Chas. Dickens, - "Father Time is not always a hard parent, and though he tarries for none of his children, often lays his hand lightly upon those who have used him well; making them old men and women inexorably enough, but leaving their hearts and spirits young and full of vigor. With such people the gray head is but the impression of the old fellow's hand in giving them his blessing, and every wrinkle but a note in the calendar of a well-spent life."

Mary B. Thomas rather hesitated about making any further contribution, but the Asso. was urgent in its demands upon her, so she gave us an original and exhaustive paper upon the Peace Question in which she proved conclusively not only the immorality of war, but its terrible extravagance in wanton destruction, loss of life and long-drawn-out after effects. The article included some interesting and instructive

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recollections of the Civil War and told of sewingcotton being 25 cts. a spool, v. gingham 48 cts. a yd.

Emilie Massey followed with an anecdote which made some lively talk, and then Mrs. Thos. J. Lea asked if anyone could tell her where she could get wool-carders. There was no definite knowledge on the subject, but several spoke of a colored man, Edwin Davis, as likely to have them.

Mary G. Colt gave the touching lines from Oliver Wendell Holmes beginning, "There is no friendship like an old friend" and then delighted the heart of every housekeeper by the following Butterless, Eggless, Milkless Cake Recipe".

Put into a saucepan the following - 1 cup brown Sugar 1 cup water 2 cups seeded Raisins 1/3 cup Lard 1/4 grated Nutmeg 1 tsp. Cinnamon 1 tsp. Ground Cloves Pinch of Salt

Boil together 3 min., then let cool. When cold add 1 tsp. Soda, dissolved in hot water 2 cups Flour 1/2 tsp, Baking (sifted together) Bake in moderate oven.

M.G. Colt has tried this and considers it good.

Ellen Stabler read a selection which her mother had cut from a paper more than half a century ago, about "Cousin Sallie Dillard" and after the lapse of 60 yrs., "Cousin Sallie Dillard" still had power to please and amuse.

It was very interesting to hear from Miss Chandler of the work in pottery done by the Sat. Evening Girl's Club of one of the industrial schools in Boston. Begun as a pastime, it has developed into a business, and because of the care and conscience put into it, has acquired a wide reputation. Orders for special work are taken and some months ago one came from England for a set of plates each one to have a great name upon it and to serve as a souvenir.

Sallie Janney generously shared with us a letter from her aunt Mrs. White, who has lately returned from Europe via Rotterdam. Mrs. White is 84 yrs. old but so young in spirit that the discomforts and hardships of the situation seemed as

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nothing to her and she wrote of her experiences in a very humorous way.

May Thomas gave us "My Creed", and the hush that came after the reading showed our true appreciation of it.

Ethel Thomas amused us by suggesting if one little boy could make such a noise what was to be expected from many.

Elizabeth Stabler announced that Lucy Moore wished to dispose of her horse for the winter, and would like to rent her house for a few months.

Miss Hooper had a selection thought to be from Longfellow called "A Wish", but fine enough to be called an aspiration.

Rebecca T. Miller's article was chosen from "The Union Signal" and set before us very graphically the heroism of the women in Europe under the present appalling conditions of life. Not only are they doing their own work, but they have taken up all the occupations which the men have been forced to abandon, and are doing it cheerfully, though they know well that even after the war is over, long, lonely years stretch ahead, with few little children to bring gladness for so many are dying from lack of food.

Miriam Thomas gave some bits about the experience of her sister, Elsie Snowden, (on her return trip from Germany), in which we were all interested.

Mariana Miller gave us a curious proof of the ingenuity of the human mind. A code book found upon a captured German officer showed that what had seemed innocent advertisements of a beef tea were really the means of giving valuable information to the invading army. These posters were scattered through the whole land and on each a bit of the code carried its own message.

The Poem - "An Earthly Paradise" read by Lizzie Willson was very sweet and touching, and by dwelling on the real essentials for a happy life, gave us a lesson in contentment.

Pattie Farquhar in her selection from "The Technical World" introduced a subject that was new to us or rather many of us had not realized its importance. It was the problem of the unemployed and told in a heart-rending manner of the

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difficulty men often experience in finding work and of the hard cruel way in which employment agencies often take advantage of them. Fortunately the Government is taking the matter in hand and there is a more hopeful outlook.

Mrs. Downey told of work on the Miss. River called technically a carpet, which is really a mass of green growth made into a breakwater to prevent the rise of the river. It is 200 ft. long and 1 mi. wide.

Emily Massey read a verse called "Gifts," strong and uplifting after which Annabelle Page and Louisa Brooke provoked a good deal of merriment, the former by an anecdote of a surgeon whose mislaid instruments were found inside his patient, and the latter by an acct. of the various articles thought lost until found floating in the water tank at Dr. Bird's, which had recently been repaired.

Sarah T. Miller interested us in the temperance question, such a vital one at present throughout the land, and Mrs. Willson lightened our earnestness by a funny apropos anecdote.

Mary T. Jackson gave us a poem by Cy Warman, the author of the well-known song "Sweet Maria". He was a rail-road engineer, and these lines called "Rounding the Curve" are sweet and pathetic even though written in railroad vernacular.

On asking who had quinces for sale, Mary Jackson found she could get them at Plainfield and Sunnyside.

Margaret G.T. Moore spoke of the school in New Jersey where her daughter Hadassah is now teaching, and where in his youth, Benj. H. Hallowell also taught. During the many years between these two, the school has numbered among its instructors Mrs. Jos. Sullivan and Mrs. Isaac Dixon.

Margaret Moore then read an acct. of the recent opening of the Cape Cod Canal which will probably have a decided influence upon coast-wise traffic. Alice Tyson wishes to give Florence Wetherald the privilege of attending the Asso. during her own absence this winter an acceptable arrangement to The Asso. Alice Tyson's selection,