The planners of the convention had worried that they would not meet their quota of 100 for the meal functions. The attendance far exceeded that. I counted 144 chairs at the sessions and the over-all appearance was that they were all full! The banquet attendance is known to have been 125! The spacious Vista Room was an experience in itself to the flatlanders in attendance. High above the city, surrounded by glass on all sides, one could see the bay, the mountains, the city buildings down below, and the swirling San Francisco fog which is such a wild, changeling thing! A feeling of light and space and air penotrated one's being with the additional feelings of freedom and challenge!

ABOUT DO B

The Address of Welcome was given by Jayo Bell, president of the San Francisco Chapter. Del Martin, outgoing National president of the Daughters of Bilitis, gave a history of how the organization was conceived and founded. A Filipino girl, who had not known such prejudice and restri eti on in the Islands, conceived the idea that suroly there was a better way for Lesbians to meet each other than in the squalid atmosphere of bars with its attendant harrassment by polico. She conceived the DOB as strictly a social club for Lesbians. (Unfortunately this fine person was lost to the group as it grow in concept and pur – pose to whero it admitted any woman, heterosexual or homosexual, over 21 years of age who desired to seek the promotion of the integration of the homosexual into society through education both of the variant and of the public at large as to their responsibilities.)

The Daughters of Bilitis took its name from "The Songs of Bilitis" written by Pierre Louys. DOB started in September, 1955 with eight women who had no knowledge at that time of the other homophile groups in existence. One month later they had a constitution and an elected slate of officers. One year later THE LADDER began publication as a mimeographod newsletter.

"DOB is an idea, a philosophy, a working thing for its members." Miss Martin glowed with pride as she noted the growth of many of the members from frightened, bit-

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