The herald., 1897-01-23
VALUE OF SOCIETY NEWS
The Friday Morning Club Invited to Shun
the Reporter
And Regard Her as an Intrusion-Other
Interesting Papers Read
Yesterday

The subject of the day at the Frida,
Morning club yesterday was Socia
Usages, in three observation-disclosures
Parties, by Mrs. r. w. Poindexter; So
ciety News. by Mrs. p. c. Severance
Prize Giving, by Mrs. Charles Stevens
The unusually large attendance o.
members and visitors showed how muci
women are interested in live question!
of the day.
The president, Mrs. Graham, an
nounced that the numbers presen
would determine the board of manager:
in selecting subjects from time to time
on social questions, which they had hat
under consideration.
In the first paper of the morning Mrs
Poindexter said that the subject of chill
dren's parties seems most interesting
and pleasing one. Children look so at
tractive in holiday attire but would
they not be better off in the backyard
making mud pies than attending such
gatherings?
People are too apt to treat childrer
as IL they were deaf, commenting freely
on their eyes. hair, faces and clothes
when they are really quicker to take ir
the full meaning of these remarks thar
their elders are. If your children are
beautiful, thank the Lord for it, but
keep their beauty unspoiled for the
home circle. BY the time they are old
enough TO go to school they are ready
for a party occasionally, of the right
kind. but the kind is a question. II
must not interfere with their regular
habits of diet and sleep; must consist OF
simple refreshment and unharmfu
games. The old time kissing games
have almost disappeared, but it ques-
tionable whether playing for prizes Is
not as Objectionable.
At whatever sacrifice of comfort or hei
own plans it may entail, the speaker
thought the mother should always ac-
company her children to their parties
There is not time when the mother car
relax her vigilance, and those who are
not ready for this life of sacrifice and
watchfulness have no right to bring
children into the world
So little regard is paid to the ole
standards of conduct, we sometimes
wonder whether they have not all beer
left behind in our eastern homes with
other useless things.
The speaker deprecated the use of SLANG
and gave instances of its use among
well bred boys and girls. The tendency
of the times Is to push ahead without
ttSdIu W the Cldlf1S OtneTS may nave
upon us. We seem to entertain an easy
theory that our children can go Their
way and we ours, and somehow it will
all come out right in the end.
Mrs L. &. Severance, a daughter-in-
law of Mrs. Caroline M. Severance, read
the second paper entitled Society News
This was not. as might be inferred from
the title, an arraignment of the society
reporters, nor of the papers which pub
1teh hnrf <,ff =. l.. u L.
mand that the papers aim to fill. The
London journals, the speaker said, began
some years ago, to the amaZement of the
English people, TO publish the court
news, and from the success of these jour-
nails, doubtless, came our society col
umns. The result of this has been a
great change in the usages of society
People who have no right in society are
trying to get in. and those who are ir
are trying to emulate others in vulgar
display and lavish expenditure of money
Society used to be a close corporation
guarding its doingS from the notice oi
the public Those who are trying tC
get in find in the society columns a me.
dunn to attain their desires. The speak
er related story of a reporter who
upon going to the home of a prospective
bride for an account of the wedding
was kicked down stairs by the irate
for S25 from the old gentleman, with
a full description of the affair
1t is. a question, said the speaker
whether those who really dislike this
sort of notoriety should be obliged tc
submit to it.; one refusal should surely
be enough. 1t is questionable whether
the society column is a good or a bad
thing for the public. In the speak
er's opinion its effect is decidedly bad
ap0ardayc ao1oIcyy on1 hitfar 70 oolir
1t encourages extravagant expenditure
of money in long courses and lavish
display of flowers, inducing those who
are unable to afford it to emulate Others
who can. Is it not time to change ouI
methods of entertaining and publicity
Let us all feel that the society column
is an intrusion; refuse to let our names
appear and it will soon become the cor
rect thing to be conspicuously absent
from its report of society news
Mrs. Charles Stevens paper followed
on Prize Giving. The speaker was quite
facetious in her descriptions of prize
giving and gaining in latter day social
entertaining. Our hoSpitalities have be-
come such, she said, that we must not
only load the stomachs of our guests
but their hands, to induce them to loar
themselves to us for an afternoon OF
evening. There is a hush in the socia
gathering when the prizes are brought
in, and scanning by the winner, decided
disappointment on her face when sht
discovers it to be a handpainted pitcher
of which she has three, with never su-
gar bowl. The stuffing of our rooms
with bric-a- -brac, from the footstool to
the gas fixtures, is due, the speaker
thought, to the custom of prize giving
Sealskin sacks and upright pianos come
high, and If the hard times continue we
must devise some other means to en-
tertain our friends.
After the reading of the papers a gen.
eral discussion of all ensued. The sen
timent against children's parties was
quite general, though some mothers dis
sented from the views of the speaker
Mrs. Osgood spoke in favor of children's
parties rightly conducted as a means OF
fitting them for society in after life. She
also endorsed the society column, as
often in this way she learned what hel
friends in other places were doing, and
it takes the place OF letters in many in
stances. One brave woman, with the
courage of her convictions, endorsed