Club Minutes: Mutual Improvement Association, 1912-1916

129 Homewood Con.

and used her candle molds and goose quill pen, in lieu of better tools undreamed of then, and possibly our own descendants may Smile, in superior fashion, at the sight. Of many things of which we're proud today Our telephones, steam heat and patent light, and sigh a bit and wonder as they laugh at our dear, quaint, old-fashioned phonograph."

Emilie T. Massey gave a single good paragraph

"The Word That Lifts"

"How many people have you enthusiastically commended in the last 24 hrs? Perhaps if we kept a written record of our heartily uttered commendations, spoken directly to the one commended, we should be surprised to discover how little of it we are doing. One of the easiest and surest ways of helping others to do their best, it is one of the most neglected of methods. To tell a person of something good that we see in him, or of something that he has accomplished well, is tenfold more effective a way of getting him to do still better than to tell him of one of his failures."

India Downey's offering was also short and admirable.

"Count That Day Lost"

"If we sit down at set of sun, and count the things that we have done and counting, find One self-denying act, one word That eased the heart of him who heard, One glance most kind That fell like sunshine where it went, Then we may count that day well spent.

But if through all the live long day, We've eased no heart by yea or nay; If through it all We've done no thing that we can trace That brought the sunshine to a face, No act most small That helped some soul, and nothing cost, Then count that day as worse than lost."

Pattie T. Farquhar advised us to be "lifters and not drifters". If we allow ourselves to be

130 (Homewood, con.)

depending on luck we may look for the "silver spoon," but we shall eat with one made of wood.

Sarah F. Willson read from a London exchange of the proposed sale of Stonehenge to settle the estate of Sir Edmond Antrobus, who had owned this wonderful relic for some time. It is supposed to be nearly 4000 yrs. old and to have been erected by The Druids. Stones weighing 200 tons were lifted in air and placed upon large upright pillars of stone, but how the task was ever accomplished is as much of a mystery now as when the Romans invaded old mother England. It is a pity the British Gov. does not buy in, and hold one of the greatest curiosities within the "tight little Isle." Estelle T. Moore, who had visited Stonehenge, supplemented the article and she considered it one of the most interesting excursions she made while abroad.

We shall have to apologize for not securing the names of two contributors though we have the clippings: The 1st is a new version of "Tipperary" from Texas.

"It's a long way to woman suffrage, A long way to go; It's a long way to woman suffrage. But watch how they grow. So it's good-bye voteless woman, Farewell 'antis' dear, It's been a long way to woman suffrage But it's almost here.

The second was by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, who has been rather neglected of late as a source of supply. "The Real Things"

"True worth is in being, not seeming, In doing each day that goes by Some little good, not in dreaming Of great things to do by and by. For whatever men say in blindness And in spite of the fancies of youth, There is nothing so Kingly as kindness And nothing so royal as truth."

We get back our mete as we measure; We cannot do wrong and feel right

131 Homewood Con.

Nor can we give pain and get pleasure For justice avenges each slight. The air for the wing of the sparrow, The bush for the robin and wren, But always the path that is narrow and straight For the children of men." Author Unknown

Estelle T. Moore read for Helen Lea, a description of a town near Lake Geneva, which has become a favorite winter resort, partly because of the beauty of its acres of flowers, notably the Narcissus, tons of the buds are sent away during the season.

Mary E. Gilpin's selection was upon a Mennonite settlement in Canada where these people who fled to an inhospitable climate from inhospitable Russia, many years since, live in most respects as did their ancestors long ago, but are prosperous and apparently contented. They manage to keep warm in the coldest weather by means of a very primitive heater, the same being a long box of clay in which manure slowly burns and dispenses, not only heat, but a foetid odor that literally "smells to Heaven."

Sarah T. Miller said she had not forgotten to come to The Asso. this time but had merely left her piece at home, so she fell back on "Heart Throbs" and gave us a hearty laugh over the boy's composition, who when asked to "write what was in him", gave a list of the things he had eaten that day.

