The Century Chest Collection

To the Art Museum

(Transcribed from the original)

To the Art Museum of 2013

Vol. 4, No. 3 January 1913 PRICE 20 CENTS
ART AND PROGRESS
CONTENTS
THE MOTHER – A SMALL BRONZE
By Bessie Potter Vonnoh

CHARLES W. HAWTHORNE
By Anna Seaton-Schmidt

THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL TO LINCOLN
Designed by Henry Bacon

PAGEANTRY
By George P. Baker

THE FEDERATION'S EXHIBITIONS
Eight Illustrations

EDITORIALS
REVIEWS
NOTES
BULLETIN
PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY
THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF ARTS
WASHINGTON, D.C.

ENTERED AT THE POST OFFICE AT WASHINGTON, D. C. AN SECOND-CLASS MAIL MATTER
COPYRIGHT 1912 BY THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF ARTS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Vol. 4, No. 6 April 1913 PRICE 20 CENTS
ART AND PROGRESS
CONTENTS
TO A PORTRAIT—A SONNET
By Alice Felicita Corey

JOSEPH DE CAMP AND HIS WORK
By William Howe Downes

THE SECRET OF LIFE
By Adeline Adams

AN EXHIBITION OF THE WORK OF ALBERT BESNARD
By Mary Lord Fairbanks

THE PENNSYLVANIA ACADEMY'S EXHIBITION

EDITORIALS
REVIEWS
NOTES
BULLETING
PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY
THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF ARTS
NEW YORK,  N.Y. 
WASHINGTON, D.C.
CHICAGO, ILL

ENTERED AT THE POST OFFICE AT WASHINGTON, D. C. AN SECOND-CLASS MAIL MATTER
COPYRIGHT 1913 BY THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF ARTS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Thinking it might be interesting to the Art Club of 2013 to have a closer acquaintance with the President of the Art League of our City, we enclosed the following biographical sketch and photograph of Mrs. James Franklin Harbour.
Born in Guthrie, Todd County, Kentucky, in the year 1872, Elizabeth Levy (of purely French descent as her father was born in Alsace Lorraine, her mother being a Kentuckian), married John Shannon Sneed of Nashville, Tennessee, and came to what was then Indian Territory to make their home.

To them were born two sons; John Shannon Sneed, now aged twenty-one, who is a student in the University of Virginia, and Lee Vincent Sneed, aged eighteen, a student in the University of Oklahoma. Mr. Sneed died when his younger son was three years old. About six years later Mrs. Sneed married James Franklin Harbour, a prominent business man of Oklahoma City.

Mrs. Harbor has ever been in close touch with the social and literary life of the City and State. Her executive ability bespeaks success for any organization which is under her leadership.

MRS. JAMES FRANKLIN HARBOUR.
(MRS. ELIZABETH SNEED HARBOUR.)
President of the
OKLAHOMA ART LEAGUE
1913.
[Photograph] Elizabeth Sneed Harbour.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, April 22nd, 1913
To the Art League of 2013: -
Though we are sure you are a great Art Association, we still address you by the title familiar to us – the family name; though you may have changed it, we hope you have not hyphenated it for in our day that is still a bit affected.
By now, dear Art League, we are sure you are interested in your family tree and shall be glad of any little enlightenment. IF you smile at the relation of the small efforts to launch you into the world, the old fashioned methods according to your standards, we know it will be indulgently as at one to whom you are bound by a close tie, for we are bound to you, dear Art League of 2013, we are your great-great-grandmother, or whatever you may choose to call us; we are the root, if not the branch, of your family tree. There are other ties beside those of consanguinity, the sap that flows from this root to you is intellectual and spiritual sap and binds where blood does not bind; it appreciates and fosters thought and feeling as expressed through the soul of art by the inanimate – the sould (sic) which makes the inanimate, animate; it is the love, the religion of the true and the beautiful, this is the sap which flows from us to you.

