, 1891-08-06
4
CLUBS FOR THE FAIR SEX
THE WORLD AT THE FEET OF THE
MODERN WOMAN.

an -Admlrable One-The Club a Great
Help in Her Progress.
Copyright. 1921, by American Press Associa-
toni
Times have changed since women
were shut up in their homes spinning
and weaving, picking and preserving,
brewing and baking from one years end
to another, each woman by herself, with
no time or thought for interests outside
her door. Steam and iron have
stolen her work out of her hands; and,
is more potent still, ideas have
crept into her secluded life, opened her
eyes, loosened the chains of custom that
bound her, and now at last the door
stands wide open. and all the world lies
at her feet.
In the outside world as well as within
her walls changes ave come. Latch
after latch mas lifted at her touch-the
higher schools, the colleges, the pro-
fessions; hardly n bolt has been found
SO rusty or SO antiquated that her slight
fingers have not drawn it aside, till she
is free to &c her way in the world to
learn and to grow broad beside her
brother.
No lack of work awaits her, and work
without urgent, life sapping toll Her
heart is full of sympathy. her brain is
quick and wise in administration, her
hands are eager for all loving offices,
and she is fast settling t o a larger share
of the worlds work.
But not all that she finds in the world
is drudgery, or perhaps more correctly
she has a way of hiding her labor with
flowers that takes away its severity, and
gives the hardest effort the appearance
of a pleasure. Such are cunning devices
Of social intercourse and light refresh
ment to give n festive air to earnest com
mittee work, entertainment of music
and recitation to make palatable earnest
discussion of vital questions, pleasant
picnic excursions to soften necessary yet
unattractive visits. In every case the
work is accomplished, and generally ina
satisfactory manner, but it has been done
in the woman's way of making it as
little repulsive as possible, and she has
had a good time meanwhile.
There is a curious popularity about
women's good times among themselves.
They are almost invariably a combine
ton of work and play. The ~liveliest and
gayest occasion has usually its accom-
panying serious purpose-a study to be
carried on, exercises for intellectual
growth, practice in music or art, or some
philanthropic effort underlies the appar-
emily mere social meeting, which, not
apparently only, but really, all enjoy
highly. Indeed, it is proverbial among
themselves that one can get a party of
women together for a mere good time.
Some purpose of improvement or use
must be the magnet to draw.
First, and perhaps the most obvious
association just at present, is in wom-
ems clubs. These organizations, I'M
known a few years ago,a are springing up
on every hand with marvellous rapidity.
Scarcely a Soman who visits a club in
another town and notes the combine
ton of benefits there enjoyed but goes
home and establishes one in her own.
The moment her prejudice against the
name is overcome she sees the immense
advantages it offers in several directions,
for the club is not for mere pleasure. II
always has m earnest aim. This may
be mental training or some special form
of philanthropy Gin the broad sense. 1t
may be n particular line of work or sim
ply general intellectual culture. The
potency of these associations in broaden
ing, enlightening, uplifting and uniting
its members is inestimable. / have yet
to hear of a single club that has not
been an unmitigated benefit to the indi-
viduals and to the community in which
it flourishes.
There are several varieties of clubs,
from the thoroughly and infinitely or
ganized society with a full set of officers,
frequently more than twenty, down to
the informal society with no permanent
officers whatever. Each is good in its
place, but the size has a good deal to do
in deciding which plan is best to adopt.
The question of luncheon makes an
other division in clubs. In n large city
like New York, where many members
live in suburban towns, luncheon is a
necessity, and has proved to be an ex-
c~eedingly pleasant feature, adding n So
cial element that these associations
sometimes lack. The New York socie-
ties meet in private parlors of some hotel
or large restaurant accustomed to enter
tanning parties, and the luncheon is fur
nished by the proprietor. This is the
easier way, but some clubs prefer to
have 1t served in their own rooms by a
caterer or housekeeper.
One of the most delightful clubs |
know has its luncheon on the picnic plan.
Each lady carries what is called a "box
lunch" or provision for herself and her
guest If she has one, the society furnish
ing hot coffee and tea. One great pleas
ure of the club is its infcrmality, and
nothing can be more entirely u%nconven-
tional and social than the box lunch"
The craze of the age-in woman's
worlds for mental improvement. AL
most every woman in our cities, where
enlightenment and growth come earliest,
is engaged in study. Glasses for acquir-
ing languages or for practiciug them;
for the study of history, ethics, science,
political economy or the science of gov.
eminent; for clearing away the clouds
about Browning's verse, u%uraveling the
inner meanings of Dante's great poem
and for ferreting out the true signiti
cance of Shakespeare's conundrums
even for the study of the laws regarding
women and property and for the prac
tice of parliamentary usage-all these
are common.
Nor do these exhaust the list, which is
exceedingly interesting. as showing how
our thoughts are tending. There are
classes in some of the larger cities where
women too busy or too indolent to read
for themselves are taught topics for con
versation, the news of the day in litera
tnre and science; the latest d%iscnyeri--
A Little Girls Experience in a Lighthouse.
Mr.. and Mrs. Loren Prescott are keep
ers OF the Government lighthouse on
Sand Beach, Mich, and Hare blessed with
" Al