Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-08-30
WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT.
WORKING GIRLS UNIONS.
What They Are Doing In tho Way of
Organization.

What They Are Doing In tho Way of
Organization.
One of the finest signs of the times ls
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. Ii
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, il 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 a number of the great BUSH
ness houses in which girls are largely
employed, associations have been form
ed among themselves for such objects
rs creating an insurance fund in sick
hess, or to provide for expense, or q
dependent relative in case of death. In
Philadelphia there is d guild OF work
ing girls, first organized by the womans
New Century, club, which numbers
eight hundred members, which has
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
ature of a 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 jammed. One interesting
7 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.
e bert Spencer.
: The club and societies of working
girls of New York are more diversified,
but they have not yet accomplished any
c such exact results. Those that arc
e united under the leadership of Miss
d Grace Dodge are really a secondary
a Young Woman's Christian Association
h They have classes, but not of so large
d or varied a character, and they arc
h trying to create building for a house
V which will be their clubhouse ant
G home, not in the sense of charity dor
k mitories, but class-rooms and hall o
p entertainment.
These associations for creating means
OF self-improvement, and better living
are found to be infinitely better THAI
leagues and unions for strikes and agi
. tation; and they accomplish their OBJ
v ject, in working their own, for employ
- ers respect organizations and organized
effort, and not only treat with them OF
u o more equal and Independent footing
g but often with great kindness and lib
erality. There are always, and will al
ways be, poor working women who dc
7. mand sympathy and help, but they ar
Is the workers who do not know how t,
lie work; who are thrown upon their owl
lie efforts, with no adequate knowledge o
ability or resources; who have lazy
lie drunken or worthless husbands, o
" fathers, and families of helpless chil
lie dren, or brothers and sisters. Thes
n cases occur, but they do not form tn
majority of working women, who, as
r. class, are perfectly capable of creatin
y their own means of improvement, thci
10 own society" their own "clubs, the
i own ''good times" and are beginnin
to find it out. AS fast as they emery
Oh and build up pleasant centers of activit
and usefulness, cultivated women an
= women of wealth are attracted to then
IS, and thus rich and poor meet and ming
is on equal grounds, one helping the oth'
" to better understanding of life and i
$. great purpose.-Ih The Housewife.