The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-05-12


q club to which they gave the odd
name Of Sorosis," but subsequently
changed to the more Ineligible one
Of " Woman's Club" The mystery
which enveloped this new organiza-
ton, however, has been partially
cleared up by its President, Miss
ALICE CARY, who, IN the course of
her inaugural address, delivered in
the Club Room at Delmonico's Mon
day, thus responded to the queries of
the other sex respecting the objects of
the movement.
=" We have, then. to begin at the be-
ginning, proposed the ineulcatiOR Of
deeper and broader ideas among wo-
men, proposed to teach them to think
for themselves and get their opinions
at first hand, not so much because it
is their right as because it is their
duty. We have also proposed to open
out new avenues of employment to
women-to make them less depend
cut and less burdensome-tO lift
them out of unwomanly self-distrust
and disQualifying diffdence into Wo-
manly self-respect and self-knowl-
edge. To teach them to make all
work honorable, by each doing the
share that falls to her,or that she may
work out to herself, sgreeably to her
own special aptitude, cheerfully and
faithfully-nOt going down to- it, but
bringing ii up to her, We have pro-
posed to enter our protest against all
idle gossip. against all demoralizing
and wicked waste of time; also,
against the follies and tyrannies of
fashion, against all external impOsi-
tons and disabilities in short, against
each and everything that opposes the
full development and use of the fac
ulties conferred upon US by our Gre
ator
=" We have proposed to lessen the
antagODisms existing at present be-
tween men and woman by the use of
every Tightful means IN our power;
by standing upon our Divine war
ranty and saying and doin2 what we
are able to say and to do, without
asking leave and without suffering
hinderance. Not for the exclusive
good of our own sex. for we hold
that there Is no exclusive and no
separate good-what Injuries my
brother Injuries me, and what in
jures me Injuries him, ii he could but
be made to know it; it iBjures him
whether or not he is made to know
it. Such, / have said. are some of
our objects and. aims. ~ We do not
pretend, as yet, to have carefully d.
gested plans and clearly defined
nhsll-.- p,mI
ing our way IN the dark, for il must
be remembered that it is not yet
half a century since the free schools,
even in the most enlightened por-
tons Of our couRtry. were first open
ed to girls. How, then, should you
expect of US the fullness of wisdom,
which you, for whole centuries, have
been gathering from schools, colleges
aud the exclusive knowledge and
management of affairs.
p" We admit our shortcomings, but
we do feel, gentlemen, that in spite Of
them an honest, earnest aud unOsten-
tatious effort TOWARD broader culture
and nObler life, Is entitled to a heart
Ter and more sympathetic recognition
than We have as yet received from
you anywhere; even our representa-
tives here at home. the leaders of the
New York press, have failed in that
magnanimity which we have been ac-
custOmed to attribute to them
" 1t we could have fOreseen the
sneers and sarcasms with which we
have been met. they of themselves
would have constituted all sufficient
reasons for the blishment Of this
wOman's club; as it is, they have es-
tablished a strong impulse toward its
continuance and final perpetuity.
But, ladies, these sneers and sarcasms
are, after all, but so many acknOWl-
edgments of our power, and should
aud " II stimulate US to Drawer asser- i
ton, to more persistent effort toward
thorough and harmonious Organiza-
ton; and concert and harmony are
all that we need to make this enter
prise. ultimately. a great power for
good Indeed, with such women as
have already enrolled their names on
our list, |, for my part, cannot believe
failure possible. 1t
Some of US cannot hope to see
great results, for cur feet are already.
on the down-hill side of life; the
shadows are lengthenIng behind us
ana gatherlDg DelOEe Is, ana ere long
they viii meet and close, aud the
places that have known Us, know US
no more. But if, when our poor
work is done, any of those who come
after US shall find in it some hint of
usefulness toward nobler lives, and
better and more enduring work, we,
for-OurselVessF rest cOntent.'h o
+ After the address. which was wsrm-
Is applauded, the ladies of the club,
Of whom there were forty, present,