CLOSING ADDRESS.
By MRS. BERTHA HONORE PALMER,
Mingled with our regret at seeing this great Exposition and this unprecedented opportunity for women drawing to a close, is a feeling of satisfaction that the aims proposed to be reached by the Board of Lady Managers have been carried to a successful conclusion.
Not only have the material exhibits drawn attention to the skill of women and shown the degree of development which has been reached by them, but their interests, their capabilities, their needs and their hopes have been brought before the public and thoroughly discussed from every point of view.
In the Exposition at large, but particularly in the Woman’s Building, her attainments have been spread before the public; successes in unexpected directions, which had hitherto escaped notice, have been made known to the world, the building itself being one of her notable achievements in an altogether unaccustomed field.
It has been the means of opening new and congenial lines of work, and as woman is the acknowledged home-maker, to her hands will be entrusted more largely than heretofore not only the atmosphere and the influence of the home, but also its place, construction, sanitary arrangements, decorations, furnishing and all practical features. The general appreciation and commendation of the Woman’s Building have greatly hastened this result, and the exhibits contained within it of designs by women for the weaving of carpets and textiles, for wall paper and hangings, as well as architectural plans for the construction of houses, show that they are already alert and equipped to take possession of this newly acquired territory.
The interest felt in the Woman’s Building and the sentiment it expresses was made manifest by its great popularity, it having been crowded from the beginning to the end of the Exposition. In days when visitors were few and exhibitors in other buildings were forced to provide bands of music, scatter special advertisements and use ingenious devices to attract attention, the Woman’s Building was crowded. Early in the summer letters came from our committee in France, saying that they understood there were ten persons who saw their exhibit in the Woman’s Building to one that saw it in the Manufactures Building. The order to close the building at six in the evening, which was issued by the director-general some two months since, was thought to be a great hardship by visitors, who plead so earnestly for longer hours that director-general consented to rescind his order.
Perhaps the most remarkable result obtained by the efforts of the Board of Lady
Mrs. Bertha Honor6 Palmer was born in Louisville, Ky. Her father is of French descent. Her mother of an aristocratic Southern family. Her early education was received in Louisville, but later in a convent in Baltimore, Md. She was married in 1871 to Mr. Potter Palmer, a wealthy and representative citizen of Chicago; she has since resided in that city. To the poor she has always been a stanch friend, giving generously to public funds and more freely to private charities, and be it said to her glory that all this work has not been neglected during these years of public life. She has traveled extensively and has wide acquaintance with wise and fashionable people, making her a valuable leader for the Board of Lady Managers. Her numerous addresses delivered in their interests have been read and admired by thousands, but the peculiar charm of her beautiful face and bell-like voice can never be forgotten by those who were fortunate enough to hear her speak. She was the chosen President of the Board of Lady Managers, and to her office she gave time, persistent energy, executive ability and wise leadership, to which in large measure is due the success of the women’s exhibit, which excelled the fondest hopes of its most sanguine supporters. Few women and not many men have become so widely known and universally admired as Mrs. Palmer. All nations have received and delighted to honor her, giving aid in securing exhibits, and statistics which will prove of great value in future; through her womanly tact and irresistible influence she secured favorable legislation without which the Exposition could not have reached its marvelous success. In all this work she has had the hearty support of Mr. Potter Palmer, who has sealed his approval and won for himself a place in the hearts of the people by donating $200,000 toward a permanent building for the exhibition of woman’s work. Mrs. Palmer’s postoffice address is 100 Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, 111.
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