Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-11-20
THE CIVITAS CLUB.
s,tfssiiye and Clever Work Of Brook.
Ign Bellies.
8 MUNICIPAL REFoRMERs.
,,o society Girls Of Zig City Serve
the Cause without Feeling the
Need of Ballot.
ocorre.ponacnoe OF the pispa,ch)

correspondence OF the Dspa'ch)
NV YORK. November lT.--prompted
spir,, OF ri1cole, OF desire TO know
Inch IS strenuously withheld. much
-, has been manifested. and many
-.,.,cs written. upon the Civltas Club
q brooklyn.
,-t, girls who constitute this club were
,..,trrs OF conservative parents. ana
...s,l 10 avoid. rather than TO seek.
.~,.,y. believing that the ends they
60. s,uci to accomplish might be bet
80 ..r.rci by moving In quiet manner
a.r than by procla,ming their pur-
$780,. broad with flourish OF trumpets-
,scy calmly went on in their we'll
,..1 way. refusing to talk Of their aims.
... ie.luing all invitations to have their
.t.,.srsphs appear in the papers. The
....u Of this policy has been that the
r.,tts club stands to-day. firmly
....~le1. body OF 175 young women
LAX whose example has been emu
t.,.! or the desire 10 do so evinced. ty
g.. women Of other cities. Letters from
...-v quarters asking for Information
... INSTANTLY received from those &C.
-s ~ organizing In a Ike manner.
,~r IL IS In response 10 these letters
show the purpose IN organizing The
Esd. and the methods adopted-that TINS
.-..I. Us now written.
THE CLUBS BEGINNING.
r.-, IAN a great political wave swept
,..- brooklyn. \ political meeting WAS
.rl bv the Womans Health Proiec-
t.. Association. at which 800 representa-
... women were present
strong desire was expressed 10 see
,..lr city purified, and their own influence
,.s voted on the side OF good government.
..,.. az the daughters Of the women were
....ut and II was the casual remark OF
...r ,h,re girls that led to the forming
tr, Ciyitas club. "lntcrcstedY' she al
,r.arI replied. in answer 10 question
o., % her, II should say that | was.
..t,i - get mp and make a speech
,....,f" This remark was overheard by
, woman who had long believed that the
..tv rlrl possessed taient-power oil
...- n.msnt: that, backed by her posi-
,- influence. cultivation. wealth. ana
.,v. that power should be llmitless.
..l .hr determined TO give her chance
>h. -ppt out printed invitations to
r.-af.r Of Brooklyn girls. inviting them
m The subject being: How Girls In
-...y can Exert An Influence For the
,,.i UpNnlng Of Their city" Speeches
y.,. mad. by several Of the older wo-
man. in which the girls We're appealed TO
tu.. their power. politically and morally,
fr iho good OF the city.
PURPOSES OF THE MOVEMENT
rl- idea was not for women to 20 into
-.ntlce. but 10 inform thomselves in
,..-.utly on matters that so nearly al
fct.i them.
70 WIS an appeal To them TO live for
thing besides pleasure-an earnest
,4.rt u incite them towards develop
r.lt and growth along lines entirely
ra The girl who said that she would
Ola. 90 make a speech rose to her feet.
ami with glowing checks offered her
maiden effort. She thanked the women
Or the interest shown. and said that
sr-. for one, was ready 10 respond. Her
..saee inspired others. and club was
o,eiriZci. the hostess appointing Inc
Young lady who had spoken as president
I'm others as Vlce-president, treasurer,
AMI secretary. and the possibilities OF the
dub were considered The name OF Civi-
tbs was adopted, and the ultimate Oh,
jet Of the club was 70 be for the 6oou
r the city. IL was agreed that the Erss
var would be purely educauonaI' anu
ant once n month the club should nave
,.r,,ninen. man address them in some
arm Of municipal life; that meetings
.r.-.l he held every alternate Two
,-..t.. al which papers should be read'
written hy the girls themselves, either
y-.u some municipal topic, or a question
d.. ~. day. The invitations sent out
w0re AS follows:
won are cordially invited to become a
member Il the Civitas Club. The Cd
t.. " the club viii be to awaken an IN
,r... 80 matters pertaining to our mu-
r.rs! welfare and to foster all move
m.ats within the circle OF its influence
which have for their end the improve
,...t of any phase Of city life"
Tt. subjects selected for study were:
rIa.lton In our city; art advantages
~ OUR city; the newspapers OF BROOKLYN
,t. .ni.sements Of Brooklyn; the govern
f..at ana courts of Brooklyn; the
r,ulnthroplc societies and hospitals Oh
Ir.0klvn: the prisons and reformatorieS
o. Brooklyn. etc.
DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY.
!, WAS not an easy matter TO organize
gs.....Gllv. Like all novel movements.
gu. club had TO combat opposition anu
Dtrsitl0n taking a form that Is hafuest
.. boar riliculc, and the movement would
,.,, come 20 naught but for the earnest
r... ~ the senior director. the woman
r., had originated the idea. Not only
v,r. the icsts Of brothers and the SATIRE
" club men 70 be borne. but in many
Gases the girls themselves had 10 be
"tIk.l over"
The officers said that they would be
sau-ieI II they started with fifty mem
t.,s. hut 20 their establishment, the en-
r.m,ut at the first meeting showed ~
r.mt-. OF the owners of these names,
h- sun. in a witty article, said that
l' ~ them were pretty, and added that
OIL. rrctu'r the girl. the less she knew
.t.lt politics Exception was taken to
o. fact that she went 10 the meeting
D.. h,r own carriage and wore fine frocks.
i.t she ought not to have been blamed
20 that. She didn't possess anything
t..t 10 was Thought best 10 limit the
81 mhcrehip TO 10. as body OF that num-
..r would have greater union, therefore
rr alter heXibnity ana power Ten mem
l,u. appointed each time by two direc-
trs. receive and usher at the meet
ir-s appearing without hats, and acting
.- host,sses. This gives 10 the cup
Social atmosphere, and is the means OF
bringing together different members hith-
trto not acquainted.
Among the distinguished men who ad-
dressed the club were the Hon. ST Clalr
~ kelway editor Of the Brooklyn b@s'e'
N- Norman L. Slike. popular YOUNG
c'4h-man. Just elected supervisor, VINO eA-
Iaued fully the method of voting anu
me Hon. Stewart l.. Woodtord. VIM
also spoke on municipal affairs. During
Lent. the Rev. W. j. Kainsford, ID, d.
came and talked upon practical fhilan-
Trophy in Large Cities" and the last
public meeting was addressed by the Hon,
Frederick W. Hinrichs. who endeaNoreu
10 explain the intricacies of the tarin'
In practical york the ciub from NS
funds. has supported Red-Cross nurse
during the summer months In the tehe-
ment-house district. and Is undertaking
aad VIII conduct experiinentaily LOT
year work among incapable childreh
al the Kings County Hospital in BROOK
Ign.
While many OF the members mus Iar
have been passive ones. others 70 Whoii.
such work was new. have studied anu
written. and II Is hoped another year. ny
means OF appointing committees 10 con
vert the whole into an active, WORKING
body. That the girls have responded so