Bem fate Bellefonte, Pa., April 7, 1916. MINUTES OF THE CENTRE COUNTY CONFERENCE OF WOMAN’S CLUBS. " The Centre County Conference of Woman's Clubs convened in the Belle- fonte High school building, Saturday, March 25th, 1916, at ten o'clock. The president of the Bellefonte club, Mrs. J. Thomas Mitchell, presided and welcomed the visiting delegates, and stated the object of the meeting. First re-organization of the county organiza- tion; second, to become better acquainted and helpful to each other in Club work; third, to further civic and educational work in towns and rural districts. The following Constitution was read and adopted. NAME. The name of this association shall be the Centre County Conference of Wom- an’s Clubs. OBJECT. The object of this Conference shall be to increase through co-operation, the civic and educational activities of the clubs, and to rnake more effective their work in the community. MEMBERSHIP. Membership shall consist of Woman’s Clubs of Centre county. Each Club and Auxiliary club shall be represented by its president and four members. MEETINGS. Meetings shall be held semi-annually —in April and September—these may be open meetings, at the discretion of the chairman. bil OFFICERS. The officers shall be a chairman, vice- chairman and secretary—the chairman shall be the Centre county vice-chairman of Civics of State Federation; but the vice-chairman and secretary shall be elected at the spring meeting for a period of one year.’ AMENDMENTS. These rules may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present. Nominations for vice-chairman were next in order—Mrs. John I Olewine, of Bellefonte, and Mrs. Edwin Earle Sparks, of State College, were nominated, when Mrs. Olewine withdrew her name and Mrs. Sparks was unanimously elected vice-chairman. Mrs. John S. Walker, Bellefonte, was elected secretary. The visiting women were asked to register at the noon hour in a book pro- vided for that purpose. The chairman of the conference ap- pointed Mrs. Hoffer Dale, of State Col- lege and Mrs. W. B. Johnson, of Howard, a committee to provide a meeting place for September and to report at the after- noon session. Reports from the County clubs repre- sented were next in: order—the Howard "club being the first to be called upon. Mrs. Leathers reported a membership of twenty-three and that while they had had some difficulty in organizing, that their meetings had been well attended and interesting and instructive. Well prepared papers had been read. A sew- ing school had been organized and the work of the scholars exhibited showed most efficient progress. Mrs. Margaret Holzworth, of the Union" ville club, reported a membership of thirty-five and the work progressing nice- ly. In the absence from home of Miss Mary Griest, president, Miss Julia Par- sons, vice-president had taken up the work—social evenings had been held, when papers were read, interspersed with music, refreshments served and a silver offering lifted. With the fund col- lected the Unionville women were plan- ning street cleaning and town improve- ments. A sewing class was new work planned. Mrs. Holzworth was most in- teresting in her report of how the Union- ville women solved the problem of dis- posing of garbage and refuse. They se- cured a plot along the creek. To have the use of this plot, they were obliged to have a pit dug, so women like, they planned a public dinner and induced the men to dig the pit, which has proved a most satisfactory disposal of garbage for Unionville. The Alumnae club of State College, as reported by Mrs. Hoffer Dale, originated in the year 1906, Miss Elizabeth B. Meek, being the leader. The object of this Club was to establish, if possible, a Depart- ment of Home Economics. The Club was small but determined—with the help of the College Board of Trustees and Gen. James A. Beaver, an appropriation was secured through the State Legislature to establish the work. The Alumnae club has seen the attendance grow from five to one hundred girls—each year increas- ing the number. The Club has, at pres- ent, eleven resident and twenty-seven non-resident members. Only women who have completed a four years Col- lege course are eligible to membership. The annual meetings are held at Com- mencement time. Mrs. Hugo Diemer, of the State Col- lege Woman's club, gave the conference a most excellent and varied report of the work being accomplished by that Club, which was organized in 1894 and now has a membership of one hundred and eighty. Their work covers a number of departments—Art, Civic, Drama, Library, Literature, Mission and Music Study— meet twice a month. The meetings are arranged by difierent members of the Club, cevering the subjects named in the year book. This Club has been most3help- ful financially, contributing to improve- ments in the public school building, hos- pital commiittee, civic and library de- partments. Through this report, the women of the conference realized that woman’s work could be