The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-26
Sosista Topics.

A1&4 IL l4SR[A5 2AA@A -
officers one month ago. The three year
term expired then and there was an en-
tire change of officers. There were those
who heartily d~isapproved of any change.
particularly in the presidential chair,
They thought no one could do the work
SO well as the little lady then occupying
that high office. Nothing but the asser-
tion by the little lady herself that with
the cares of the State Federation on her
shoulders she could not make room for the
Woman's Club, would nave prevented her
admirers-and they are legion-from set
ting aside the constitution and electing
her again.
1t happened that there were a few mem
bers of the club who believed in rotation
of office. These ladies argued that be-
cause no one else had had a chance to
show their powers it was no reason that
they had none. And when the decision
of the little lady was heard these ladies'
cast about for her successor. 1t was not
without a great deal of thought that
Mrs. John L. Scudder was nominated for
the presidency of the Woman's Club and
unanimously elected. Mrs. Scudder has
been familiar with the workings Of
women's clubs for some years. She has
frequently shown herself capable of
much good work in that direction. The
rotation supporters wished to find some
one under whom the club would not go
down, but would grow better. And they
chose Mrs. Scudder.
Now all the members of the Woman's
Club are on the qui vive. They are
anxious to know what use Mrs. Scudder
will make of the gavel. They want to
see if the meeting will go smoothly or
with bitches. 'sWil she preside as well,
or -?" is the question constantly asked.
Everyone argues that the new president
will have harder work at the meetings,
for the reason that some of the members
have been studying parliamentary law
and now know "a thing or two" In old
days there was no attempt to follow par
l~iamentary procedure. The president
ruled things in or out as her own sweet
will dictated. And the members, know
ing no better, accepted the decisions with
calmness. Now the majority of the mem
bers are provided with manuals of par
liamentary practice which they are study
ing hard, and they will not be so likely
to accept irregular decisions. They won't
attempt to lay a sentiment on the table
as they did at the last meeting and then
be troubled as to the proper way of taxi
ing it off. They won't allow people to
talk on some other question than the one
before them, and they won't entertain
three motions at one time. Mrs. Scud-
der's term of office will not b easy and
if h succeeds in getting through the
year creditably she will deserve the adj
miration of every woman in the club.
Next Thursday will probably be the
hardest day of the year. 1t will without
doubt be the most critical. The many
changes, which in all probability will be
made, will be discussed on all sides. The
day is in charge of the Educational Com
mittee. Superintendent Henry Snyder
viii address the club. He win speak of
the city schools and will also talk about
free kin~dergartens.
hat most entertaining of Lenten di-
v~ersions-the course of reading given by
Miss Carolyn A. Paddock-continues to
be d~eservedly popular. The number at
tending increases with each reading and
the only fault found is thai the readings
are too few. The young ladies will meet
next Thursday afternoon at the residence
of the Misses Hunt, No. 10 Belmont ave-
nue.. Miss Paddock will read from the
play THE Hunchback.' 1t was expected
that the last reading would be given at
the residence of Miss Cairns, where the
first was held. Mrs. Cairns has been i'll
and is unequal to the excitement incident
| when fifty girls gather together. The last
reading win for that reason be given at
the residence of Miss Clerihew. No.
2ss Grove street. Thursday afternoon,
April 5.
The Rambler Club had a most delight
full meeting Wednesday afternoon. The
subject was Anthony Hope and His
Works. but the interest of the afternoon
centred in a lesson Miss May Florence
Park gave on How to Study a Novel;
Miss Parks lesson was valuable. She
arranged the essentials of a good novel
in divisions and subdivisions and told
the Ramblers how to find them. Her short
lesson was worth more thai the ma
jority of lectures, filled as they are with
encyclopedia knowledge. The next meet
ing will be held April Z. 'sSidney Lanier,
Musician and Poet" will be the subject
discussed. Miss Amelia B. Meyers, who
leads the meeting, heard Mrs. Lanier
talk last summer about her husbands
works and she has been trying to per-
suade Mrs. Lanier to visit the Ramblers.
1t is probable that Mrs. Lanier will be
unable to come and in that case Miss
Myers will read several of his poems.
Mrs. Horace c. Wait gave an illus
trated talk ESQ the tickets had it, last
night on .Old Inns of English Literature
at the residence of Mrs. w. A. Kent, No.
IS Summit avenue. Mrs. Waits talks are
always original. She does not gather her
facts from encyclopedias, but from per-
sonal observation. She herself took the
pictures of the inns of which she spoke
while touring in England. Her talks are
not trite. They contain a great deal OF
solid information and they are given in
a bright and entertaining way. The talk
was for the benefit of the Newman Mis-
sion and it was largely attended.
49,
The Musical Club met yesterday at the
residence OF Miss Lucie Nelson. No. 2eS
Bergen avenue. The composer of tha .3av
was Franz Shubert. A number of his
songs were SUM and played. Chopin
am in for a little and a few
selections Of his were played.
The Rev. Antoinette Brown Blackwell