Doubtless you are familiar with the history of the birth of your mother city. How she did not experience the usual throes of development but, like the Goddess Minerva who was not born but sprang full armed from the head of Jove, she, your mother city, sprang full fledged from the heart of the prairie. You may be sure at that time you had never been dreamed of; in fact, you have the distinction to have had your inception in Paris, France – Paris, the mother and nourisher of art.
Now (meaning in 2013) I suppose you cross to Europe on a shopping tour, fly across in a night and a day, like we run up to Chicago by fast express (smiling), but in 1913, while there seem to be a good many go across, considering the time and money consumed in transit, yet just now and then our artists and students go to stay long enough to drink of the fine vintage of its art and to bask and develop in the hazy sunshine of its artistic atmosphere. (I am speaking now of the opportunities of those from our own state). You see we are new and far west; far from that great thoroughfare to Europe, the Atlantic, on whose shore Boston still claims she is the center of civilization on our continent, while New York smiles complacently and knows she is, meanwhile in our west Chicago is branching out with Grand Opera and with western spirit seems to say "We'll show them" – and she will – San Francisco, the wonder city of the far west, things she will "show" all of us in 1915. In our next installment we'll tell you whether she did or not. But we are new and our location is the great southwest.
Now, in the beginning it was like this; Miss Nellie Shepherd and her sister Nettie, residents of Oklahoma City, went to Paris to study art and remained there three years. The last year of their stay Mrs. John W. Shartel and her son spent in Paris and other place abroad, the young man desiring to learn to speak French and German. Later Mrs. Ed L. Dunn and her son Truman joined them. The little coterie of Oklahomans were often together and as often their conversation turned to art and, of course, equally as often they deplored the fact that on going home they would be deprived of all the pleasures and advantages obtained from its contemplation. Nelly had, through the students' hostel, and American organization for women in Paris, supported by the Y. W. C. A., become acquainted with the fact that a rich American woman, Mrs.  Hull, then living in Paris but still claiming residence in Detroit, Michigan, had set aside $500.00 each year with which to buy a picture to be presented to the museum of some western city of the United States. Miss Nellie mentioned this one afternoon when the party of Oklahomans were together. Immediately the thought came to ask for it for Oklahoma City. With that thought, fleeting though it was, you had your inception. Mrs. Shartel said there was no place to put such a picture, if they should be fortunate enough to get it, which she very much doubted they should be, as Detroit was counted among western cities and would probably get the first picture. However, Miss Nellie was sanguine and decided to ask for it. In the face of such a decision Mrs. Shartel concluded the only thing to do was to find out if there were a possibility that Oklahoma City might provide a suitable corner for such a gift, if it should be acquired, and accordingly she wrote her friend Mrs. O. D. Halsell asking her to have the matter brought before the Federation of Woman's Clubs to ascertain whether anything could be done toward effecting an organization whose object should be to establish a museum of art.

The report Mrs. Halsell gave to her friend was this; From the President of the State Federation, Mrs. Threadgill, she had not received very much encouragement for the fact was, as Mrs. Threadgill said, nobody had thought about it, there was no interest in such a subject and before anything could be done a "Moses" must arise to arouse interest. Mrs. Halsell added that in view of the fact that such a "Moses" had not presented himself, she had given the letter from Paris to the Renaissance Club, a club interested in and studying art subjects, where she thought it would be most likely to bring results. I say she gave the letter to the Renaissance Club – more definitely, she gave it to Mrs. John J. Merrill, President of the Club, who took it and read it to the club. This letter was a seed which was to be you, O Art League, and you shall hear what came of it. Like many seeds it lay dormant for sometime. In this case, I think about one and one-half years. In the meantime the picture had been given away to Detroit and the little dream about you, among your friends in Paris, was put aside and forgotten for the time in the busy life about them.

On October 10, 1910 at the opening breakfast of the Renaissance Club, at the home of the incoming President, Mrs. W. E. Hodges, a paper was read by the new President recommending that the Renaissance Club make an effort to start a museum. It was a strong plea and aroused notable interest. Mrs. Shartel, who was at the breakfast to be received as a new member, had asked permission to speak when the program was over, and, on being called upon, said she was glad interest and already been aroused in her subject – that she had been forestalled Mrs. Hodges – but she had this to add, that returning home from Europe her interest in a museum had again revived on visiting the art section at our new State Fair. It was a puny effort, of course, but it showed a desire and she had been fortunate enough to be introduced by Miss Helen Adams, who had charge of the exhibit at the Fair, to Miss Elliott of Decatur, Illinois, who was interested in art organization and who knew a good deal about the practical part of organizing and managing them; that Miss Elliott would be glad to meet with the club and tell them what she knew and give them such aid as she could. Mrs. Shartel ended by inviting the club to appoint its next meeting at her home where she would invite Miss Elliott and others who were specially interested to meet the members. This invitation was accepted by the club and accordingly at this meeting, after the regular program and order of business, Miss Elliott talked to the club, outlining an organizing and working plan for them with the necessary constitution and by-laws.