done from many sides and well accomplished. Mrs. William Foster, of State College, reported a wide-awake Parent-Teacher association, doing most helpful work for parents, teachers and children. Mrs. Harry C. Valentine called the at- tention of the conference to the work of the needle work Guild, an organization deing much helpful work. Any woman may become a member, if she will give to the Guild two new garments during the year. Mrs. Valentine asked the in- terest of the visiting club women, re- questing them to do what they could for the Guild. Mrs. John M. Shugert, at the suggestion of the chairman, gaye the conference an outline of the work being done now by the needle work Guild, affiliated with the Red Cross association, which consisted in the making of band- ages which are sent directly to the Red Cross association in New York. Mrs. Chas. Lutz, Mrs. F. T. Hunsinger and Mrs. J. E. Longwell were present, representing a newly organized Commu- nity club in Buffalo Run. Mrs. Lutz told of their being organized by Miss Mec- Donald, of State College; but due to weather conditions they had not been able to accomplish much. Hoped a little later in the season to be doing good work. Mrs. John S. Walker reported the work of the Bellefonte club, organized in 1910 and now having some one hundred mem- bers. The Club is working under three distinctive departments—civic, educa- tional and charity. Under the civic de- partntent much work has been accom- plished through annual “clean-up-days,” street cleaning, good citizenship, league work and other features. The educa- tional department has much of which to be proud—their work has placed both sewing classes and domestic science in our public schools, a study class with an attendance of from sixty to a hundred for three months in the year, being held every two weeks in the High school room, where topics of the day are dis- cussed. The Charity committee has done efficient work in providing for the needy—especially among women 1nd children. There being no further reports, Mrs. John P. Lyon called the attention of the club women to the fact that the school house could be made a social centre— that the Bellefonte public school was used for sewing school, domestic science classes, needle work guild, club meetings, study class and other gatherings. The chairman read a letter from Mrs. Helen Y. Sharp, vice-president relative to the district meeting at Wellsboro, Penn. in May, 1916, urging club members to be present. As the noon hour had arrived, the con- ference adjourned to the domestic science room, where a lunch was served and a social hour spent, which was a most pleasant feature of the conference. AFTERNOON SESSION. The afternoon session opened with a talk to the conference by Mrs. Edwin Earle Sparks on practical education work —the work to be done not only within the school house, but on the outside as well. That copies of well known pictures should be placed upon the walls, and the artists be studied by pupils and teach- ers—victrolas with classical records would help in cultivating the musical side of school life—books by standard authors should be placed upon the book shelves of the school room to be read and explained. That parents and teach- ers could be educated to improve the school grounds by applying paint to the buildings and planting shrubbery in the school yards. She said that State College landscape gardeners would be glad to give their services in assisiing to improve the school grounds. Advised superintendents and teachers to plan for a practical Arbor day. Mrs. Sparks’ talk was practical and heartily applauded by the conference. The chairman asked for report from committee on next meeting place, when Mrs. Dr. Hoffer Dale said that Howard would like to have the conference in Sep. tember, 1916, the date to be fixed later. Miss H. E. C. Overton called the atten- tion of the meeting to the “Flag Law,” copies of which she would furnish to anyone asking for the same. Asked the co-operation of all women present in do- ing everything they could to protect the flag, and to stop the desecration, which wasnow mostplentiful. Miss Overton also spoke of State Historical work being done by some States—that is making a com- plete history. of the State to which we belong, and that it could be worked out in a most attractive way. Miss Forsman, of the Y. W. C. A, pre- sented the necessity of work to be done for girls. She announced the completion of a County organization for Centre coun- ty, Miss Margaret Hiller, of State Col. lege, having been appointed Y. W. C, A. secretary—Miss Anna Hoy, Bellefonte president, Miss Lovejoy, State College, vice-president and Mrs. H. E. Whiting, Bellefonte, secretary. Mrs. G. G. Pond, of State College reported that eight hun- dred dollars had been collected towards Miss Hiller’s salary and that the balance of the amount for the year would be easy to get. In an address by Mrs. Robert Beach, the conference was asked to not take up too many