Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-10-30
MISS FLErcHER,s ADDRESS

This looks like what public speakers call
"a good audience" You may not know
that there is great difference in audiences.
and sometimes one which at first sight
looks very interesting and intelligent
proves very difficult TO please, for the rea-
son that the people are not thinking with
the speaker We shall not have that diff
Guilty tonight, for we are all interestel in
the same subject. We all came here want
ing TO know more about the responsible
ties of club life. The meaning of the
word sponsibility-account for a trust
is just what We want here, and since we
are accountable for trust we need to
consider what We are trusted with. We
are first trusted with the outside reputa-
ton of the club We must make il es-
teemed by the townspeople as a live organ
ization, with an influence that tells on the
right side. You know some people will be
surprised If this club succeeds. We want
10 make those people and all others say
That club is a good thing" In this town
girls club, simply for the happiness and
improvement of its members, is a new
idea. Some one said to me the other day,
$50 you call it a club: | should suppose a
lady would have called it a society" He
had been very kind about the club but |
uate that it ought to have been called a la
dies society. thought we had right to
the word Club 1t is a good simple
word that means just what we want. and |
could think of no statute debarring us
from its use. Besides, | would rather be
called woman than a lady. 1t means
more. have seen many ladies whose ac-
quaintance | would not care to have but
the true woman is delight to all who
know her. | believe in women, and am
glad that we are women.
presume you have all heard of a great
many things that women can't do. They
say we can't carry an umbrella without
hitting everybody on the sidewalk. but
even if that is true it is not of much con-
sequence, as everybody understands il and
learns to keep out of the way. They saw
we cannot sharpen a pencil and don't
think we can sharpen pencil so that IL is
thing of beauty, but pencils are designed
for use rather than ornament. They saw
we cannot throw stone, which is quite
correct but, as the Vassar graduate said
that is simply because we haven't the
clayicle;' and the fact that we are physi-
cally incapable of tossing pebble where
we want 1t to go proves to my mind that
we have soul above pebbles and NAV do
cannot work together for a common cause.
but that has been proved mistake by the
W. c. I. u, which has a national influ-
ence, and by the Industrial union, which
never fails to be the right thing in every
town. 1t is true that women are not so
much inclined to concerted action as men
are, being, contrary to tradition, more re-
served and self-reliant, the very qualities.
however, that make woman useful i'm or
gained work, now that it has become the
fashion for her to organize. 1t has long
been said, with truth, that women are not
public-spirited and feel no responsibility
outside the narrow circle of their acauaint
ance, but in these days even little girls
don't like to be thought narrow or igno-
rant y little friend of mine has new
teacher at school who likes to interest the
children in public matters, and questions
them every day about what they have read
in the newspapers. My little friend was
greatly troubled because the boys ALWAYS
answered more questions than the girls.
but she said she was sure she could answer
as well as the boys if her mother would
only let her read the Boston Herald! |
sympathized with the child's wish to be
thought as Intelligent as boy, though |
ana not agree with her in depending upon
'Nc DS"'SAA AANi llltllldl ueNelOpnent,
There is no better broadening influence
for any woman than organized association
with other women, and work for and with
them. We organize for the sake of bring
ing together our best work and best ideas.
and the success of the club depends on our
hands and brains. Perhaps you think it is
rather hard TO say that the success of the
club depends on our brains. Maybe IL re-
minds some of us of the remarL, of the
young lady who became so tired of a GER
tain young mans attentions that she told
him she would be gratified if he would
thereafter ''stay at home nights and pray
for brains" We may feel like following
her advice, but l think if we go into club
work with the idea that our best is none
too good for the club, the club will surely
ind our best to be pretty good. And in
club work two and two are more than four.
We want a large membership. Marion