Page:The Souvenir of Western Women.djvu/91

Rh All over the state the woman's clubs have had an uplifting influence upon their surroundings.

The Civic Improvement Clubs and the Floral Associations have helped to beautify the cities; the Educational Clubs have worked in education; the Art Clubs have helped to develop a love of the beautiful; the Musical Clubs have done much to raise the standard of music.

Although no club for purely social purposes has been organized, each club has more or less social life connected with the regular club work. Through the efforts of the clubs fine lecturers, musicians and dramatic readers have been brought to the state and exhibits have been held and floral displays made; in addition prizes have been given for the neatest gardens, public parks improved, historical buildings preserved, traveling libraries bought and put into circulation, school and city libraries increased; and indeed this influence has reached out in every direction.

Woman's Clubs of Washington have done much to awaken an interest in the history of the state, and have made valuable collections of data, relics and photographs. They have encouraged legislation in behalf of philanthropic movements, notably with regard to juvenile offenders; they have brought the subject of domestic science to the attention it deserves.

The National Federation recognized Washington last May at the meeting in St. Louis by electing Dr. Sarah Kendall, of Seattle, auditor. It is an honor appreciated not only by Dr. Kendall's friends, but by all the club women.

The Behnke-Walker Business College is an institution of which the City of Portland can well feel proud. It was founded only five years ago. To-day it is classed as the leading institution of its kind in this part of the country. Within the past four months they have enrolled more than 300 pupils, this number being only 100 less than during the twelve months previous.

The equipment is of the latest, complete in every detail. They have left no stone unturned for the benefit of their pupils. The business practice department has ten offices; Retail, commission, real estate, insurance, bank, etc., each having a different set of books. In this way the pupils become familiar with all phases of bookkeeping, from the simplest to the most complicated transactions.

This college possesses the unique feature of being the only college in the United States that equips each of its offices with a typewriter. The bank is equipped with an adding machine, the only one used by a business college west of the Mississippi River.

The business and shorthand departments are connected by a private telephone. The business department is under the direct supervision of Mr. I. M. Walker, one of the proprietors. The shorthand department is in charge of Mr. H. W. Behnke, president of the college.

The Pernin system of shorthand is taught. It employs no shading, no position, has only a few word signs, and connective vowels follow consonants in their natural order as in longhand. This system can be learned in one-third the time required to learn the Pitman, Graham or Munson. The standard for graduation is 125 words per minute for five consecutive minutes.

The college is in session throughout the entire year. A night school is also conducted for those unable to attend during the day.