and have worked for a pure press, recognizing that
it is the greatest material power in the world today. They have
regarded their children first of all as future mothers and fathers,
next as citizens, and they are demanding that public educational
systems adopt their standards of values in the adjustment of
curricula.

They have established Mothers' Clubs in many communities, especially
among women whose opportunities for training of any kind have been
meager; have seen that creches and free kindergartens are provided for
the children of the poor; that reading rooms are open for the use of
boys and girls; have urged that women should serve upon all school
boards and those of all prisons and reformatory institutions; have
taken the city fathers to task wherever laws pertaining to the
cleanliness and health of a community are not enforced; have called
mass meetings once a month to discuss questions pertaining to the
welfare of the child; by precept and example have set forth the
advantages of simplicity of dress and entertainment, and have
interested themselves in all kinds of humane work.

State Congresses have been formed in nine States, exact membership not
known. Mrs. Theodore W. Birney was the founder of the organization and
has been its president continuously.

THE NATIONAL WOMAN'S RELIEF SOCIETY was organized March 17, 1842, at
Nauvoo, Ills., being almost the oldest woman's society in existence.
It became national in 1868 and was incorporated in 1892, to assist the
needy, and to care for the afflicted, to lift up the fallen, to
ameliorate the condition of suffering humanity, to encourage habits of
industry and economy; to give special attention to those who have not
had proper training for life, to sacredly care for the dying and the
dead, to minister to the lonely, however lowly, in the spirit of grace
and heavenly charity.

It has been a veritable school of instruction to thousands of women,
and its organization is so perfect that it is comparatively easy to
carry out any plan of work formed by the General Board. Donations are
almost entirely by the members themselves, and they have working
meetings, bazars and fairs occasionally to raise means for the needful
purposes. Many of the branches have built houses for meetings and some
also own houses for their poor instead of paying rent. Industries have
been carried on to supply work to such as were able to do something
for their own support. Of these the mos