types of work; but to con- centrate on some one or two things and i club work. work each out as undertaken. Mrs. Beach ! felt that whatever work was taken up by the Club should be finished, so that it would be a stronghold in the work that women are attempting to accomplish in The Mother's Pension bill, which pro- vides for mothers dependent upon their own support was discussed. Centre coun- ty’s share of this pension fund is $1023.00. Twenty-three counties are making use of this pension. In order to get the benefit of this pension for Centre county for this year, the Commissioners must be inter- viewed and a like sum of $1023.00 be ap- propriated by the Commissioners for this work. To this end Mrs. Robert Beach offered the following resolution: WHEREAS, The amount of county ap- propriation, if not accepted before May 31st, 1916, will be used for the benefit of the counties that have already accepted the appropriation, and WHEREAS, There is much need of the Mother’s pension in- Centre county, be it Resolved, That the Centre county con- ference of Women’s clubs request . the County Commissioners to accept the State appropriation of $1023.00 by their appropriation of a like sum. This reso- lution was unanimously adopted. The Howard visitors asked for an out- line of Bellefonte’s safe and sane Fourth work, which was given them by Miss Overton. The meeting closed with a brief dis- cussion as to how several nearby towns could be induced to organize Woman's clubs and become a part of the confer- ence. There being no further business, the conference adjourned to meet in Howard, Penna., some time during the month of September, 1916. Mrs. JoHN S. WALKER, Secretary. Gift That Has Been Given to Man Is Not Shared by Beast, Fish or Reptile. In a recent number of London Opin- ion the sage, James Douglas, specu- lating on that pleasurable emotion which is accompanied by face cracking movements of the muscles of the physiognomy and a brightness of the eyes and is known as laughter, de- scribes the phenomenon as “the hu- man miracle,” and says: “No bird or beast or fish or reptile can laugh. You can teach an ape to do almost any- thing, but you cannot teach him to laugh. The awful solemnity of ani- mals is the one really intolerable thing on this earth. They are cut off from the abiding miracle of humor. The worst consequence of the war is its tragic solemnity. It starves us of laughter, which is the food of the gods. . . A wise man has warned us to interrogate ourselves when we laugh. 1 totally and entirely repudi- ate that diabolical doctrine. Never in- terrogate yourself when you laugh. You should never look a laugh in the mouth. There are many kinds of laughter, but they are all good. Inter: rogate yourself, if you like, when you weep. But if you value the well be- ing of your soul, never interrogate yourself when you laugh. Laughter is a good in itself, and an end by it self. The quality of laughter, like the quality of mercy, ought never to be strained. Laugh before you look!” Special From Gehenna. The devils were holding a council of war to devise ways and means of in ficting extra special tortures upon poor human beings. “I know a writer chap,” said the first devil, “who has a gift, a pre-emi- nent gift, for comedy. I will plague him with the false notion that he was born to scale the loftiest heights of tragedy.” “And I,” said the second devil—“l know a painter with a true genius for his art. I will put into his head while he is asleep the notion that in his pre- occupation with paint and canvas the world is getting cheated of a great musician.” “And I,” said the third devil—“I mind me of a chap—a full-blooded, not too refined sort of fellow—that cannot be happy without wine, woman, and song to cheer his days. I'll poison his life with moral scruples. I'll torture him with the fixed idea that he ought to have been a minister of the gospel and an evangelist to the heathen.” Economical. Economy was the text of Mr: Jones’ discourse one evening after he had been settling some household bills, while Mrs. Jones listened with true wifely interest. “I don’t want to make you unhappy, darling,” finished the husband, “but really we must be a bit more careful in future. For instance, look at the bill for petrol. That motor car is costing us rather too much for the time being.” “Yes, Henry, dear,” agreed Mrs. Jones. “I'm afraid it is.” Then her sweet young face bright- ened as she went on: “But just think what it saves us in carfares and boot leather!” Out of the Abundant Caution. An elderly gentleman from the coun: try was at the head of a line of arri- vals at a New York hostelry, and, af- ter signifying his acceptance of the rate offered him, was invited to sign ‘the register. He consumed such an unconscionable amount of time in this that the clerk became impatient. ~ “Just sign your name, please,” snapped the clerk. “The other guebts, ‘too, would like to register.” ' “See here, young man,” exclaimed ‘the old gentleman, “don’t you try to {hurry me. I don’t never sign nothing 'I ain’t read carefully.” WHO ARE MEXICAN PEOPLE? They Had Civilization Before Spanish Explorers Entered Continent— Mixture of Races. There are still numbers of Ameri cans who are under the misapprehen- sion that the Mexican is some kind of negro—or, at least, that there is a strong infusion of African blood, as in Haiti. