Omaha daily bee., 1895-05-01
WHAT DOES 1T MEAN

omitted or cursOrlly mentioned.
WHAT DOES 1T MEAN?
Is the woman's Club "a Factor in the Indif-
ference to Philanthropic Efforts?
My Dear Mrs. Ford-Yesterday l was in
vted to a meeting of the Woman's club. The
room, with a capacity of 400, was crowded
with intelligent and earnest women. They
gave the entire afternoon to the service and
the pleasures OF the club, and l am told that
they will each spend several hours this week
in committee or department work, and study
Today / have attended the monthly meeting
of the oldest philanthropic association Of
women in the city. There were twelve pres
ent. They were all oyerworked women, and
so busy that after a new and important
branch Of the work had been decided upon,
it was found impossible to get committee
to carry 1t on.
The contrast between these two occasions
was somewhat startling to me. large share
Of the philanthropic, charitable, and church
work of our city must be done by women,
and the number engaged in these branches
of work Is far too small already. Is there
not danger that the Woman's club will alb
sorb more than its share of time and strength
and that in our warm appreciation of its
pleasure and opportunities, we shall fail to
hear our call to a more distinctive ministry
to others. Sincerely Yours,
The question asked in this letter was
handed to several women. The following are
their answers to it.
We are aware that there is constantly, in
the natural world,ha vast amount of latent
power, and we regard Him who has found a
way to change this into a sensible power as
a benefactor.
Does the Woman's club do this in the
moral world? IL
If it does, and If it 'atkorbs all the strength
of energy it develops, then IT has within it
the germs of decay, and will soon cease to be.
If, on the other hand ii develops more energy
than it absorbs, and reveals to the individual
and the club power where its presence is
unsuspected, is not the church and the world
the gamer?
Not long ago, in a; church of this city,
while missionary committee was discussing
it's plan of work. a looker-on said: This is
a WomanIs club AFFAIR." -,~d1 o.. f-.r
A smile went round, when 1t was observed
that each of this committee of nine was
member of the Woman's club.
1t is generally conceded that to insure
success we must have skilled workmen.
Hence we have schools for training nurses
teachers, soldiers, physicians, ETC.. Now the
club not only develops power, but trains
the individual in the best use of it. When
by contact with its large membership her
angles have become less acute, and she has
learned, aftsr her pet scheme has failed to
carry, to submit gracefully to the will of
the majority is she not more valuable to
the smaller organization 10 Whlch she may
belong?
The club strengthens the idea of unity in
church and phanthropc work, by showing
that the success of each department is the
success of the whole.
1t seems impossible to estimate its power
fo- good in a community when we consider
how many, disheartened by failure in some
smaller field, have been inspired to renewed
effort by the helpful words and warm sym
pathy of those who are strong, ito touch life
with an upward impulse" S. r. ID.
No person who has been actively interested
in charitable or phlanthropc work can deny
the facts stated in the above letter. We have
all felt but too keenly the weakness and
comparative nefficiency caused by small num-
bers and consequent lack Of enthusiasm.
1t cannot be denied that large number
of women follow the fashions in their social
and church affiliations, and in their philan-
thropics as well. A certain mission" or
charity" becomes as truly fad as a new
cut Of sleeve or skirt or a peculiar shade
in silk or velvet
1t must be admitted, too, that despite the
concession that altruism is a natural and
prime constituent Of woman's nature, too
many women bound the sphere of their al
truistc efforts by home or family lines.
Those who see further and are intelligently
convinced that no sphere less than Gods
world should satisfy American women must
leave apparently unheeded the most impera-
tive calls the most pteous cries for help,
because they are SO few that time and
strength fail to meet the demand.
However, one who views the club as an
outsider because other calls have been more
imperative believes that the cause of this
apparent Indifference is further to seek than
in the Womans club. Further she believes
that the tendency Of the club is in the other
direction, because a woman can hardly have
her horizon enlarged without a broadening
of her sympathies and desire to enter in
and possess the new territory, in the way
peculiar to her sex.
said apparent indifference advisedly, be
cause ] do not believe it to be real, and as
far as it exists it's cause is not far to seek
"In union there is Strength" always. II
women were united for the purpose Of phi
lanthropc charitable lind church work as
for the self-culture witch is more distinctively
the end of the club organization, their power
would be irresstible But social and espe-
cially denominational differences separate
them into multitude 81 small and compara-
lively weak organizations, eXpending a large
part of their strength they have to maintain
the struggle for eXlstehce and having COM
paratively little to devote to the cause which
they are organized to promote.
But the processes, OF evolution are at work
as continuously in the social as in the
biological world. The bnly difference lies in
the fact that in the former man has larger
opportunity 10 help tVh tue progress Dy In
telligent and voluntary selection.
1t will be well for individuals and organ
izatons, who feel that they are being crowded
under in the great life struggle, to study
the principles that underlie the success Of
their more fortunate neighbors and instead
Of inyeghing against them, adopt them.
viii 1t not be well when our religious and
philanthropic bodies accept and incorporate
the principles of our body politic-"Unitel
we stand, divided we fall"
MARY DE VOLL.
Do womens clubs interfere with philan-
| thropic or missionary work? In my judg-
ment, No. because club life teaches inexperi-
enced people to think independently and to
work unitedly. Most womens clubs have
been formed within ten, and nearly all within
| twenty years, but philanthropic and mission
/ arv work has also Increased In that time