I noted no particular advance in anthropology among women since the Columbian Exposition, when I served upon the same jury in the same distinguished company—Mrs. Zelia Nuttall and Miss Alice Fletcher. In other more tangible departments, so to speak, and at other expositions, I have noted a steady advance in woman's work and in the spread of her domain. The time has long past when it should be segregated, as kindergarten efforts are from regular school work.
I recall no anthropological exhibit by foreign women at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. In fact, American women undoubtedly lead in such study, investigation, exploration, and publication. In their own country the opportunity is great, especially in ethnology, because of the thousands of barbarous people among us and savages upon our borders. Tribes still in the stone age are our actual contemporaries. Women, quick to grasp, able to ingratiate themselves, are peculiarly fitted to gather the folklore of the Indians, their songs and myths and ceremonials—weird, rich, beautiful as those of the ancient Greeks. Miss Fletcher, who at St. Louis served upon the section of psychometry, has done much for both ethnology and the coming school of American music in rescuing and preserving the Indian songs.
What has been accomplished in archaeology by women was best exhibited in the attainments, translations, and publications of another member of the jury of anthropology, Mrs. Zelia Nuttall, as well known in Europe as in this country. Woman's acknowledged intuition, patience, and enthusiasm are factors of great value in the problem of reducing to one common denominator the life and works of bygone man from his archeological remains.
It seems to me of great importance to emphasize the work of women at such expositions. What woman has done, woman can do, is an invaluable suggestion borne in upon many minds of latent possibilities which, developed, might greatly benefit humanity. The most important exhibits at any great exposition are never seen, only felt.
Miss Cora Peters, Department of the Interior, United States Indian Service, Chilocco, Okla., as mentioned by Mrs. Henderson, also served in this Department, and briefly says:
I have not been able to give very definite replies as I had so little time to investigate the work. I served on the section of Indian education, and the work of the women was usually better than that of the men, and in every case they were more persistent in their efforts. It seems to me that there are more opportunities open to women along educational lines, especially that of domestic economy. The extent of women's influence in the home will never be known, so I am very glad that at present there is a great interest taken in that subject.
Miss Peters further says that the nature of the exhibits was historical, such as those by the Daughters of the American Revolution of Indian relics, and the exhibit in the Alaska Building, the latter being the most striking exhibit in the department. The women had more displays than men, and some of their work was very creditable, and in some cases was as well appreciated when placed by the side of that of men; that in one case it might have been more beneficial in result had it been separately exhibited, but as a whole I think women were given due consideration. The proportion of the work performed by women was not as large in proportion as that performed by the men, but in the Indian section of which I was a juror I think the awards were about evenly divided. The greater part of the exhibits consisted of collections of relics, and the exhibits by women showed great skill and ingenuity, and in nearly every case the installation of exhibits was considered very good, as was the taste displayed. Some of them were better than those by men.
Group 128, Mrs. Zelia Nuttall, Cambridge, Mass., Juror.
Under the group heading "Ethnography," the one class represented races and peoples from earliest man to the present time; tribal and racial exhibits, showing by means of specimens, groups, and photographs, the stages of culture reached by different peoples of various times and under special conditions of environment. Families, groups, and tribes of living peoples.
Mrs. Nuttall's report in the sections of archæology, ethnology, and history is as follows: