St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1895-04-12
A STATE FEDERATION.
An OhioiaI Account of the Federation of
WOman's Clubs.

mans Clubs in Vermont similar to
declarations existing in other states.
The subject is one almost wholly un-
known to Vermonters, the st. Johns
bury Woman's Club being the only
one in the state belonging to the
General Federation. The following
article published in the Cycle" the
official organ of federation clubs. and
written by Mrs. Henrotin Of Chicago,
the president of the General Fedora
ton of Women's Clubs, explains the
aim and use of such organizations:
This short leafet has been prepared
to answer the many inquiries IN re-
gard to the General Federation, and
also as to the benefits to be derived
from membership in that body.
The General Federation now num-
bers four hundred and ten individual
Clubs and the State Federations of
Maine, Massachusetts, Iowa, Illinois,
Ohio, Kentucky, New Jersey, New
York, Nebraska, Utah, and others in
process of organization. Six years
ago the General Federation was
formed, and two biennials have been
held, one at Chicago in 1892, and
one at Philadelphia in 1894. The
next will be held at Louisville in
1896. The growth of the Federation
has been phenomenal, and every
State in the Union has a Chairman
of State Correspondence, to represent
the interests of the General Fedora
ton to the Women's Clubs of the
States. About three years ago the
movement toward State Federation
was inaugurated. The benefits to be
derived from Federation are very
great and, as no movement is inter
esting or useful unless it has an I'M
DERIVING philosophy, the underlying
philosophy of the Federation is that
of voluntary cooperation of intel
lectual, social, and moral forces for
the benefit of humanity.
Nothing exempli6es more clearly
the tendency of modern civilization
than the growth OF the organization
idea. Society is realizing that only
through unity of organization can
civilization be perfected and the ideal
life of the community attained. The
Women's Club movement originated
along the best and most practical
lines. Women in the past had lived
solitary lives, mingling but rarely in
the life of the community, and as
society commenced the process OF
Capitalization and modern industrial
life emphasized that tendency, women,
through an instinct of self.preserva-
ton. began to form organizations,
and wisely elected oinaugurate their
entrance into social and industrial
life by studying history and social
economics, thus preparing themselves
to speak intelligently on the ques
tions of the day, and also exemplity
ing the Importance of intellectual
culture. The social relationships
then inaugurated were of incalcula
BILE benefit to the members of thu
Clubs; women of like tastes wer,
brought into closer relationship il
non-sectarian and non-partisai
work. Each woman, member OF ;
Club, learned to listen with respec
to the opinion of Others, and 20 ex
press her own with courage anl
courtesy, and the result of this train
ing was well exemplitied in the sue
cess OF the women taking part in TIT
Columbian Exposition and in TIT
congresses. They were able to lister
to the most adverse opinions, an(
even criticisms, with equanimity.
The women who now enter the lit,
of the world are proving themselves
entirely equal to the OCCASION Thi
would have been impossible had i
. not been for the training they hat
received in the Women's Clubs.
The General Federation does 70
the individual Club what the Clul
, does for the individual member.
introduces the Club into the life O
the great whole, and the inspiration
= from comparison of methods of worl
and the larger outlook and friendl,
relations which it establishes becom
most potent factors of life.
The growth of the General Fedora
: ton and the large number OF Club
: joining it demonstrate that Women
4 Clubs are passing out of that phas
l of development of which exclusive
ness is a part, and are entering int
r the wider one of being willing t
/ share with many the privileges ant
: blessings hitherto accorded to tn
/ few. More and more the Women
+ Clubs are ceasing to work for on
J sex, or tor one class of people, but ar
? endeavoring to arouse in each com
r munity an abiding interest, not alon
t in it's culture, but in it's humanity.
G Thus the Clubs are brought int
close communion; and to the Stat
Y Federations which have been formed
the General Federationis as necessar
, as to the individual Club. The cour
3 try is now so large that it would b
impossible to form just estimate c
!, it's needs and the work to be accom-
v pished did not the General Feders
S ton exist, in order that once in tw
years the women of the country coul
c meet together, represented by thei
delegates from the different Clubs