Art and Handcraft in the Woman's Building
of the World's Columbian Exposition

IN THE WOMAN’S BUILDING. 37 The report says: “Her Majesty the Empress of Japan, with her usual habits of helping any good work, especially for her own sex, most graciously pleased with the movement, generously bestowed a large gift to carry on the work of the commission. Princess Mori assumed the duty of chairman, and asked the members, who are mostly ladies of high rank, to act as committees. On the 13th of May, 1892, the first meeting of the commission was held at Sliiba- Hama-Rikyn, a pleasure palace in Tokyo. Since then, twice a month they have held regular meetings to consider the affairs of the commission.” The most important feature of the second story is the Assembly Hall, a large room lying on the north side of the building. It has a wide platform and is admirably adapted for meetings, lectures, and con- certs. The three stained-glass windows which light the stage are all the work, and two of them the gifts, of Massachu- setts women. The furniture, presented by the ladies’ committee of Mobile, is sim- ple and appropriate in design. A stained- glass window opposite the platform is the work and the gift of Pennsylvania women. It was in this room that the meeting was held on the 30th of April, when the com- missioners from many of our own. States and from some distant countries presented to Mrs. Palmer the gifts offered to the aunt tabitha. Woman’s Building-. Tokens and tidings m. °, kobbe. united states. ° (Bv permission of the Century of good-will from the four corners of the 'Company—Copyrighted.) earth were generously offered and graciously accepted. The value of the gifts, the nationality of the givers, was forgotten in the deep .significance of that meeting. Woman at last is rousing from her long sleep. We of the New World have called out for help, for sympathy. From the far Orient comes back an answer to our cry. The slave woman of the harem murmurs, “ I hear! ” The Assembly Hall and the Model Kitchen fill the whole •of the northern end of the building-. The space between tlie inner corridor and the outer arcade has been divided into eight admirably shaped and well-lighted rooms. The Model American Kitchen gives an object lesson to housekeepers from all parts of the world. Passing down the corridor to the right we find Connecticut’s