The Twelfth Annual Report of the Associate Committee of Women

THE TWELFTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ASSOCIATE COMMITTEE OF WOMEN Mr. President and Members of the Society: Of the events of the past year, none have more affected the life of the Committee than the loss by death of two of its greatly loved mem¬ bers, Mrs. Alvin A. Parker and Miss S. Elizabeth Gilpin. So different, yet so alike, Mrs. Parker and Miss Gilpin shared in a common consciousness of the fulness of life; in its beauty whether in art or music, the sea at sunset, or the heart of a rose; of its tragedies they had their portion. They were alike, too, in their inability to gloss a sham, or condone insincerity or injustice, as well as in their general understandingness of people, having a kind of sanctified common sense which went to the middle of things as surely as the magnet to the pole. “There is One great society alone on earth The noble living and the noble dead.” Of this Society our co-members were and are. They have gone from sight, but they have been living among us and are with us still. The Committee has held nine stated meetings; has secured annual and life members; has made contributions of records, or historical ob¬ jects, to the Historical and Genealogical Societies, and has supported the Publications of this Society with continuing articles of genuine genea¬ logical value. AB a tangible unit of achievement it has added to the Society's Collections two large volumes of original, or photostat, manu¬ script family records, and has otherwise functioned when and where possible. It has offered to support, or co-operate with, a movement to secure a William Penn United States postage-stamp issue; to support and co¬ operate with a Btate-wide observance of the birthday of the founder of Pennsylvania; to further a fitting observance of the first arrival of William Penn in his Province, and in this connection has offered to sponsor an exhibition of Becords and Belies prior to 1700 at the His¬ torical Society, such records and relics to be limited to the present states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware; to sponsor or co¬ operate with such steps as may be necessary to secure for William Penn the niche in the Hall of Fame in the University of New York to which he is entitled as one of the outstanding history-makers of the World. The Committee believes that no other Colonial leader, of the formative period, had so large a vision of soul liberty and spiritual sanctuary as is represented in and by his Holy Experiment. Penn left the faith of his fathers to become a follower of the Inner Light of the Friends, but Penn belongs as much to the “World's People” as he does to the Friends, perhaps more so, since there are (314) Twelfth Annual Report of Associate Women. 315 more of the worldlings, hence their right and privilege to co-operate with, and sponsor any endeavor which will lead to a right judgment of him, or to the protection of his grave in the home-land across the sea. When biography is to history what a Beethoven Fifth Symphony is to music, then, and not until then, will William Penn come into his apotheosis. Respectfully submitted, M. ATHERTON LEACH, Recording Secretary • ANNA LEA CARSON, Chairman.