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Not only is there less Af- rican blood in Mexico than in the United States, in proportion to popu- | lation, but there is less even after you | ; because he is deprived of his freedom. ! At any rate the Latin term is prettier have eliminated our black belt. Many better informed persons refer to the native Mexicans as Indians. But they are not Indians—as we know Indians. True, here and there in the mountain- , than the Greek. THE ARMY TITLE ORIGINS Names of Official Positions Go Back to Greek and Roman Days—Some | Curious Derivatives. An article on the origin of the names of weapons of war has led us to specu. late idly on the origin of rank in the army, with more or less interesting re- sults. We find that “private” comes from the Latin “privatus,” meaning de- prived. Probably that’s because the humble private is deprived of the priv- ileges of his officers; or maybe it is The Greek private soldier was called ‘“idiotes” and he + was supposed to be so ignorant that ous regions are found tribes of semi- savages who compare with the native peoples of what is now the United States, says the World Outlook. But they figure in national affairs little more than our own pure-blood Chero- kees et al. figure here. When the Span- ish conqueror came the bulk of the aboriginal Mexicans were not savages, but a civilized people, as far removed from the wild nomads of North Amer- ica as the white races themselves. This aboriginal Mexican element is va- riously estimated as representing from one-third to one-half the population, by some guessers even more. nished some of the most learned schol- ars and exalted patriots celebrated in Mexican history. The greater part of the remaining population is made up of mixed Spanish and aboriginal blood, from which is derived the term, “Spanish-American.” It is to this mix- ture of European and Aztec that is at- tributed the peculiar traits of the “Spanish-American character,” and the supposedly woeful inferiority of our neighbors to the southward. ST. JOHN'S EVE CUSTOMS Brittany Village Folk Kindle Great Bonfires and Maidens Use Charms To Get Husbands. Some of the customs of St. John’s eve in Brittany are as quaint as they are picturesque. In many villages giant bonfires are built, and round them, in a circle, seats are placed for the departed. The cure has charge of kindling fire, or, where it is possible, a boy dressed as an angel is let down the bell tower by means of a pulley, and lifted up out of sight again after he has applied a lighted faggot to the pile. : To insure getting a husband before the end of the year the village maid- | in the Spanish. we derive the word “idiot” from him. “Corporal” is corrupted from “cap- oral” and its root is the same as that of “captain,” from “caput,” a head. The corporal is a sort of head private, in theory. A sergeant is higher rank, but the derivation of his title is lower; for “sergeant” is from the low Latin “serv- iens,” meaning a servant. “Captain,” we have considered; its ea: .er form is “capitan” and it is thus “Lieutenant” is “lo- cum tenens’—one who takes another's place. The old English form was : “lieftenaunt,” and from that pronuncia- It has fur- tion “leftenant” still lingers in Eng- land. “Major” is simply the Latin word for “greater” and “mayor” is on- ly another form of the word in a dif- ferent application. “Colonel” is from the Italian “colonnella,” meaning a lit- tle column. How the ‘little ool- umn or regiment, gave its name to the commander thereof is some- what uncertain. “Cadet” is an inter- esting word. It comes from the Gas- con “capdet” and means a little cap- tain, or the youthful member of a “head family.”—Cleveland Plain Deal- er. ALASKAN CLIFF DWELLERS | Residents of Ketchikan Must Climb | | 1 | i | | i | | ens dance round nine bonfires, and | return home to dream of the young man destined for them. At midnight they rise and lay the table with bread and cheese and garlic, and throw the front door wide open. ligation for them to accept whoever is the first to enter, but it often hap- pens that they do, for the right man is not likely to miss his chance. If, indeed, he appears, the parents are quickly called in to give their con- there and then. Swiss Move of Importance. The Swiss federal council recently authorized the creation of the Societe Suisse de Surveillance. It will be composed of fifteen Swiss appointed by the council and chosen from the various cantons where German, French and Italian are spoken. The organization will supervise the im- portation of supplies and materials