The sun., 1890-04-16
A DAINTY LABOR GATHERING
THE BIa CONVENTION OF ILL TIE
CLURS or THE WORKING GIRLS

The Association OF Working Girls Societies
held the opening session OF one OF the most
remarkable conventions on record yesterday
afternoon In the Assembly Rooms OF the Metro.
politan Opera House. Eight hundred women
members. delegates. and friends OF the asso-
citation occupied every available seat In the
SPACIOUS room; something like two hundred
more stood about the aisles and crowded In the
corridors listening eagerly to the proceedings.
Miss Grace Dodge presided. and with her on
the platform we're the members OF the Execu-
tive Committee in charge OF tho Convention:
Miss Virginia Potter, Secretary; Mrs. Richard
Irwin, Jr, Mrs. Gaspar Griswold, Mrs. Archi-
bald Alexander. Miss RebeccR f. Morse. and
Miss Jane Il. Potter.
This Association OF Working Girls Societies
was formed In February, 1884, with the follow
Ing objects:
To strengthen to knit together and to protect the In
tsrssts OF the several societies
To hold meetings. when the reports Of the societies
,hall no presented and make generally known
N cir aims and advantages
To promote the general adoption OF the principles
upon which the societies have been formed
To secure the services by cooperation OF good teach
srs lady physicians, and lecturers
To Keep the several societies ormed OF such cAssel
and schemes as are proved valuable,
10 encourage and assist in the establishment of new
,ocstisS
Tho association is composed OF three bodies
the Now York association numbering twenty
two clubs, Boston eight clubs, and Brooklyn
eleven. Philadelphia has also most successful
societies. headed by the New Century Working
womens Guild, and each OF these various soci-
cites. As well as others, numbering 100 in all.
has its representative among the delegates as
eembel at this great Convention. whose object
is the discussion Of the various interests Of
working girls clubs, the promotion OF
Stronger bond OF sympathy among existing
clubs the instruction Of those who are organ
ising now societies and the DEVELOPMENT OF
new schomcs and ideas for the benefit OF work
nE girls.
Tho object or purpose OF each individual
club or society is to command for working
girls opportunities for education and improve
mant. which the majority OF them have missed
through the necessity of becoming wage earn
crs when scarcely moro than children. By
uaying "a small monthly due the mombers com
mand pleasant rooms that are open every
night for educational and social uses by
forming classes and sharing the expense they
obtain the services OF a teacher in the various
branches which would be beyond their reach
individually. and through club membership
they are associated as friends and co-laborers
wi III some oi the strongest, sweetest. and most
cultured women Of the cities in which they re-
side. through whose efforts. in addition to their
own. the Working Womans Club is not only a
reaching effects are dfficuIt to determiue 10"
Immsdiatsy after the PRAYER BY Miss Dodge
cnssoR "nI 6eGah on Is WorkinF e GirIs
Society and How to Start One.I
Miss Helen lseiin OF New, York read papers
embodylng the idea Of tho clubs as already
Eon Of long on Re aueson o
getting rooms. furnishing them, opening
meetings. and the necessary routine work OF
Miss Edith n. Homes Of Boston followed with
some practical suggestions on How TO rouse
an intelligent interest in member IN their So
ciety," which made Il point Of equal rights and
RESPONSIBILITIES for all club members as the
chief means OF really interesting them in the
Miss Jane b. Potter read an interesting paper
on How society may become sei-support-
ing and the collection OF dues"
indeed "a very ticklish subject" for almost ns
for dealing with the different dispositions In
club rs there are members on its club list.
olhcrs would take righteous offence at sum
naturally improvidept but under no circum-
stances must member Imagine that she is
dlsgraced by not keeping up the dues or that
club will number one member less. The aim
is self-supportlng, but the high rents in New
York render the problem particularly difficult
Miss GRACE Dodge said Of Practical Talks
ani Their Function" that club life grew from
and originated In talks on matters Of import
anrc In daily lite That In this age when news
papers and books carry topics Of thought to
the, workers In factory or shoH, the busy men
ard women have little time to develop thought
or to formulate ideas and little Opportunity to
discuss them. and that one club member had
sisl4 she was gad TO Join the club lust to talk
object is to discuss plain every day matters, to
bring beautiful meaning into dai ly duties to
deveop better WAYS OF performing them to
strengthen character. and to prepare for the
probahe motherhood and wifehood OF the
luture. The topics thus discussed form the sub
working days that follow. Heath. dress. laws
OF cities and states especially those relating to
tenement houses and factories: grandeur OF
womanhood her powers and pOsslbi ties, and
tie deepor Inesti0ns OF Iurity and beauty Of
durius tho first fifteen minutes. the members
discus 1t tho following quarter OF an hour. and
tho leader gathers up the thoughts again, con-
Tho topics are chosen by the members them
seN"s frequently. and their discussion tends TO
the dignity OF labor and the Importance OF the
part that each life, however obscure. plays in
each member to become mistress OF herself
one very interesting feature OF the session
was the rending Of three minute parers. writ
ten by club members, and containing bright
pertinent suggestions and ideas on the topics
THE EVENING MEETING.
Tho pillars in Cooper Union Hall were
trimmed last night with festoons OF pink and
olive. blue aud silver white and gold, and un-
dcrneath their arches crowded and hurried
hundreds OF women with bits OF corresponding
color lutternR from bodice and Jacket. There
we're the scallet girls OF the Thirty-eiRhtb
street club clustering around the great Rleam-
Ing central pillar OF red the Nile green and
link girls OF the lIoboken Industrial Society.
tho blue Girls, Endeavor Society, tho white
Morkips. Girs' Progressive, Society, the bun
and Gnd rospect Heights Club. the red white.
aud blue Columbia Working Girls Society,
We cardinal and pink Library Association OF
nonk"Ls the, Iink,, and blue Ivy Club
NE purple and gold Endeavor Club of Eliza
MdEtMt RMe4p3r TIE green and silver Far and Near
Prospect Hill Working Girls Society, the white
and yellow Enterprise Club, the old gold,
crimson. and white Nelghborhood Guild Girls
SM6; the Irgnton Working Girls Society, the
plnKy ! nited Club Of Jersey City, and the VIC.
let Nofklng Girls Mutual Benefit Society all
grayItAting toward the particular pillar which
displayed their own colors. Palms nodded
against the national colors draped and ieg-
tooned h6 about and above the platform. and dewy
roses hunR IN fragrant lrnges from tho read
ing desk 1he music OF Lander's orchestra
throDpeu ana surg"d through the ceaseess
hum q many voices, until at last every scat
was nlled. The platform was crowded with
dial n nf 4