It had been suggested at the breakfast at the home of Mrs. Hodges that in order to arouse interest in and raise money to carry out their project they undertake an exhibit of such objects of art as they could gather together among themselves and from any others in the town who would be willing to contribute a loan. This exhibit was definitely decided on at the meeting at the home of Mrs. Shartel and here is a description of the undertaking by one of the working members:
We had our exhibit, and you should have seen it. (We, means the Renaissance Club; you were not yet "we", Dear Art League.) Did you ever hear of the Old Scotch Balld – "The wedding of Lochie McGraw", and a summary of those who were there? "Minder and Jiners and Journeyman Bakers and the Highlands tuned loose and a bundle of Quakers" – in fact, all the creeds and trades represented in the locality. Well, our exhibit was like that, a veritable museum. With permission of the Chamber of Commerce we used their room, a large one with plenty of windows, on the twelfth floor on the elegant new Colcord Building. It was the most available room and fireproof. The affair was a success. We succeeded both in raising money and creating interest – money $125.00; interest, fluctuating. It was a surprise both to ourselves and to the public. Some said they didn't know there was such an aggregation of "junk' in the community. Others expressed it more elegantly and called it an interesting collection, which it really was. On the walls were our pictures, more than half of which were original work, though not all of local artists, of course. There were some fine copies of old masters, too.  I am mentioning some of the names of exhibitors so that, if perchance their names should live a century, you will know that this was their first bow to a critical Oklahoma public.

The Misses Nellie and the Nettie Shepherd were represented by oil painting sin the impressionistic manner, a manner not very popular with a primitive public like ours; Mrs. John J. Merrill exhibited the heard of an Indian woman, in oil; Mrs. B. O. Young, a watercolor and Mrs. W. E. Hodges, a large picture in oil. I mention these first because they were club members. Many others were represented but I do not recall by what. We kept no record so you see I am writing this from memory four years after and must be pardoned by my contemporaries if anything or anybody is omitted, as I should not be likely to be pardoned in 2013, if they weren't. We are hoping though that some detail will not try the patience of 2013 too much and will bring you nearer to us, or rather us nearer to you.

Patricio Gimeno, a Spanish resident of Oklahoma City, showed a number of original oils; one particularly good, a small mountain scene in Spain; Miss Martha Avey furnished several original pieces and loaned a beautiful little 16th Century woodcut; a collection by Rubens, a local watercolorist who had won considerable local distinction, was loaned to the exhibit by Mr. H Huliston; Mrs. J. F. Harbour loaned an oil copy of Reynolds, "Innocence", a fine copy of a Landseer and a large watercolor by Carl Webber; Mrs. S. M. Gloyd loaned a study of sheep, in oil, by Mitoma; Father Gerrer of Shawnee had in the exhibit two fine copies, one of the "Madonna of the Chair" in the Ufizzi Gallery, the other Guido Reni's "Aurora". Father Gerrer has done some excellent work, receiving commissions from several churches. He has a portrait, in the Vatican, of Pope Leo XIII done from life.

One of the most interesting loans was a large oil done by Mrs. Schwing, grandmother of R. A. Kleinschmidt, "A Dutch Interior." By 2013 the "Dutch Interior Craze" has long since languished and we hope that Dutch Interiors have again become sanely fine as they were intended and ought to be. This woman painted before the commercial craze and her portrayal had none of its earmarks.

One picture, a little detail figure of a kneeling Nun, was accredited by its owner to Carreggio. There was no one to either prove or disprove its authenticity. It was a very interesting thing, however, evidently done long ago, though it seemed to have neither the color nor the atmosphere of a Carreggio.

