Club Minutes: Mutual Improvement Association, 1912-1916

{(Brooke Meadow, con.) 139}

Margaret G. T. Moore reported an improvement in the order which prevailed at the late Rockville Fair as compared with previous ones. Roberta Allen told of her experiences among the Moros in the Philipines – they are evidently still a wild tribe, but it is believed, no longer “head-hunters”, as of yore, the school master being abroad in that far distant country, which it is hoped may be given to Japan or whoever will take it off our hands.

Alice Tyson’s ice-house had caved in, a common occurrence apparently as several offered plans for her relief, from lining it on the inside and throwing the extra soil behind the boards, to consulting with an expert such as our new arrival Frank T. Lea. S. T. Miller read an amusing story of a painter’s bill for repairing a Belgian church decoration, from angel’s wings to a new tail for his Satanic Majesty. Elma Chandlee’s offering was somewhat in the same vein, a Prelate visiting a friend had hidden the silver ornaments in the bureau for security and had received a letter asking for their whereabouts.

Albina O. Stabler’s poem was especially appropriate to this time of “war and rumors of war”, we thought, “He serves his country best who live pure life and doeth righteous deed, And walks straight paths however others stray, And leaves his sons an uttermost bequest A stainless record, which all men may read, - This is the better way!”

The Sec’y gave part of a new Gov. Bulletin which warns us all against the habit of putting on underwear as the weather becomes cooler. The aphorism, “the colder the day, the thicker the merino” was termed a fallacy. Designed as an inner garment, to hold the moisture and waste of the skin, and of a texture demanding constant laundering to insure cleanliness, it has become a hygienic hallucination, a flannel fetish worshipped by deluded men. People forget that most homes have a summer atmosphere in winter, nowadays, and the wiseacres dress accordingly, putting on extra clothing to keep

{140 (Brooke Meadow, con.) Pen-y-Bryn 10-9-1915}

themselves comfortable out-of-doors, but allowing the skin to perform its duty and attend to its “normal functions unhampered.”

The Sec’y also read extracts from one of Alice Duer Miller’s bright topsy-turvy essays in her Tribune Column, - “Are Women People?” This was upon the petition of travelling men to be allowed to vote when away from home and she cleverly twists all the stock objections to woman-suffrage so they apply to the “bag-men”, - such as, “A good travelling man can get whatever he wants without the vote.” “The ballot is a burden, and the time of travelling men is already fully occupied; it is their nature to travel, - we must not fly in the face of nature.”

The beautiful flower garden was highly appreciated.

Adjourned to the home of Estelle T. Moore on 10-7-1915

Mary Bentley Thomas, Sec’y –

Pen-y-Bryn 10-9-1915

10-9-1915 found the Asso. in session at Pen-y-Bryn. Owing to various causes seven members were absent but we had about the same number of guests, several of whom favored us with contributions.

The visitors were Kate Bradley of Washington, Mrs. Eves of Wilmington, Florence Hoopes of Balto., Miss Brent of Va., and Mary T. Kirk, Sophia Featherstone, and Florence Hallowell of S. S. The resignation of Edith T. Hallowell was accepted with sincere regret. – This leaving a vacancy we turned to the waiting list and elected Mary W. Scott whose name headed the list. Martha T. Farquhar proposed that Florence and Julia Hallowell be given an opportunity to join later, and the Sec’y suggested that Mariana S. Miller be likewise considered, which was done in our usual informal manner.

Eliz. T. Stabler gave a message from our

{Pen-y-Bryn – con. 141}

loved former member Mary G. Colt, who is still invalided in consequence of a fractured limb, but is evidently making the best of her misfortune.

The sentiment of our hostess from the Eng. Divine and Essayist, James Martineau was as follows – “Some men are eminent for what they possess, some for what they achieve, others for what they are. Having, Doing, and Being constitute the great distinction and the three great functions of life, and though they are all blended, more or less in each individual it is seldom difficult to say which of them is prominent in the impression left upon us by our fellow-man.”

Estelle T. Moore read of a new fuel now manufactured and used in Austin, Tex. A company takes charge of the city waste, deodorizes and grinds the mixture to which tar is added.

