Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-12-09
FOR WORKING GIRLS.
THEIR CLUBS HELP YOUNG WOMEN
TO IMPROVE THEIR LOT.

The Prsnespiss Upon which An ..werk-
ting GIrIs'" Societies Are Bails-or-
xAnsxatssun That Have Done q Great
Deal TO Make Women Independent.
Miss Grace H. Dodge. who first thought
81 the Working Girls club. and who has 10
xealously and helpfully lent her co-op~rA
tion from the beginning. has kindly con
scented to state the aims and endeavor~ Of
the members and does NO In these worls:
Firt-C Consider just what clubs name
~, an organization formed among busy
women and girls to secure by cooperation
means OF self Improvement. opportunities
for social intercourse and the development
OF higher. nobler aims. Seccnd--That Il In
governed by the members for the niemhers
Third-That II strives 10 he self supporting.
IL In not charitable society. Il isa co
operative rather than philanthropic or
ganization. Methods that are usually
adopted 10 start charitable and philanthropy
ic movements cannot I've carried out when
q Working Girls' club Is planned
A neighborhood or city club, OF either
men or women. II started by u few who de-
eide that the establishment of such club
would he desirable for social or literary
rcslsons. Then others are consulted. coli.
situations and bylaws adopted, a comnlitt-e
ON roons or location appointed. and their
report acted upon by the club. Other com
mittees follow on furnishing. house rules.
hnanceS etc. all the members OF the com
mittees being chosen from among those
who ARE toutilize or have part In the house.
rooms or meetings. Fee and dues are
voted upon and other club affairs system-
affixed.
II the house or rooms are 20 he bought.
built or leased. capital must often he oh
tained. aud this is loaned ON interest or
raised among the members. Those with
large incomes feel IL privilege TO give
more than the others, who perhaps give
time. talent or effort worth morr than the
money. Outsiders are not admitted to
these deliberations, but after the club Is
located. rooms furnished and all Ia run
ming order reception II held. when each
club member IN privileged To invite given
number OF guests. and from these new
members are obtained and fresh interest
aroused.
HOW CLUB rs STARTED
A similar plan IN followed In starting n
Working Girls society OF club. II IL IL In
tended TO he founded upon the principles Of
cooperation. self government and self sup
port. Working girls cannot he forced into
club organized In their interests amy
more than any other people can be driven
into "A social club. They wish to know
their proposed leaders, and here friendship
must I've at the root of the matter. To
guari against the springing up OF cliques
IL IL well to have the early members repre-
sent different occupations. Women Of
leisure. teachers. sp,leswonien. clerks, stem
ographers. dressSmakers and mill and fac
tory employees-if at the start there IL n
mingling Of these each will bring In
friends, and n sisterhood Of women will be
the result. all interested In mutual aims
but coming from different surroundings.
The importance Of impressing on members
their individual responsibility to the club
cannot be too strongly urged
In Europe n working girls club could
not be started because the principles OF or
ganization are not comprehendesl as yet.
In this country organization II understood
because wage earning women breathe the
air Of se.f government. The class OF girls
that come into the clubs are women who
are accustomed to join other forms Of or,
ganizatiotI, such ~ benefit societies. lodges
etc. There are in this city an enormous
number Of wage earning women, perhaps
SO,nn or 40OO. who belong to the womeu's
branches o. the Freempsons' organizations
and other societies and In these they have
already learned something about the bene-
fits Of associations.
The clubs are giving TO girls mn oppor-
tunity, and are doing for one class what
Sorusis, the Woman's Press club. the
"Wednesday Afternoon club. etc. ARE doing
for other. People say, why do you give
II the name Of the Working Glrls' clubs'
We want 10 dignity the name Of working
girl"
soAE OBJECTIONS ANSWERED
The public should know what Intelligent
and enlightened girls belong to our clubs.
There IL the '-uther side however. l4alor
organizations say. I'VE arr opposed TO yon
because you ARE making working girls
satisfied with their lot" but Is there amy
thing to regret In thati
When people say we do not touch the
class Of girls that most need help feel
quarrelsome. Where are theyf We have
girls belonging 70 our clubs who earn but
q week, girls who work for sweaters. .
and who do the humbleSt kind OF factory
work. and yet we ARE told we do not reach
the really poor girl. | received a miserable
anonymous letter two or three days ago,
10 better purposes than to New Years
parties ut the Madison Square garden.
People talk OF t.-.n2s they know nothing
about. The club girls know the secret Of
the New Years party expenditures. and II
they ere satisfied everybody else should he
The principles Of our movement arr peue-
trating everywhere. and can any one say
that the results are not goodt
am asked by what right am mem
Der OF the Working Girls' club, and why
Mrs Richard Irwin and other, are admit
ted. The club girls settled that question
themselves one evening NJ discussion. II
was decided that Mrs. Richard Irwin and
others were working women, but they
might be said to Ice working with money.
not for money. IL IL not question Of dol
lara and cents. or Of the Kind OF work. One
member may lie just as busy keeping house
for her mother ~ another girl n In q shop.
and II was thoroughly agreed that both
Lave an equal right OF membership. A.
matter Of fact ! have no more voice In the
Thirty eighth Street club than the young.
est cash giri.-New York Triluna
Women of Chilli