Mrs. Mary Phelps Montgomery, the chairman of the committee on woman’s work, read her first report of the work of that committee at the meeting of the board held Tuesday, April 28, 1903, and a copy was transmitted to the National Commission.  At the session held on December 17, 18, and 19, 1903, the following letter was received and read by the secretary: 

    ST. LOUIS, U.S.A., December 16, 1903.

DEAR MRS. HANGER:  Replying to your esteemed favor of the 14th instant, transmitting a copy of report of committee on woman’s work, which was adopted by your board at a meeting held in April, 1903, you are advised that on motion the same was approved to the extent that the report prescribes the scope of your proposed field of activity.

    The Commission, at its session on the 15th instant, adopted the
    following resolution: 

“Moved and seconded that in so far as the report of committee on
woman’s work prescribes the line of work for the board of lady
managers, the same stands approved by the Commission.

“Motion prevailed.”

Agreeable to your request, the report has been forwarded to the
Exposition Company for its action, with a copy of the resolution
passed by the Commission. 
Very respectfully, THOMAS H. CARTER,

          
                                                                    President.

MRS. FREDERICK M. HANGER,
Secretary of the Board of Lady Managers,
Administration Building, City.

Extracts from this report are embodied in the final report of the committee on woman’s work, which is as follows: 

September 30, 1902, the women appointed by the National
Commission as lady managers for the Louisiana Purchase
Exposition were called by the National Commission to meet in St.
Louis and effect an organization of the board of lady managers. 
At this meeting the board of lady managers was organized and
Mrs. James L. Blair elected president.

The first permanent committee appointed by the new president was a committee on woman’s work.  The ladies appointed on this committee were:  Miss Anna L. Dawes, Miss Helen Gould, Mrs. Marcus Daly, Mrs. M.K. de Young, and Mrs. Mary Phelps Montgomery, chairman.  Two members of this committee were not present at the meeting.  The president of the board impressed upon the chairman of the committee that a large share of the board’s work must of necessity be performed by the committee on woman’s work.  The chairman of the committee asked the president of the National Commission for special instructions in regard to the plan and scope of the work of the board of lady managers.  The president of the National Commission replied that the board of lady managers must outline their own policy and perform their own work to their best judgment.  There