The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1890-12-17
WOMEN IN MEMS CLUBS.

WOMGN in MEMO OIO60.
Some Swell New York and Boston Clubs
Mako Special Provision for Them.
A veritable revolution is slowly taking
place in the realms of clubdom. IF any
one had suggested the possibility of ladies
being received in aristocratic male clubs
a few years ago he would have been con-
sidered most promising candidate for
Bedlam. Despite this fact, two of the
most fashionable and exclusive clubs in
New York city and one club of the same
character in Brooklyn make provision
for the reception and entertainment of
the wives and daughters of their mem
bers; third New York club will soon
be added to the list of the clubs which
have sanctioned the innovation, and
other clubs are looking in that direction.
The revolution was started by the
famous Somerset club, of Boston, than
which there is no more exclusive and
conservative club organization in Amer
lea. This club among clubs decided
about eight years ago to fit up a suite of
rooms exclusively for the accommodation
of ladies, and provided a private entrance
to this suite of rooms, which are entirely
isolated from other parts of the club.
The wife or daughter of member was
permitted to introduce other ladies as
her guests, the sole restriction being that
she should in her own handwriting en-
ter the names of her guests in a, book
kept for the purpose. The innovation
won the immediate approval of the so
cial circles so largely represented in the
Somerset club, and speedily became one
of the distinctive features of that organ
ization.
When the Hamilton club, of Brooklyn,
was incorporated it adopted this feature,
and shortly after, when the Lawyers
club was established in the Equitable
building, the same system was adopted
on a much broader scale. The Lawyers
club set aside private dining rooms, "a
public dining room, ladies' parlor.
boudoir and bathroom for the use of
wives and daughters of its members,
and subsequently placed them in charge
of experienced ladies' maids, who are al
ways in attendance. No gentleman is
ever admitted to these rooms unless he
is accompanied by a lady. Upon his
election to the Lawyers club member
fills out blank with the names of the
ladies of his family to whom he wishes
to have the privileges of the club ex-
tended.
The names so entered are copied upon
a register, and thereafter the ladies.
named by the member have the freedom
of the suite of rooms set apart for the
use of their SEX. They can gain admit
tance to these rooms at any time during
the day, can meet other ladies there by
appointment, can lunch or dine there, or
can entertain friends at luncheon if they
IL ~ -, ~4oI -,
them, but the amount of Indebtedness
which they incur is charged 10 the mem,
Der of the club at whose instance they
are introduced.
=. The somewhat remarkable departure
has worked admirably, and has given
entire satisfaction to the most conserva-
tive members of the club. A somewhat
similar custom is in vogue at the rooms
of the Riding club, and there, too, it has
met with favor. Although the fact is
not generally lnown, proposition to
buy the house on Twenty-frst. street,
next to the Dix property, on which the
annex to the Union club is now build
ing, and to fit it up for the use of the
wives and daughters of the Union club
men, was broached at the time of the
Union clubs acquisition of the Dix prop
erty. - ~-~.---
The proposition did not go through, to
be sure, but the mere fact that it was
made in so conservative a club as the
Union club shows the hold which the
innovation introduced by the Somerset
club has taken ON club men. That it will
be generally adopted by the better class
of social clubs before many years there
can be little doubt. And that it will tend
to mitigate the asperity with which
the feminine sex regards the clubs to
which their husbands and brothers be-
long there can be less Goubt.-New York
Sun. --e'