A very lamentable thing happened: A "Whistler" etching was ruined beyond repair. The collectors knowing the value of it preferred not to risk moving it and begged the owner, Dr. R. R. Walker, to bring it down. He very carelessly came alone in a runabout holding the picture in front of him leaning against his knees. In coming down the street at the good rate of speed, in order to avoid a collision with something from a cross street, he swerved to one side and the picture fell out and under the wheel of a runabout. It is reported that it can not be restored. I know you well be even more shocked than we were at such a loss, deeming our poor little effort not worth the price, and so did we deem it. If we had felt any more blame in the matter, the whole affair would have been a dismal failure. The incident, or rather tragedy, brought forcibly to our minds the story of the "Mush and Milk Social", told by a gentlemen who had but recently visited our town, which was in substance this: He and his wife were consistent members of a certain church and always took an active part in its concerns. He, however, was very much opposed to giving socials and dinners for money and otherwise uselessly crucifying oneself in the name of the Lord, in the effort to convince himself that he was going down into someone else's pocket for money instead of his own, which is most open fallacious. Their church, which had given everyother kind of a social decided on an innovation in the way of a "Mush and Milk Social". It chanced that it fell to his wife who could make excellent mush to make it. She made mush and the steam from the boiling pot overheated her and, it being a cold evening, gave her a cold which put her to bed next day, where she stayed two weeks. Now, she was a teacher in the public schools – of course, she was forced to send a substitute – she was receiving $50.00 per month. She paid her substitute $25.00 Her doctor's bill and medicine took the other $25.00. The "Mush and Milk Social" cleared $3.75, leaving a balance of $46.25 outside of the church.
It hardly seems a fair decree that one should suffer the inconvenience for all. In our case, we partly forgot the loss in compensation of aroused interest in art, but this could not compensate the owners. However, the good Doctor and his estimable wife were so philosophically sensible in regard to a thing that could not be undone and so altogether nice about the matter that we were reminded that after all there are so many sides to life, and there is such a thing as the "art" of knowing how to take what comes and an artistic kinds of heart.

As I have said before, the room was a large square one with square pillars supporting the ceiling. On these we hung our draperies for we had shawls, laces, handwoven coverlets, old dresses and wraps. Then down the center of the room we placed, back to back, adjustable bookcases with glass fronts in which we displayed our curios, bric-a-brac, china, statuary, small laces and collections that were not allowed to be handled. On the tops of these cases were the statuary interspersed with palms and plants, altogether quite pleasing in effect. Among this statuary was a beautiful marble head of Dante's "Beatrice, belonging to Mrs. Ed L. Dunn which she brought from Italy.  

One of the best collections belong to Mrs. W. P. Homan—some old laces and some handmade lace fans, one pearl mounted. Mrs. Mary Gunther, who had been many times to Europe and whose home is a treasure house of well selected things, furnished an attractive assortment among which was a most beautiful Delft-ware plaque. A most excellent Indian collection occupied one whole corner, separated from the rest of the room by cords, the walls of which were hung and the floor covered with Indian rugs. Then there was the usual number of tomahawks, pipes, moccasins, baskets, leggings, bows, arrows, as also bead bags, belts of wampum, shawls, chief's regalia and all the things that race delights to decorate itself with. This collection belonging to Mrs. J. W. Pryer. Miss Edith Allen Phelps surprised her friends by the number and excellence of bookplates she had gathered together; and Miss Lillian Johnson, by the artistic conception and beauty of some original work in bookplates. Miss Martha Avey also showed some bookplates. Two things I must not forget to mention: Somebody brought a mummied hawk, which looked like it had dropped out of an Egyptian collection of the British Museum, and Mrs. Arthur Geisser loaned an old wax doll, one of the first ever brought to the United States.
In the end of the room by the entrance we had a table placed from which tea and wafers were served, attractively. Near this table a committee collection 25¢ each entrance fee.