It is pressed into cubes of brick size, is called “Oakole” and sold at $3.00 per ton. It is said to burn satisfactorily.

One contributor told how a flying-machine is being used to locate forest-fires most successfully. This curious motor will either fly through the air, or float on water, as occasion may require, and in Wisconsin a fire 40 mi. away was recently located and much damage prevented.

Ellen Farquhar gave two of Walt Mason’s clever prose poems upon “Tipling” and “Boiled Dinners”.

Announcement was given of a Christmas Sale to be held at Pen-y-Bryn for the benefit of The Social Service League, and contributions were solicited.

Mary E. Gilpin’s selection from “The Farm Journal” was a plea for kindly judgment of her friends and neighbors. A hasty opinion is too often incorrect with regard to sins of omission or commission. We might say with Burns, - “What’s done we partly may compute

But know not what’s resisted.”

A question with regard to saving green peppers brought out the information, that if the seed

{142 (Pen-y-Bryn – con.)}

are all removed, they may be kept in brine just as are cucumbers.

Martha T. Farquhar brought a good paragraph from Upsham, - “If either man or woman would realize the full power of personal beauty, it must be done by cherishing noble thoughts, hopes and purposes, by having something to live for worthy of humanity, which by expanding the capacity of the soul gives expansion and sympathy to the body that contains it.”

Margaret G. T. Moore gave an article upon Thanksgiving. An old saying in New England runs, - “Christmas is for the young and Thanksgiving for the old,” the latter age finds memory more and more precious every year, and such count up as blessings the opportunity to serve those they love, and the happy yesterdays spent with congenial spirits gone but not forgotten.

We were told how the “Ford”, “Dodge” and “Studebaker” firms, and other large companies have opened vacant lots back of their huge factories for playgrounds, with most beneficent effects.

Kate Bradley said there was an average of 4 children to every woman, married and single, in Germany. Florence Hoopes described a wonderful wireless station in N. J., at Tuckerton near the coast. It is gigantic, being 862 ft. high standing on a foundation of marvellous solidarity.

It has been taken over by Gov. which had a strong suspicion it was being used to furnish information to German operators 3000 miles away.

Emilie T. Massey gave a cheerful little poem from which we borrow a verse, -

“Build yourself a strong-box Fashion each part with care, Fit it with hasp and padlock And put all your troubles there. Hide in it all your failures And each bitter cup you quaff Lock all your heartaches securely, Then, - sit on the lid and laugh.”

Mrs. Eves told us something of the “Wilmington Century Club”, which has a very large membership divided into “Sections.” Janet Richards

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is evidently highly appreciated by this interesting body of women.

Eliz. Willson asked if there was not a compulsory education Law in this county. Several replied that there was but if parents gave no aid it is difficult for the Law to reach bad cases, such as the Burriss family, who have been assisted and labored with here for 40 yrs.

Alice Tyson’s selection was upon the extinction of the Passenger Pigeon which used to pass over S. S. in enormous flocks every year. Now the Gov. is trying, in vain. to secure a single specimen for the Nat’l. Museum. The buffalo, the canvas-back dusk, even shad, oysters and crabs, are thought to be in danger of total destruction. Crabs are said to be very scarce in the Chesapeake now, and if Md. intends to save them and her fine Potomac shad, her legislature must become busy in law-making this session.

Rebecca T. Miller read “My Way” from “Fd. Int.” “Mayhap it stretches very far Mayhap it winds from star to star, Mayhap through worlds as yet unfound Its never-ending journey runs; Through worlds that now are whirling wraiths Of formless mist between the suns. I go – beyond my wildest ken But shall not pass this way again.”

Eliz C. Davis contributed an entertaining sketch of Dr. Jno. Shore Billing of N. Y., who figures in an encyclopedia as having written 171 different items of note. He was not only a versatile and forceful author, but the inventor of a heating apparatus. Albina O. Stabler warned us against dreading to-morrow instead of enjoying to-day.

Eliz Willson nearly broke up our session by exhibiting her lovely little grand-daughter who was in nowise abashed by her many admirers and their flattering remarks upon her comeliness.

Alice Tyson said she expected to be absent several months and would like to have