Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23
Why Not women's Clubs?


Why Not women's Clubs?
While it is conceded with seeming alac-
rity by most men that women were not
born to be their slaves and certainly not
their superiors, it is not so readily
granted that she is his equal, created to
walk side by side with him, neither that
the privileges be claims ought to be
those of common humanity which
knows no sex distinction. 1t will be no.
ticed that the word used is Fought be-
cause many of his claimed privileges no
woman cares to share.
The position taken is that as man has
had time to experiment in the long dark
period of woman's existence, now that
she has emerged into the light of a Nine
teenth century civilization she has right
10 the benefits TO be derived from his eI-
periments, because she is one with him
By common humanity.
One Of the first things that she notices
j. the social relation men sustain TO each
other. They have evidently found that
isolation does not secure the best that is
in life, and that by aggregation men
nud pleasure and profit. a glance re-
veals the number OF societies organized
temples erected by the various organiza-
tons, and comfortable club rooms where
each man may affiliate with those that
suit him She recognizes that while
many Of these societies are for benevolent
purposes, others for intellectual ad-
vancemeut, the element OF pleasure is
not eliminated, and that men have a
good time socially because they fellow
with one another.
Then when men protest against women
pursuing the same method to secure hap
piness, naturally there is wonder, if it
may not be that the sauce for one is not
al last the same for the other.
Pursuing the reasoning, women have
reached the conclusion that isolation is
no better for them than for men, and
women's clubs have been the outgrowth
OF this conviction. The rapdity with
which club organizations have spread
shows that the idea was common to
women everywhere, as was the felt need.
Scarcely more than a quarter of
century ago the Sorosis sprang into life,
and now this mother OF clubs can scarce
enumerate her offspring. From being
merely literary this club has wrought
into il the social feature, and there are
no reunions more delightful than those
over which the Sorosis sisters preside.
one of the beat outgrowths of the club
idea has been the establishment OF club
houses for homeless girls, who from ne
cessty or desire of self improvement
have been compelled to seek the cities,
and have formed them selves into small
communities where they can by com l
mon fund enjoy comforts and luxuries |
their slender purses would make unat-
tainable.
1t Is a matter of congratulatiou that |
while earnestuess in woman is an essen !
tial, the "terribly in earnest'' is giving |
place to an idea that recreation is not |
the forbidden fruit that grows on the |
tree of knowledge. That the faculty for |
JOY is worthy their care, and the only |
caution necessary Is that equilibrium in /
all development be well observed. II is
a good thing that there are clubs for
pleasure alone, as well as clubs for
phlanthropic purposes and for intel
lectual progress.
No woman need be negIectful of
homely duties because she Is a member
OF club. There is more time spent in
IDLE gossip among vacant minded women
Than is required TO discharge the duties
OF club membership. It is a cause of
graduation that this city is in the front
in women's clubs, and no carpiug fault
finder can truthfully say that their mem
bership does not comprise noble wives,
mothers, daughters and sisters as are to
be found in any circle. Now it remains
for the various clubs TO unite aud build
house suitable for their purposes. There
Is no reason why such building should
not be erected. Men make club houses
source of profit while they also serve the
purposes OF the clubs, and women can do
the same. When such building is
erected and furnished with the taste that
women possess, there will be none who
VIII point II out to strangers with more
pride than the ones who now are ready
10 decry women clubs.