I have told you of the result of our effort but not of the effort. It is a beautiful thing that the public only sees the result. They don't know of the struggle, don't hear the groans and often the death-cry which sometimes follows hard upon the struggle, and it is not our intention to reveal it to them. Such revelations are usually prevented by both pride and vanity. People do not like to be pitied and though they suffer for it, they prefer that the world should think a task easy for them. It argues more intelligence; greater genius. "All the world's a stage and we its actors", we all pose a bit; we like to be thought something other than we are, if that other is greater and better, then there is really something admirable in a character that doesn't bother the world with its bothers. Most of us realize that, but to you, dear Art League, in this age of budding eugenics when no written word to posterity, or anyone else, is complete without a mention of it, it is our duty to tell you something of your progenitors, of the prenatal influences, the struggles, the interest, the labor which attended your birth.
Now, how do you suppose we got this museum from the homes up there on the 12th story? Well, some of the club members brought their automobiles, by means of which transportation different ones went out collecting, taking turns, and hauled everything down as carefully as possible. We used blankets, robes, paper and string to tie up and protect picture frames, glass and bric-a-brac. It was a backbreaking job and an embarrassing one when it came to going up and down in the crowded elevators. It never would have been permitted if it hadn't been that we were women trying to do something – such is the kindness of the American man, I hope he hasn't changed but is the same fine man in 2013. There were only passenger elevators and freight was supposed to go up after six o' clock in the evening or early in the morning. Of course, our large things did, but, even with that, we realized we were something of a nuisance. But that is one way of advertising and people frequenting the Colcord elevators certainly knew that there was to be and had been and exhibit. As a partial reward to Mr. Colcord for his consideration, he was accorded the distinction of being elected first President of the Art League. On our part we were grasping at every straw and just now Mr. Colcord seemed a pretty safe straw to grasp. We didn't know just what we wanted to do and we didn't hope that he did but we thought he could help us find out. He had been sheriff at one time and it is a sheriff's business to find out things, and now he had become a man who had the reputation of helping boost every worthy project, and this little thing, which was you, without money, without prestige, without anything but just "without" must have appealed to him as a lame duck to a hunter. So he gracefully accepted the position.

You see it was this way. The Renaissance Club, who was yet "we", decided that the opportune time for organization was right there among our bric-a-brac. We counted that after the things had been put out of sight, there would be many doubting Thomases who would complain that they had not been allowed to thrust their hands in the side – who would want the physical proof and while all proof of our honest intentions was still in evidence – the President, Mrs. Hodges called a meeting to order on the closing evening, the evening of the third day of the exhibit, November 19th, 1910, which was nothing more than an union of the visitors who chanced to be present (some of whom resented this infringement on their liberties) and the members of the Renaissance Club. Mrs. Merrill with the aid of Miss Elliott had gotten the Constitution and By-laws ready. They were adopted and then we voted for officers and that meant you were born. At once all sympathy went out to you, you were so bewildered, even the Renaissance Club who officiated at your birth, your immediate mother-in-law, seemed so important beside you. Everybody else knew what he was going to do but you, and you who had the widest field of all sank trembling down like a poor ewe-lamb and looked doubtfully at the well cropped commons where you were expected to dig out your subsistence. It was something to cause reflection. This, that and the other had solicited support until a thing had to show good cause before the commons were thrown open to it and then it had its own grubbing to do to get money and food out of the soil.

Interest must constantly be pricked with the surprise of new deeds, so we found that after the first enthusiasm, which attended the exhibit, the public sat back on its haunches pompously and seemed to say: "Well, that was all well enough, but what are you going to do about it? What next?" Of course you didn't know what next and there was nobody to tell you. You still kept the strength and had the temerity, however, to ask the kind public not to expect too much of you while you were so young. You asked to be allowed to grow. You said, or we said for you, "Give us your strength, your ideas, that's the food we need to grow on. Come join us." and some of the people actually did it, and so our first year went by. O, yes, I forgot to mention the names of the other officers for the year – though there is nothing important about it, since we did so little, except the names; Mr. Colcord, as has been said, was President, Mrs. W. E. Hodges, Vice President, Miss Edith Phelps, Recording Secretary, Mrs. John J. Merrill, Corresponding Secretary, MR. C. T. Ingalls, Treasurer, Managing Board, Mrs. John W. Shartel, Mrs. John Threadgill, Mrs. Ed L. Dunn, Mr. S. C. Heyman, Mr. Sidney Brock and Dr. Haynes Buxton. (We still boast four men as working members out of 150 – perhaps 20 more working members in all.)
The next year, October, 1911, new officers were elected,  or more plainly speaking, the old officers were changed about to make it seem new for the interest which would work for a thing was not very wide spread on this subject. Everybody seemed possessed of an Alphonse and Gaston politeness, which is all very well but one doesn't get very far on it. Mrs. Ed L. Dunn was made President and again Mrs. W. E. Hodges, Vice President. Both of these ladies had been identified with you from the first and assisted at your birth. Our outlook for getting you started to grow this year was for that reason a good one. Unfortunately, or President became ill and remained so all during her year of office. We had made plans but they were never carried out.

