The evening world., 1888-05-25

enDBntcneu III tulb TebDeCt ny eAhIniuihe eho
past history and present status OF the
women'sc club known as the Association of
Working Girls Societies. They are as fol-
lows:
The willing Workers Association. 4o4 East Nine
Tine Industrial Society, of Hoboken. IS Willow
avenue, Hoboken.
The Girls Eudeavor Society, SO Morton street,
the Girls Progressive Society, gil East Nine
teenth street.
The Working Girls Association. lof Second street.
The Good WIN Club, e3 Fourth avenue Given
the Working Girls Central Club, of Brooklyn,
the Red Hook Point Working Girls Society, 4is
Van Brunt street, Brooklyn.
The Prospect Heights Club, S66 Flatbush avenue,
Tne Tl,y.psiptn Street Club, aaa West Fiity-ninsh
The Yonkers Library Association.
Our Club" " 1853 West Tweniy-third street.
The brooklyn Progressive Club, s49 Court street.
The Boston Social Club Tor Girls, Boston,, Mass.
The Tuesday Evening CLUB, Springfield, Mass.
The Helping Hand, Binghamton, N. Y.
With o single exception these societies have
all sprung into existence within the last four
years.
The one which antedates them is thesWill-
ing Workers, and the founders of the pioneer
club of the group of seventeen others were
not aware that it existed until some time
after their scheme of organizing q working
girls club had taken tangible and successful
shape.
This parent association il The Working
Girls Society, which has its headquarters at
222 West Thirty. eighth street. 1t has a men,
bership of over two hundred and the active
workers number forty-four.
From time to time the girls marry, of
| course, and moving out of the city or to q
distant part of it, and being naturally more
or less engrossed by cares of the new life.
| cease to take IN active part in the labors of
the association. But they never lose their
interest in it, as is shown by the fact that at
tho last annual reunion in February about
twenty of the married members came and
brought their husbands with them, while let
tiers Of greeting were sent by others living at
too great a distance to be present. On this
occasion also six of the ten original founders
of the club attended.
A description of this club and its workings
gives one an idea of the drift and purpose of
the others. since they all present the same
features of social intercourse. mutual help
fulness and Improvement of mind and body,
while sympathies are trained and tender,
womanly traits developed. by giving to those
in trouble, sorrow, need or sickness that
help which blesses her who gives and her
who takes"
As the name sets forth. the members are
working girls. They are employed in shops,
stores and factories. Their wages range
from $3 to $40 per week, the average being
So. Yet these girls maintain their club,
which meets in q pleasant. three-story brick
house, the whole of which they rent, and
then partially reimburse themselves for the
outlay by letting to dodgers such rooms as
are not used by the society:
The house is an English basement. You
like the appearance of 1t Immediately on
being admitted to the entrance hall, which is
decorated in warm, deep color tones that
strike the eye agreeably. II Q 90 on a
Tuesday evening before 8 O'Clock you may
| alanna 81 ,aaaf nn thn I00roka,Ns N orN,,n az
bright. pretty. refined; looking girls Just enter;
ing. If not, a member Of the club will
probably answer your ring, for at that hour
they are passing Through the hall and up and
ladder. Busy, CHEEKY, courageous young
angels they are, too, bless their hearts!
But, however your entrance may be ef-
fected. you are sure to be kindly welcomed,
and that, too, with q graceful courtesy. which
makes you feel from the start how good and
gracious an influence is that exerted by the
club on young workingwomanhood. .
Tuesday evenings are devoted to talks
on practical matters, and occasionally to q
lecture.
These talks" are the most delightfully."-
general conversations. The girls do not SIT
in stiff rows and look bored, but are ranged
, have to be put rather close together, fol
though the room is large the attendance il
larger. These assemblies take place in the
drawing-room, on the second floor, q pleas
antly anu bulthDly uppOLuteu TOOu. lnt
crowd, if there happens to be one, overflow
into the big square hall. There are chair,
out there, and some of the girls perch on tht
lower steps of the second stairway. Across
back, is the library. There is always SOM
one there, reading or writing, at the Ions
table under the shaded light.
The lady who leads the conversation sit
near the centre of the group and beginning
to speak of some topic of general use or in
terest, encourages one and another to expires
her views, until everybody is more or les
awakened to interest In the original subject
which, of course, presently leads to others
until they have wandered oftentimes very ia
.aield from the point OF departure.
There is hardly an important subject tina
has occupied the public mind this white
which has not been at least touched upon il
. these talks :" at the Working Girls Club.
The amount of general information offered
i in this way is And the health,
young minds grasp it eagerly. And they as
simulate it the more readily because it is givel
out to them all together, rather than &C
quired in solitude by the individual.
On other evenings of the week there ar
Y classes i'll sewing, dressmaking, millinery
= embroidery and cooking. There is a histor
class and French and German, writing, vocs
I music and elocution are also taught. As it i
necessary to engage teachers fer thes
branches. q small fee is charged each pupil t
defray this expense.
For instance, there is q charge of 81 for seve,
lessons in dressmaking, and q silesia lining
furnished also. Nearly every girl appreci
o ates the advantage of knowing how to fashio
her own gowns properly, and the very nice
|. stylish appearance Of the members show
y that q large number nave availed themselve
of this instruction,
Ten cooking lessons cost the same, Will
n millinery comes cheaper, being go cents TO
an equal number of lessons.
The Resolve Club is an inside organization
and is also a feature of the other association
clubs. II has for its motto
Look up, not down; look out, not in
look forward, not back and lend a hand"
y Any girl who has been a member of til
M society for three months may Join by pledg
lie ing herself to try and follow out these pre-
lie cepts;