Huntsville gazette., 1892-02-20

pOrtunlt1eS, mental, moral ana pnySls
cal, of the individual working girl,
who IS able to earn her own living, but
unable, without com bining with other
girls, to obtain all that she desires be-
yond the necessaries of life"
Miss Dodge gives a very interesting
report of some of the work done in the
past six years, and of the various ways
in which the work has developed. One
outgrowth is the children's dreSsma ak
ing company, organized little over a
year ago with capital of $4,000, and
seventeen mem bers and two stockhold.
ers. The demand for the articles made
began almost at once, and within six
months the number employed had to be
nearly doubled, and the capital increas-
ed. The profits of the company are to
be shared by the stockholders and era
ployes, receiving each one-third, the
last third forming a sinking fund for
the enlargement of the business.
The Penny provident fund is consid.
cred one of the most valuable institu
tutions of the clubs. The deposits
made in one year by twelve members
alone amounted to S1,941. A mutual
benefit fund has also been established,
the object being to provide for the
members in case of illness or death.
Any working girl who is member in
good standing of one of the clubs OF
the association of working girls So
cieties is entitled to become member.
An initiation fee of fifty cents is charg-
ed and the dues are twenty-five cents
each month. In case of illness a men,
| ber is paid SIS week for not more than
six consecutive weeks in one year, and
any member who has paid her dues for
five years from the date of becoming
mem Der, and has received no benefits,
is paid the aggregate amount of such
dues.
''The Domestic Circle" is an outcome
of the girls club life. Many of the
members have been married during the
last six years, and these and others of
| their married friends have formed ''cir-
cles." They are designed to broaden
the ideas of the members, to educate in
home and household matters and to de-
velop cooperative measures. At the
meetings members and visitors bring
their babies and young children, toys
being provided for their amusement.
Topics selected by the girls themselves
for discussion during the present year
are: Selecting and furnishing home"
What is required to make useful
life?" Competition between men and
women in business" DO we educate
younger brothers, and how?" Are
women moral reformers?" abraham
Lincoln and his life and ''The friend
ships of two women contrasted." These
are selected at random from printed
list.
An occasional evening at Miss Dodge's
own club on Thirty-eighth street is
given to impromptu papers. The girls
all sit down and in given time-say
three minutes-write out their thoughts
on subject selected beforehand.
The scribbling is done on the paper on
which ribbon is rolled, it being re-
served by the girls for this purpose.
"What has club-life done for me?" was
one of the topics recently discussed,
and which brought out, among others,
the following answers: SIT has filed a
iong-felt want in having place to
spend pleasant and profitable even
ing, at small cost. Has also aided in
creating true and lasting friendships.
Has taught us to look for all that is
brightest and best in one another;" "It
has given me good education and a
great deal of pleasure and good COM
pany;" Club life is a most pleasant
feature in working girls life--an ed.
| rcaf,,l
subjects" and 1T has elevated the
working class in the minds of the world
in general" One small piece of paper
contained the word Every thing"
which was evidently what one girl con-
sidered was putting the matter in a nut
shell.
81 am asked" says Miss Dodge, 'by
what right l am a member of the work
ing girls club, and why Mrs Richard
Irwin and others are admitted. The
club girls settled that question them
selves one evening at discussion. 1t
was decided that Mrs. Richard Irwin
| and others were working women, but
they might be said to be working with
money, not for money. 1t is not u
question of dollars and cents, or of the
kind of work. One member may be
just as busy keeping house for her
mother as another girl is in shop, and
it was thoroughly agreed that both
have an equal right of membership. AS
matter of fact | have no more voice
in the Thirty y-eighth street club than
the youngest cash girl"
A Woman's Place.
A woman's place in the world is
measured by the space she can fill in
these days, and not estimated by the
most meagre corner in which she can
be crowded away from the light, her
inspiration stifed and her individuality
crushed. Her capacity has grown by
exercise and men under the stimulat-
ing power of her presence in every