American women have invented thousands of contrivances, many of prime importance, such as the cotton gin, which separates seeds from the cation lint, and which changed the face of the industry. Catherine L. Greene, wife of General Nathaniel Greene, of Revolutionary fame, evolved the idea for the cotton gin. Her unflagging inspiration under repeated failures is a remarkable tribute to that faculty of pertinacity which women possess.
There is a great paper-bag industry in the world today because a woman ceeded where men had failed repeatedly. Miss Margaret Knight, of Boston, invented the machine for making the satchel-bottomed paper bag in 1871. This was such a valuable invention that she could afford to refuse a 50,000-dollar offer for the patent rights shortly after they were taken out.
A Chicago woman invented the familiar paper drinking pail. A woman invented the Burden horseshoe machine, which turned out a horseshoe every three seconds and {saved the public tens of millions of dollars. The straw industry in the U.S.A. is due to Miss Betsy Metcalf, who over a century ago produced the first straw bonnet.
American women can also claim countless railway inventions, and such mechanical devices as a corn plough, a method of constructing screw propellers, fire alarms, thermometers, rail-car heaters, locomotive wheels, burglar weighing scales, and refrigerator.
Various features of a horse's equipment have been invented by women. The check rein, the snap hook on the halter, the side-saddle—and it is even claimed that the modern horseshoe was the invention of a woman, Mary Poupard of London.
Women will be a luncheon to the senior girls of the American School and will be held at the New China restaurant on Saturday, January 28, at 1 pin. Mr leton Lacy had the opportunity to visit several colleges during her recent visit to he United Star will speak on "Some New Trends in American College Education.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.