The Washington times., 1894-04-04
The Foundation of
Working-Girls' Clubs

A group Of members of the first New York
Working Girls Society were discussing their
club life. Said one: ~ have been trying for
week to describe our club, but have given
up in despair, and told my friends they must
come up and see for themselves" Another
replied: ''Yes, know, for one cannot talk
about this living, this life of ours-for 1t
means more than words can express" An
early member said: 81 am so troubled, for
people misunderstood and do not grasp what
we mean by a working-girls' club. 1t is not
an institution, and yet there are many So
called working-girls' clubs that are institu-
tions. I just wish that we could patent what
the Thirty-eighth Street Working Girls Club
means or is to u.s." "We never can do that, !"
a fourth broke in, "but we can talk, explain,
and then must quietly bear what is SO hard,
namely, to hear clubs called working-girls'
societies, when they are not what we mean by
that term. There are institutions, such as
Young Women's Christian Associations,
church clubs, and other organizations man
aged from without the membership and We
want such in all our cities. Here are trade
and industrial classes, so valuable to women:
here are large libraries, employment
agencies" etc.
The talk went on, and suddenly one asked:
"Just what do we mean by a club-bow can
We define ourselves? Many spoke out, and
from the confusion the following ideas were
culled:
A club is cooperation in its truest sense, a
self-governing and self-sustaining body. 1t
cannot be forced, but must grow naturally
from within. 1t represents ''We," "Us;" no
''Is'' or "Yous." 1t is home lite created by
many combining together to secure an even
ing gathering place. In the club. members
with brains and ability are recognized, their
influence felt, and they are elected to Office
and appointed to serve on committees. Such
officers or committee members may be busy
during the day at home, machine, school,
Office sewing. behind a counter, or they may
be those who have received their wages in ad-
vance through the work of others, and are
called women of leisure. True club members
are unsefish and forgetful of personal inter-
ests in the welfare of the whole. The club is
a place where the social element is developed,
where educational advantages are introduced
that could come into home,
such as simple physical culture,
dressmaking. millinery. and cooking classes;
groups form for sewing, embroidery training
in care of invalids. Clever women come to
give lectures or talks on health, travels,
books. A woman physician is engaged
weekly to advise with the members. Every
one has place and a work. The jolly young
girl is needed to bring out the fun and life;
the older one with weight of care is needed
to advise and restrain. The member who
knows how to play or sing gives her musical
powers. The one who has Travelled tells of
her experiences, while the puhlic-school
teacher cares for books, instructs in letter
writing or accounts.
During the past ten years this club move
ment for women and girls has been slowly
growing, until its influence has permeated all
over the country. just what does il mean,
and what is its power? When the women
form clubs for morning or afternoon meetings,
it is said that the organizations gives oppor-
tunity to married women to go to college. as
the lectures, papers. and discussions bring
broad education. When busy young woman
workers form clubs it gives them opportuni-
ties to go again to school, but 1t does far more
than that. Many gay, frivolous girls or SELF
centered women have gained in clubs a more
serious way Of looking at life, hundreds of
stolid. Indifferent girls have walked up into
animation and new purpose, while as many
more morbid. reserved girls have been won
by friendship and bright companionship into
new life.
But the clubs are doing still more. Mr.
Wadlin, chief of the Massachusetts bureau of
statistics Of labor, speaking of the fact that
women can earn so much less than men, has
four remedies: First, organization;
second. training; third. further advance into
higher and skilled professions: fourth, gen.
eral advance in the scale of living. Thought
ful men and women who have studied the CO.
operative, self-governing, self-reliant clubs
feel that in all the above directions they have
A great influence. A training is given in par
liamentary law; an individual reliance is de-
veloped; q realization that one must work for
results and not obtain them easily: an ambi-
ion to grasp opportunities aroused. resulting
n education and mental growth; a trainiHg &
n how to introduce household and social in
lovations which make homes brighter and
happier.
As for the questions, How could we start
society? How much does it cost? 1t may be |
that there can be no general rule or
,ost. Conditions and circumstances differ.
Evolution on friendship lines is the wisest |
method. That is growth from a group of |
riends. many of whom are wage earners.
When this is not possible, then the same plans |
must be adopted for starting a workIng-girls' |
hub on cooperative lines as for any mans or |
club. That is. let one or two |
conceive the idea and become strongly desir- |
,us to establish society in certain locality. |
These may be women Of leisure, with time |
md brains to work out the idea. They con-
uit with a few others, especially with girls |
'usy in different lines OF occupation.
As the proposed movement is to be work |
ng-girs' society, these originators should be |
'oung, or, ii the thought begins with older
aides, they should pass the idea on to the |
ounger women. Working-girls cannot be |
orced into a club organized in their interests
ny more than other people can be driven |
nto social club. They wish to know their
roposed leaders. and therefore friendship |
must be at the root of the matter. Several |
mali meetings should be held. having the
omes of the proposed members OF some room