re- quired for home consumption and to provide Swiss industries with mate- rial. It will exercise no control over the importation of metals, which is in charge of a separate syndicate under government control. French Colonial Possessions. The French possession of Indo-China comprises the colony of Cochin-China, the protectorates of Cambodia, Annam, Tonkin and Laos, and the territory of Kwong-Chow-Wan, leased from China —an area embracing approximately 310,000 square miles. The population is estimated at 18,000,000, of which about 35,000 are Ruropeans, the rest being natives, savage tribesmen, Chi- nese, Malays, and Hindoos. The prin- cipal city as well as the principal port of entry is Saigon, Cochin-China. There are now 1,378 miles of railroad operated in Indo-China. Modern War Conditions. The sword is the costliest single article in the equipment a subaltern officer of the British army must buy, and since under present conditions this weapon is worn only when roy- alty reviews the troops that form of celebration is proving none too wel- come in the new armies. Presumably grandchildren of veterans sixty years or so hence will weep over the dear little rusty tin can in which the old hero carried his bouillon to the battle line at Mons. Gets Soft Wood From America. | China draws its principal supplies of soft woods from the United States and Japan. In 1913, the last year fo which figures are available, China im- ported from the United States approxi- mately 79,700,000 feet board measure, valued at $1,500,000. These imports, were more than twice the amount o! the preceding year and 16,000,000 f in excess of 1910. ’ Germany Has 2,500 Ambulance Dogs. , At a meeting of the German Amb ance Dogs association it was stated t the number of trained dogs owned y the association at the beginning e war was only eight, but that the umber was now 2,600. Se AERA There is no ob- ! | Stairway Up Mountainside in Or- der to Reach Homes. Ketchikan, Alaska, lies right on the water. The mountains, says the Chris- tian Herald, rise in green walls be- hind it. Their tops are sprinkled with snow, and great rocks show out through the evergreen trees that cover their sides. The houses are built on the rocks, The harbor is in the shape of a half moon protqcted by islands. It has no beach to speak of and the business part of the town rests upon piles. The streets are planked roadways upon posts, and much of the freight is car- ried about on trucks and carts pushed by men. There are several drays hauled by horses, but horses are un- popular, for their shoes roughen the planks, and they shake the town as they trot through the streets. Of late automobiles and motor delivery trucks have come in and these will probably be the future traffic conveyancers. The residence section of the city is | located in the sides of the cliff higher sent to a betrothal, which takes place | 0 the us up. It is so steep that you have to climb stairways to reach certain streets, while other streets have wind- ing roadways of boards upon which slats have been nailed to the planks to keep one from slipping. The Ketchi- kaners make you think of the tree dwellers, whe have to climb ladders to get to their homes. France Bars Imported Trucks. The French government recently disposed of 740 motor trucks, used in the war since August, 1914, at public auction. The trucks were originally fitted with motor-bus bodies and were running in the sireets of Paris. At mobilization they were com- mandeered and have been used in transporting meat and other pro- visions. New French-made chassis have taken their places and the gov- ernment sold the old trucks. Here- after all imported trucks will be “run to destruction” and then replaced by domestic product. France announces its intention of using no more import- ed trucks in the war. Sherman’s Phrase Indorsed. General Sherman’s epigram, “War is hell,” has an apt paraphrase in a personal letter recently received from a surgeon of the British forces in Flanders: “This war, as I see it here, in the trenches,” he says, “may be stmmed up in three words—mud, blood and blasphemy.” The atmos: phere of Flanders, it will be remem- bered by readers of “Tristram Shandy,” is conducive to, profanity— “Our armies swore terribly in Flan. ders,” said Uncle Toby. English Women “Man” Cars, Woman tram conductors have now appeared on the electric cars of the Leeds (England) Corporation tram- ways. The first corps, composed of 20 young women dressed in blue serge tunics and skirts with red fac- ings and wearing uniform caps, has proved satisfactory, and it is stated that the number to be employed may reach 200. The rate of pay proposed is the same as that of the men. Ice-Breaker of Value. An ice-breaking steamer built in Sweden for the Russian government has cut its way through ice fields £0 feet thick. It is now of great value in keeping the harbors open for war sup- plies. Drought Affects Ostrich Feathers. Largely because of the great drought in