Page:Famous Living Americans, with Portraits.djvu/404

 MRS. PERCY V. PENNYBACKER 381 of three thousand dollars in the State University, by means of which ambitious young women may equip themselves for teaching or other work, the erection of a beautiful and com- modious Woman's Building at the University, the passage of a poll-tax measure greatly increasing the educational fund — these are some of the things which are attributed to the Texas club women under her leadership. Her fame as the author of the Pennybacker History had by this time made her name a household word throughout the state, so that as she went on her official rounds visiting clubs she was everywhere greet- ed by grateful admirers. In 1904, at the St. Louis Biennial, she first became officially connected with the General Feder- ation, being elected treasurer. Two years later, at St. Paul, she asked to be relieved, but was persuaded to accept the au- ditorship, her practical business sense being considered of inestimable value to the organization. In 1908 began a pe- riod of ill health, during which she went abroad with her children for two years. Her first public appearance after her return to this country was at the Council of the General Fed- eration in Memphis in April, 1911, where she spoke on the subject of the proposed endowment for the Federation, which had been decided upon at the Cincinnati Biennial the year before. The selection of Mrs. Pennyacker to take the lead in secur- ing this fund of one hundred thousand dollars was a natural one, in view of her achievements in Texas. As an officer for four years in close touch with the finances of the General Fed- eration, she well knew the great need of increased revenues in order to carry on the growing activities of the several de- partments of work. Her speech at Memphis marked a mile- stone in the history of the General Federation. From that time on the endowment appeared no idle dream, but an as- sured fact. To those who had never heard Mrs. Pennybacker the speech was especially electrical, for she has the gift of oratory to a remarkable degree, with an imagination and fervor that reach the heart and move to action. Slight of stature, but with great dignity of bearing, she has a voice of singular melody and persuasiveness. The endowment would