Repoet of Board of Women Manageks. 163 



fact that women lia,d been ignored on liis committee. It should be 

 mentioned here that the letter was sent, and resulted in bringing about 

 a somewhat unpleasant controversy. Mr. Ives intimated that he was 

 in favor of the appointment of women but that the full complement 

 of his committee had been made u]i, and the question as to whether 

 any more members should be added would have to be decided by the 

 committee itself. The New York artists were divided in their opinion 

 on the subject and the matter remained undecided for a long time. It 

 was finally announced that Mrs. Mary Hallock Foote and Miss Mary J. 

 Cassatt had been asked to serve. 



It was decided at the lirst meeting of the executive committee that 

 there should be an exhibit of laces, fans, miniatures and antique 

 embroideries. How numeroiis were the delays and how great the 

 anxiety and worry connected with this committee's work may be under- 

 stood when it is said that it was decided as early as June, 1892, to 

 make the exhibit and practical work was only begun late in March, 

 1893. At the second meeting of the executive committee the subject 

 of decorating the library of the "Woman's Building was discussed, and 

 an appropriation of at least $5,000 was deemed necessary for the pur- 

 pose. The Board of General Managers, to whom the matter was referred, 

 authorized this expenditure. Although there were at times some dis- 

 agreements between the two boards, the general managers never inter- 

 fered with such distribution of the women's fund as the Board of Women 

 Managers saw fit to make. The Board of General Managers requested, 

 however, that they be kept informed as to the appropriations. 



As the chairmen of all standing committees were members of the 

 executive (with one exception), the work of these different committees 

 was always fully reported at each meeting of the executive. IS'ew 

 plans were submitted as well as questions of expediency and finance. 

 No one had dreamed of the amount of detail that would have to be 

 gone through, and the managers, especially the members of the execu- 

 tive committee, found themselves overwhelmed with work. As the 

 result proved, in spite of the limited time, the work was undertaken 

 with energy and enthusiasm. 



The proposition to establish a model hospital at the exposition was 

 early brought before the executive by Miss Dennis, the idea being to 

 show the methods of the trained nurses of New "i ork, where the sys- 

 tem of schools for trained nurses originated in this country. Just how 

 this matter developed will be shown in the report of the philanthropic 

 committee. 



The subject of an exhibit of the kitchen garden system was introduced 

 at the board meeting of September seventh, but it was the executive meet- 

 ing of September twentieth that the details of Miss Huntington's plans 

 were submitted and appropriation made of $2,500 to carry on the work. 

 At the meeting of the executive committee, November fifteenth, 

 Mrs. Howard G. White's name was dropped from the membership, as 

 she had not been present for three consecutive meetings and had sent 

 in no report. The ladies felt that the time was very short for the com- 

 pletion of the work, and it was necessary that the executive committee 

 should consist of active members. Miss Dennis consented to visit 



