Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-08
THE W0MEN'S CLUBS.
Bessie Bramble Says They Mark q
New Era in Social Progress.
REFORMS ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED
A Pittsburg Organization Compared With
Those of other Cities.
ORATORS AMONG THE FAIR SEX
WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPATGH.I

WRITTEN FOR THE DlsPATCh-l
At the late convention held in New York
for the federation of women's clubs, GA clubs
and 1S States were represented by delegates,
which means large awakening by women
all over the country in the past few years.
Such an organized feminine force OF lntelll-
gent students and thinkers shows how rap
idly they are growing out of the old-fash-
ioned ways of the grandmothers, when no
woman would have thought it decorous or
right to raise her voice in any meeting.
When the Women's Club OF Pittsburg
was organized, about 16 years ago, some Of
its earlier members can we'll remember how
shocked some people were and how much
croaking was done over it.. Some good,
pious persons thought its members were
"going agin the Scriptures" because they
had determined to hold meetings and talk
over things-literary and otherwise. Some
OF the dear brethren were horriied over
women taking part in anything that was
called by such q name as club. They had
an idea that an institution which had
always been monopolized by men
and held sacred for their use
would demoralize, women. They had
a fear that such association would
result in too much ''gadding" and gossip,
but the club has gone on with its work
quietly and effectively, and the dire prophe-
cies have none of them been fulfilled. The
homes have been preserved, the circle of
intelligence has widened, the members now
have something TO think about end talk
over outside of clothes and fashion and per-
sonal gossip.
HARD AT FIRST.
At first, how timid they felt about standing
to make even a fve-minute speech or to read
an essay upon subject which they had
thought over care ully and studied WE'LL
But the practice has grown, and there are
members who can talk as wittily and per-
suaslvelv and entertainingly upon their
feet, and express their views within parlia-
mentary rules, as any of the dear brethren.
Eloquent orators, who can move and retain
the attention of an audience by power OF
speaking. are few in number as compared
with those who listen, but with the develop
ment given by the practice and education Of
the clubs and other organizations of women
growing up on all sides, they will be much
more common among women than men in
the future.
In old war times when Anna Dickinson
first took the political stump, she was re-
garded with horror among the servatives,
but her eloquence and power were beyond
contradiction. She was set down, however,
as an exception among women, and excused
for her departure from the rule of silence
then prevailing, by the fact that Quaker
women were not forbidden to speak out in
meeting when inspired by the Inner light"
or "moved by the spirit" and Anna had
been brought up to use her tongue when any
powerful occasion justified it. Bit since
then who more eloquent or powerful in
speech than Mrs. Livermore, Frances
Willard, May Wright Sewall, Mary F.
Eastman, Rev. Anna L. Shaw and others,
who are coming to the front Vin the W. G.
T. q. and in the Woman's Clubs? Daniel
Webster said that "eloquence comes-if it
come at all like the outbreaking of
fountain from the earth" Who can doubt
this who has heard the impassioped speeches
of women who plead for freedom from OPP
preston, for protection for the home for the
promotion Of honor, purity and virtue in
society? ., .-- -r>.---
GENIUS WITH WOMEN.
How much of genius has been repressed
in women in the past can never be known.
It has even been asserted lately, as a re-
proach to the sex, that not one woman has
been a composer of music that will rank
with the work of the ''great masters among
men, but the case of Fanny Mendelssohn
shows some reason for this, if even in her
case alone. She showed the same high order
of talent as her brother Felix. They both
composed, and had equal application. Her
earlier songs were greatly admired by able
and critical judges. But at that time the
highest profession for a woman was that Of
being housewife, and it was firmly held
that she should in no wise consider music as
a career, but only as an ornament. Her
compositions, which, while they were said
fh1e ~ hnr
brother, were published under his name, as
it would have been a disgrace to her reputa-
ton as housewife to let the world know
that she frittered away time upon musical
composition. Later in life the prejudice Of
her men folks gave way, and she published
q volume, which met with much success.
So strong was the feeling upon this sub
iect even less than 30 years ago, that Mrs.
Swisshelm relates in her autobiography,
that her highest talent for art, as we'll as
her ability to WELD the pen, were resolutely
crucifed from a sense that her duty de-
manded that she should spend the best days
of her life in cooking cabbage and being a
bad housekeeper. She put away her studies,
and for years did not read any book save the
Bible.
FAST GIVING WAY.
This prejudice even yet survives in many
minds, but it is fast giving way to the idea
that talents were given to women, not to
bury or to smother. but to use. In all oil the
Woman's Clubs the study Of history has
taught them the position of women in the
past. They are also acquiring knowledge
of themselves in the present. They are
learning about the science of government,
and the principles of political economy.
Although they are called the ''impecunious
class" they are learning to manage even
their limited finances with judgment and dis
erection.
In the Rhode Island Woman's Club, dur
ing the past year, its members have studied
and discussed Ballot Reform" The Com.
| parative Wages of Men and Women,
"Trusts," Educational Aims and Meth
ods, ""How Cooperation can be made to
|, benefit the Working Glasses were
| the social topics, while art and literature
| and housekeeping and domestic economy
were notGSglected. The indianapolis Won
ans Club during the past year has been de.
voted to Italian history and other historical
studies, while yet dHoting much time, al
| individual tastes dictateh to the topics Of
| the hour such as socialism, communism
prison labor, Sabbath lawsSand the current
| interests OF the country as portrayed In the
newspapers. OF this club Mrs. Harrison
and Mrs. Mckee are said to be members.
GOOD ACCOMPLISHED AT CHICAGO.
The Chicago club goes into local REFORMS
| and the work OF its various committees Ia.
been, as reported-a marked influence fol
good in the community. As an example, il
| is stated, that the Education Committee Sc
cured compulsory education law, and as