Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-03-24

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
Mss Dodge gives a very interesting
report Of ONE Of the work done il. the
past six years. and OF the various ways
in which the work has developed. One
outgrowth IS the ehildren's dressmak-
ing company. organized a little over
year ago with capital of $1,000 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 70 be
nearly doubled and the capital increas-
ed The profits of the company are to
be shared by the stockholders and en-
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 1,94L 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 a member
An initiation fee of fifty cents is charg-
ed and the dues are twenty-five cents
each month. In case OF illness mem
Ia Il l. - J.
six consecutive weeks in one year and
any member who has paid her dues for
five years from the date of becoming a
member, and has received no benefits,
is paid the aggregate am unit 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 yea, 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 a home"
What is required TO make a useful
life?" Competition between men and
women in business" do we educate
younger brothers. and howe" 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 a given time-say
three minutes out their thoughts
on a 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. "IthasSfilled a
longfelt want, in having a place to
spend a pleasant and profitable even
ing, at a 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;" I'll
has given me good education and a
great deal Of pleasure and good com
pany;" Club life is a most pleasant
feature in a working girls life--an ed
ucation on many useful and practical
subjects, and ut has elevated the
working class in the minds of the world
in general One small piece of paper
contained the word Everything"
which was evidently what one girl con
sidered was putting the matter in a nut
she'll
II am asked, says Miss Dodge, "by
what right am mem Der 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
question ii 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
1t was thoroughly agreed that both
have an equal right of membership. AS
matter of fact have no more voice
in the Thirty street club than
the yOunoeSt cash trir1 -