Africa, the supply of os- trich feathers is smaller in quantity and inferior in grade. Ee —— , a, HERO WORSHIP TOO COMMON Absurd Failing Which Seems to Have Remarkable Hold on Majority of Mankind. Americans, like most other people, are disposed to do a moderate amount of hero worshiping. One phase of it, says the Kansas City Star, is the re- spectful hearing given on all subjects to 2 man who has made a success in some one line. If a man is highly suc- cessful in manufacturing tooth brushes we assume that he knows all about art and science. “There is Smith,” we say. “He is a phenomenal maker of socks. He can turn them out at the rate of 10, 000 pairs a minute. He is getting rich by his ability to make socks so rap- idly without dropping stitches in them. Besides, it is said the socks really wear well. That being the case, what do you suppose he thinks about the ethics of that Chicago baby case. Let us get his opinion as to the de- sirability of encouraging the modern schools of art. We surely must ask him what to do about typhoid vacci- nation. When does he think the war will end?” Of course, Smith may never have given any attention to these subjects. He may have been so busy perfecting the machine for speeding up without dropping stitches that he may have no ideas whatever on the European war or the immortality of the soul or the higher criticism of the Bible or the advisability of masticating one’s food thoroughly, or the relative ad- vantages of Corot and Troyon as paint- ers. Still, we write him letters and ask him his views. Unless he is a very remarkable man he takes the ques- tions seriously, is immensely flattered by them, and by and by comes to think that having been successful in making socks he must be equally suc- cessful in every other line of human endeavor. Of course, if he falls for this sort of thing, in time he is bound to make some perfectly fool statement. When he does this, we are all as likely as not to turn and rend him for being an ass, when the original trouble was with those of us who insisted on his qualifying as an expert on subjects that he knew nothing about. FROM THE GARDEN OF EDEN World’s Markets Supplied With Dates Which Are Grown on Spot Be- lieved to Be the Site. The London markets and stalls are ‘covered with dates which come from the Garden of Eden. A palm tree yields approximately 400 pounds of fruit annually, which represents an income of about £8. It takes nearly eight years to attain this state of perfection, but wher once reached, it continues for almost a century. Dates can be prepared in many ways, and are packed according to the country to which they are being sent. For instance, dates destined for America are hand-picked, as the Amer- icans will have no others; the Indians like them sun-dried; while we like them “wet.” Our dates are prepared in a special manner—they are piled on matting and trampled into a mass. The date is not the only product of the palm. The stem furnishes a kind of timber, and the fibers, twisted, be- come rope. Then, again, the buds are quite fit to eat, and are considered by some to be a delicacy; and peasants, too poor to afford a house, weave the fronds into matting, and so make quite a serviceable habitation. Crushea date-stones form food for the cattle.— London Answers. Regimental Journalism. Steps have been taken by the au- thorities of the British museum to se- cure as complete a collection as pos- sible of the regimental periodicals, the production of which is one of the curious features of the present war. Some of these publications are printed and others typewritten. They are not quite without analogy in the history of past wars. The British who were besieged at Mafeking during the Boer war contrived to keep going a little journal issued daily, “shells per- mitting.” In the wars of about a cen- tury ago Lord Exmouth, while carry- ing out a blockade of French ports, had a printing press set up for the amusement of officers and men en- gaged in that tedious duty. They did not attempt to produce any original records or literary matter of their own, but they printed several consid- erable works, and printed them, it is said, very well. Rabies. A case of rabies reported in Eng: land last spring was the first in that country since 1902, and occurred in a dog that was being held in the six months’ quarantine which the English law imposes on all dogs brought into the country to prevent the introduc- tion of this disease. Rabies was ban- ished from England by muzzling. ‘Aus- tralia and New Zealand have never had any cases of rabius, and a system of quarantine and inspection prevents its introduction. Sweden, Norway and Denmark are practically free from it. —Scientific American. Awakenng. “Geraldine is growing cynical,” said one girl. “Why do you think so?” inquired the other. “She confided #0 me that she doesn’t believe half the poetry people send in valentines comes from the heart.”
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers