, 1890-12-14
CLUB OF THE FUTURE
KATE FIELDS IDEA OF AN ORGAN
IZATIoN FOR BOTH SEXES.


The Necessity of such an Institution.
Reasons Why Women SHOULD Enjoy the
BENEFITS of Club Life As Wen Rs Men.
Life VIII BE P~IeAsauter for All.
Some Of us were startled n while ago
by reading that certain New York wom-
On had founded a woman's club. ] was
very glad 10 learn of the innovation, and
have been fighting in its defense private
" ever since, as the idea seems to be par
ticularly obnoxious 10 the average intel
lect Why should there not be clubs
not for men only nor for women only.
but for men and women, which could
become social centers in the elongated
babel Of New York; Only the very
wealthy can now afford to entertain.
Well 10 do intelligence starves Tor lack
Of = natural interchange Of ideas and
sympathies. Occasional theatre parties
and suppcrs, while significantly eTpen-
sive. no more nUurish healthy friend
ships than lightning nourishcs the grow
ing grass.
Confne the healthy ebullitiou Of social
instinct, and explosion eusues, If women
are to be helumates 20 their husbands, If
they are 30 be wise mothers, they must
know the real world by actual contact.
Without freedom there Is no intelligent
virtue. Many a man, from inherited
habits Of thought, entertains oriental
ideas without knowing it.
FEArUREs or THE CLUE
Rank treason, ! dare say. Hence | am
prepared for many % feminine shrek u
disgust. for the howl that viii rend
.-.-H. -. g. d. H.
viii sit upon many a manly couute-
nance, for the anathemns against the
unsexing VI the sex that viii proceed
from many a manly tongue; but howl,
scorn and anathema are not argument,
and argument is what 1 want.
Women require relaxation as well "a
men: women need the friction Of intel
ligent minds more than men. for tine
reason that their lives are more secluded.
women, especially those who live in the
suburbs, need a place Of rendezvous
where they can read papers and maya
zines and encounter their friends I'M
tremendously. More particularly do
they need a restaurant where they can
obtain palatahle meals for reasonable
prices, and where they can invite friends
to breakfast. lunch or dine without max
ing great inroads upon their purses.
Year by year the army Of professional
women increases. All Of these women
are more or less clever; few are blessed
with fortunes. All feel the necessity of
club. but 10 start one is not feasible.
What is less impossible and more nat,
urRl is such an addition to the present
system as will give women all they de
sire without depriving men Of their in
RlienAble right to smoke, drink and wear
their heels higher Thar their heads.
Avivid imagination can picture a club,
consisting Of two or more houses, with
rooms exclusively for men, rooms eN-
~clusiyely for women, n general reading
room and restaurant, private dining
rooms and general reception rooms,
IT Is COMING.
Men who hate women and women who
hate men need never encounter one an
other, while men and women who be
lieve lat two halves make "A whole could
exceed the Century club of New York in
the brilliancy of their Saturday nights.
Society is becoming more and moro com
plex. and today there is far less chance
of clever men and women meeting in
big American towns than there is in
London, because people in this country
rarely have leisure, u
Unless they xte themselves upotpl(
dinner &dk~ewing besidse}
..s ssss.s's.:j11rx49.{t&63&S
assss- assssS 81 19sf q
'e&evmx}fa rfehtffe season without an In
at~erchahge o. ideas with their best
friends.
C---H. ali eL.. ALaWaaN GVV.Ha.
women know that on a given night in
the week they are almost certain to EN-.
counter not one but many male friends,
who are things Of beauty and joys for
ever; suppose men know that on this
same evening they are sure Of seeing
many women who are never at home
when they find time to call; how simpli-
fed society becomes! And where is the
unwomanliness of this proposal?
In the club Of tho future only such
persons will bo admitted as are in the.
habit of behaving like ladies and gentle
men. ! fail to perceive why men and
women Of acknowledged position and
intelligence, who conduct themselves
properly in drawing rooms and public
balls, should become transformed by
occasional contact at clubs.
In all probability the club Of the tut-
ure will not be born during the reign Of
the present generation, but that society
win eventually resort 10 some such de-
vice as ! have suggested is as certain as
that lunches and > o'clock teas are death
TO digestion and impossible for workers.
Kate Fields Washington
Wonderful Picture.
Directly after the great Johnstown
food, some time during June, at any