Virginia Steer gave an extract from Rowland Hill entitled "The Best Way". He thought we could accomplish far more by an effort to be good ourselves than was possible by becoming a sort of a signboard for others, pointing the way, but not traveling it in person.

Martha Holland called attention to our debt to nature. The millionaire may purchase fine scenery but it is more truly possessed by whomsoever loves and enjoys it.

Mary Hutton told us of a most amusing incident that happened in a reading class at Sherwood. The world "adage" was in the lesson and the teacher inquired how many knew the meaning of the word. One small boy put

132 (Homewood, con.)

up his hand and said, “An adage is a place to keep cats in!” On being asked where he had seen it so used, he replied, “Shakespeare said, “Like the cat in the old adage”. Annie M. Chandlee said she believed we must all be interested in Miss Janet Richards who now gives her talks on “Current Topics” to more than 10,000 people every mo. during the season from Oct. to May. Her first venture was in a Wash. parlor to 17 women, in a short time there were 60 present and soon large halls were filled by an eager crowd, principally women, but men too, like to hear her keen up-to-date estimate of politics, and events of world-wide importance.

The beautiful grove in which cozy, cheerful Homewood stands was much admired and the recent loss of one fine old tree deplored. Strange to say, it was injured by lightening 19 years ago, and again within a month. The bolt in each case jumped across to the porch and broke a number of window panes in the house. Now this unsatisfactory rod is to be cut down and grubbed up.

After a specially pleasant mtg., it seemed to the Sec’y, we adjourned to the home of Martha Holland on 8-5-1915 –

Mary Bentley Thomas, Sec’y.

Pleasant Grove 8-5-1915 –

“The Association” met at “Pleasant Grove” on August 5th, the hospitable home of Martha Holland. The attendance, owing to lowering clouds, and absence from the neighborhood of several members was rather smaller than usual, and our regret is, they could not all have been with us to have the pleasure of the meeting.

Each time we meet with this kind member we are struck by the surrounding of this home, with its peaceful hills and valleys under such fine cultivation stretching out before us as far as eye can see. With the hustle and restlessness of the present day we can only feel ourselves elevated by the visits of our much loved Asso. to the homes if this kind which

{(Pleasant Grove, con.) 133}

we are privileged to have amongst us.

“Happy he whom neither wealth nor fashion Nor the march of the encroaching city, Drives an exile from the heath of his ancestral homestead. We may build more splendid habitations – Fill our rooms with painting and with sculpture But we cannot buy with gold the old associations.”

The guests with us were Mrs. Nichols and daughter, Cornelia Reese, Frances Hartley Shoemaker.

Martha Holland gave us the following beautiful and helpful sentiment: - “Look not mournfully into the past, it comes not again. Wisely improve the present, it is thine. Go forth to meet the shadowy future without fear and with a womanly heart.”

Pattie Farquhar read us an acct. of the most remarkable railroad in the world, it extends for 20 mi., providing a direct outlet for Death Valley of Cal. This road will do much towards ending the sad story of this region which is so rich in borax, gold, silver, ochre, potash, nitrates and many other baser minerals, and places the deadly aspect of the valley in the background of history. Skirting the irregular and almost perpendicular vales of the mts., this road twists hither and thither like the body of a snake, and in its route runs towards every point of the compass. The heat is always intense, reaching at times 120o. The question was asked, - “Does any one put vinegar in tomatoes when canning them, if acid?” No, soda is preferable.”

Sarah Willson then read two interesting short articles.

Sallie Janney gave us a beautiful poem by Browning, “Growing Old”.

Estelle Moore read of the invention of a woman, of the 1st perfect working portable oven for gas, oil or gasoline stove, though she never had the credit. Telling a mfgr in Cleve. that she wished an oven larger than the ones in use, and double walled, he refused to make it as he considered it a wasted of time. But finally he complied with her request