At the beginning of the present club year you were still a weakling but a few of us determined to put on our "boosting clothes" and get behind you. Mrs. Elizabeth Sneed Harbour was elected President. Mrs. Harbour is well known as being the successful head of one of the largest literary clubs in the city, The Modern Classics. Other new names appearing among our officers and Board being Mrs. Frank Mulkey, Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. L. D. Kight and Mr. William Wells, members of the Board, making our officers read: Mrs. J. F Harbour, President, Mrs. John W. Shartel, First Vice-President, Mrs. Ed L. Dunn, Second Vice-President, Miss Phelps, Recording Secretary, Mrs. Frank Mulkey, Corresponding Secretary, Mr. C. T. Ingalls, Treasurer, Miss Adah Robinson, State Organizer. Board, Mrs. John J. Merrill, Mrs. L. D. Kight, Mrs. W. E. Hodges, Mr. Sidney Brock, Dr. L. H. Buxton and Mr. William Wells, all of whom – officers and board – constitute the "Managing  Board". We have added two new offices, that of Second Vice-President to honor Mrs. Dunn who was too ill to take active part, and State Organizer, which experience taught us was needed, a place occupied by Miss Robinson who is the "Moses" who has arisen and seems capable to help guide you unto the promised land. She is not only an artist but has been connected with art associations before and knows something of their practical management, so we have hailed her as a great addition. We now have every reason to think we can assist you to grow.
We opened the year with a pottery exhibit and social tea. This you must hear about for it was really quite an event and took its place among other important social events of the week – the ladies who had been assisting at the other function assisting here. This tea was held at the home of Mrs. Anton H. Classen. A. H. Classen is the president of the Oklahoma City Street Railway Company. They have a beautiful home tastefully and artistically furnished, -- the simplicity of the furnishing forming a background well suited to the needs of such an exhibit. This exhibit was managed with more method and intelligence due to our "Moses", Miss Robinson, who received and registered the articles with great precision. This time our influence was enough so that on invitation or request people were glad to bring us their stuff and we were relieved of the burden of gathering it, besides the time was shortly before Christmas and many china painters hoped to make sales from this opportunity to show their work. The invitations, 500 in all, were sent to the different club women and those whom we thought might be interested in art. A line was also inserted in the daily paper asking everyone really interested to come.
After entering the hall, where were stationed a number of young girls to greet them, the guests were ushered into the parlor where they were received by Mrs. Classen, Mrs. Harbour and Mrs. Shartel; other officers and members of the Board, a little farther on, greeted and directed the guests to the Library where was an exhibit of American pottery, presided over by Mrs. Merrill, Mrs. Robinson and Miss Phelps. There were examples of much of the best American pottery, namely; Rookwook, Van Briggle, Oyster Bay, Marble Head, Grueby, Newcomb, Teco, Quezal, Rozanne, American Wedgwood, Dickens and Weller, besides a dozen plats of Dedham, a crackled ware, and an example of Chelsea which afterward became the Dedham. One set of plates belonging to Mrs. Charles Hoopes, decorated and burned by a friend who lived near the potteries at East Liverpool, Ohio, was interesting as individual work.

In the music room across the hall was a collection of Indian, Mexican and foreign potteries. There were excellent examples of Spode, Willow-ware, Davenport, Lustre and English Wedgewood, besides some Dresden and several pieces of the French-ware. The Indian examples were mostly Pueblo; the Mexican, Aztec. On the floor was an Indian rug and the walls were hung with Indian rugs. The table containing the Indian things was first covered with a most beautiful specimen of Indian blanket, or shawl, having a white ground and delicate coloring, very unusual. This was the property of Mrs. Classen and an heirloom. Mrs. C. T. Ingalls and Mrs. Thomas explained this room.

