The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-08-24
wOMAN'S DEPARTMENT.
WORKING GIRLS UNIONS.

WOMAV y LEI an i MLNI
WORKING GIRLS UNIONS.
What They Are Doing In the Way Of
Organization.
One Of the finest signs of the times is
the united societies of working girls,
their good sense and ability in manag-
ing their own affairs, and the correction
of many errors and misconceptions.
which their action and methods are
bringing about in the public mind. 1t
has been discovered for one thing that
they do not want charity, that there is
nothing they resent more than being
held up to public view as objects Of
sentimental pity, and without the power
to take care of themselves, and, if need
be, assist others. There is splendid
spirit among the majority of these girls,
now that it has been brought to the sur
face and found expression. They want
improvement, advancement. oppor-
tunity to elevate their own condition by
study, by practice In the arts, and they
gladly accept the aid which they re-
ceive in the formation Of classes in
languages, needle-work, singing, elo-
cution. literature and even philosophy.
In quite number Of the great busi-
ness houses in which girls are largely
employed, associations have been form
ed among themselves for such objects
as creating an insurance fund in sick
ness, or to provide for expense, or a
dependent relative in case of death. In
Philadelphia there is guild of work.
ing girls, first organized by the woman's
New Century, club, which numbers
eight hundred members, which has a
guild house. hired and managed by the
club, in which classes meet every even
ing, some free. some ''pay" classes;
and the pay classes in literature, Ian
guages, cookery. needle-wOrk, elocu-
ton, gymnastic exercises and the like
are those which are most fully attend
ed. The literature classes, admirably
taught by club member, who presents
the subject from the point of view Of
history, as well, showing how the liter
allure of period grows out of the life
and habits of the people. sometimes
numbers over hundred; and the room
in which cookery is taught and demon
strated is damned. One interesting
class is called the Thinking" class;
that is taught by Rev. Charles G. Ames.
formerly Of Boston. and it is engaged
in studying out the social and philo-
sophical problem propounded by Her.
bert Spencer.
The club and societies of working
girls OF New York are more diversified,
but they have not yet accomplished any
such exact results. Those that are
united under the leadership of Miss
Grace Dodge are really a secondary
Young Woman's Christian Association.
They have classes, but not of so large
or varied a character, and they are
trying to create building for a house,
which will be their clubhouse and
home, not in the sense of charity DOR
mitories, but class-rOoms and hall OF
entertainment.
These associations for creating means
of self-improvement, and better living,
are found to be infinitely better than
leagues and unions for strikes and agi-
tation; and they accomplish their OBJ
ject, in working their own, for employ
ers respect organizations and organized
effort, and not only treat with them on
a more equal and Independent footing,
but often with great kindness and lib
erality. There are always. and will al
ways be. poor working women who de-
mand sympathy and help, but they are
the workers who do not know how to
work; who are thrown upon their own
efforts, with no adequate knowledge or
ability or resources; who have lazy,
drunken or worthless husbands, or
fathers. and families of helpless chill
dren, or brothers and sisters. These
cases occur, but they do not form the
majority Of working women, who. as a
class, are perfectly capable Of creating
their own means of improvement. their
own society" their own ''clubs," their
own ''goOd times" and are beginning
to find it out. As fast as they emerge
and build up pleasant centers Of activity
and usefulness, cultivated women and
women of wealth are attracted to them;
and thus rich and poor meet and mingle
on equal grounds, one helping the other
to better understanding of life and its
great purpose. Housewife.