The Portland daily press., 1869-05-31
May Anniversaries.
THE NEW ENGLAND woMANs cLuB-A GENERA
SUMMING UP OF THE WEEK.


Especial Dispatch to the Daily Press.l
BOSTON, May 29.-The closing anniversary
OF the week was observed to-day at Chickering
Hall. Several of the ladies of Boston some
time ago associated themselves together for
mutual advantage and improvement, thinking
perhaps to act contradiction TO the libelous
assertion that they were the weaker SEX and
form a Club of their own. This forenoon they
met together to prepare notes, to review the
work of the past, and to take such stems as
were necessary to ensure prosperity in the fu-
ture.
Mrs. Severance, President of the Club, call
ed the meeting to order, and in few brief and
nicely delivered remarks, reviewed generally
the work of the Club for the past year. She
answered the charge of lack of social cour-
tesy in the Club, by stating that basis of de-
mocracy was intended by its founders, and that
there was necessarily an appearance of brisque-
ness, which was more apparent than real.
Each member of the association rested on her
own individual merits, and made for herself
such society as she chose. She suggested that
a list of charities be kept at their rooms and
that loan fund be established for temnor-
airy relief of necessitous females. II might.
perhaps, be thought expedient to aid the
younger members in the production Of parlor
theatrlcals, and entertainments of a similar
nature.
Miss Lucy Goddard, from the Committee on
Business, reported the receipts from all sourc-
es last year to be $2135 10 expeditures, $2O49
30; balance in the treasury, $3.50. Since this
statement was made out, however, bills have
1xxrbs Oh
balance, leaving the society in debt.
The Committee ON work reported through
Miss Abby May. During the year they have
opened registry list for the names of those
desiring a higher class OF labor In the course
of time this will become selfsupporting. The
subject of an horticultural School for women
has been discussed, and definite plans adopted
for putting it into practical operation. The
school will certainly be established but as yet,
no definite time can be set for its commence
ment. A prominent Chicagoian has pledged
$4,000 and ten acres of land for such an insti-
tuition in that city, and it is hoped that there
Will be found some son of New England gener-
GUS enough to do likewise. There are three
wants which the woman's Club may supply -
home for boys, from three to twelve years of
age one for children, from eighteen months
TO three years of age and one for babies who
are diseased so that they cannot be admitted
into infant asylums. There should be more
boarding-houses or homes for young working
girls. These should be homes in every sense
of the word, with private corner for brothers
or beaux, and beaux should be encouraged to
come. There are Il, 14S more women than men
in Boston, and our social problem is to know
what TO do with them. Cooking schools,
schools of design, horticulture, and other meth
ods, should be put in operation at once
Mrs. Julia Ward Howe, read the report of the
Committee on Art. The first Monday of this
month has been devoted to the regular meet
ing of the Clnb the second to Club tea-party,
the third TO literary,entertainments the fourth
to charades and parlor games. During the
year, Rev's +. Fl. Hedge, T. w. Higginson, and
John Weiss, Mrs. Howe, Ralph Waldo Emer-
son and Henry James, have read essays and
poems before the Club
Rev. James Freeman Clark was called up by
the President, and briefly responded. The
Woman's Club, he thought, afforded an oppor-
tunity for the discussion of social qustions that
cannot well be brought up in an assembly of
men. They will one day be taken out of our
ignorant, stupid hands, and dealt with by an
intelligence higher than our own. He hoped
the Club would institute q Protestant order of
Sisters OF Charity.
Mrs. q. nj. Severance was re- elected to the
Presidency, and among the remaining officers
are Mrs. Gov. Clafin, Mrs. James Freeman
Clarke, Mrs Emery Washburne, and others
Addresses were made by Mrs. Mary Grew
and others, before adjournment.
CLOSING NOTES.
All things considered, the week has not been
without a fair showing of improvement. The
religious anniversaries, except those of the
Unitarians and Universalists, were of busi-
ness nature, and did not therefore attract a
large attendance of people. Among the secu-
lar societies, however, there has been remark
able display of interest, especially with regard
to woman suffrage. The doctrines of labor re-
form, if we may judge by a careful observance
of their advocates, are not likely to be popular
with the people. There always has existed
class who, not able to save money themselves,
are perpetually growing about the monopoles
of wealth. They have shown their front in
these so-called labor reform conventions, and
by so doing have virtually signed the DEATH
warrant of the cause they assumed to advocate.
The sessions of the Ant-Slavery Society show
ed that the ancient spirit still fired the hearts
of its members. The debates were more notice.
able than usual for the absence of acerbity
The Free Religious movement, as yet in its in
fancy, has grown strangely in power and infu-
ence. Its recruits come from the first circles
of Boston society. cannot bettor conclude
than as | began, with the statement that the
past anniversary week, as a whole, has been
prod uctive of great good. A. G. HI.