In a separate room upstairs was arranged the hand painted china. Guests were received in the upper hall by Mrs. L. D. Kight, Mrs. William Mee, Mrs. W. E. Dicken and Mrs. Jean Everest who solicited and were prepared to enroll members, the fee being One Dollar for active members and Two Dollars for associate members. The china room was presided over by Mrs. Frank Mulkey, an officer of the club. In one corner of the china room Mrs. John Martin had an exquisite display of miniatures, her own work. There were some very artistic pieces of china shown by both professionals and amateurs. The professional exhibitors were Mrs. Jewell, Miss Worley, Mrs. Boylan, Mrs. Hopkins, Mrs. C. D. Wallace and Mrs. Wetz. The vogue in decorative design just now tends to the conventional and semi conventional rather than to the naturalistic.
In the dining room, which is on the first floor, the ladies were served to tea and wafers from a beautifully appointed table in the center of which was a basket of lilies of the valley. Mrs. Henry Overholser, Mrs. E. H. Cooke and Mrs. G. B. Stone poured tea during the afternoon. The ladies serving were Mrs. J. P. Johns, Mrs. Harry Lamb, Miss Katherine Hodges and the Misses Stewart and Seville. The whole  list of assisting ladies for the afternoon were as follows:
Mrs. G. B. Stone,
Mrs. H. Overholser,
Mrs. E. H. Cooke,
Mrs. J. P. Johns,
Mrs. J. H. Leavitt,
Mrs. S. M. Gloyd,
Mrs. O. D. Halsell,
Mrs. J. F. Harbour,
Mrs. G. T. Sohlberg,
Mrs. W. E. Hodges,
Miss Vivian Cooter,
Mrs. J. M. Draper,
Mrs. J. J. Merrill,
Miss Adah Robinson
Mrs. L. D. Kight,
Mrs. W. Mee,
Mrs. Jean Everest,
Mrs. W. E. Dicken,
Mrs. F. Mulkey,
Mrs. J. W. Shartel,
Miss Katherine Hodege,
Miss Elizabeth Ames,
Mrs. W. Raymond,
Mrs. H. Lamb,
Miss E. Phelps,
Mrs. T. G. Chambers,
Mrs. Frank Wykoff,
Miss Ruth Seville,
Miss Nellie Shepherd

One thing worthy of mention is that one man attended our exhibit, Dr. L. H. Buxton. Of course, it was open to the men, who were interested, as well as women but our men are always too busy for anything like that, quite different from the men in Europe or perhaps 2013, so when Dr. Buxton appeared we were both pleased and surprised. The brave things and the great things we do are often done at unexpected moments, so I think Dr. Buxton, though a very modest man, must have counted himself a hero on that day when he faced, all alone, a receiving line and a hundred other women. We can not be sure we do not think he was sure just what else he saw.

As a result of this exhibit, we became the happy possessors of a nucleus to make a beautiful home for you. Miss Nellie Shepherd contributed an oil painting, by herself, "A Brittany Fisherman"; Miss Martha Avey gave an oil "The Hindoo"; Mrs. Michael Conlan, an Indian vase fashioned by herself after the Pueblo pattern; Mrs. Bentley gave a Mexican plaque.
We are so much encouraged by results and by our work together that we are able to say we find ourselves organized into a family whose object is to raise you "Oh, child of our desires" and in order to do it better, since you have at last begun to walk, we felt the need of new laws to do it by. We decided to reconstruct ourselves. We think we have made the move that everyone should make who aspires to guide and develop others – to first reconstruct himself. So we have rewritten our Constitution and By-laws to fit our needs and yours. It might be more apropos to say we have decided to use a tailor. We put on a custom-made constitution from Decatur but like the county boy who has made a great stride toward becoming sophisticated, when he arrives at the understanding of the difference between custom-made and tailor-made clothes, we have arrived, which is a considerable advance in discrimination for one year – to know whether or not our clothes fit. Now, to change these laws, or give us the new cut of clothes – whichever figure of speech you prefer --- the President appointed Mrs. Frank Mulkey, Mrs. John W. Shartel and Miss Edith Phelps. As I said, you can apply whichever figure you please but for us it is different, although suffrage for women is progressing rapidly, as rapidly as women of sense and discretion can make it, against the tide of idiocy that retards and threatens to engulf it in England, there is still some trepidation and many reservations on the part of conservative folk in admitting them to be lawmakers. So no matter what your age may think, in this age we feel safe in calling them "Courtourieres" (sic). After six months in our new garments it is surprising how much more character we seem to have, how much firmer our step. The nursery and nurse are progressing and doing their best and you are growing. We now have our regular league meetings each month; regular board meetings to plan and manage our work and next year we expect to have a year book setting forth a regular program of work for the year, whereas, now it is planned each month. We expect to have exhibits of works of art obtained through the American Federation of Arts, of which we are a member.

And now, goodbye. We leave to you the legacy of "Our Hearts' Love", a thing which can not be lightly given and should not be lightly taken. Be sure that you pass it on to the next century. We have faith in you to preserve our ideals and to develop the religion of the true and the beautiful.
Elfrieda Woods Shartel