The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-30
A SHORT CUT TO CULTURE.
POSSIBILITIES IN THE IDEA or a
CHICAGO TOMAN'S CLUB.

A FlrtJ-Ccnt.in- the.siot Machine That VIII
Furnish Papers on Any Desired snbiect-
Culture Handled as n Commodity-Bnrrnin
sales In Prospect Advantages OF tho Plan.
The Chicago womnn's Club has introduced
now institution in olubdom. The presentation
has been made with a great flourish of circular
letters, md the women OF tho country are busy
making up their minds what TO do with the
blank applications and with the idea in general.
There is no real novelty in the plain statement
OF the new institution. II is TO be n bureau Of
information Swarms Of bureaus OF information
already exist in other spheres of daily life, but
this Is tho first outbreak In tho system OF
womcn's clubs. According to tho circular lot
tors the bureau will be a species OF slot machine
for the use OF club women who havo to write
papers," As all club women have TO write
papcrs the bureau is expected to appeal to .
large trade.
This is not, however, a nickel.in.tho-slot ma
chine. II costs so cents TO patronize 1t, and 10
is considered (by it's originators) cheap at
that. This is the way 1t works: Suppose a busy
woman-though tho busy" IL scarcely ncces-
sary, since all club women are proverbially
busy-to be put down on tho programme for q
paper on THE Sources OF Early Latin Poetry"
Suppose, also-by a violent stretch Of the imag-
ination and for the sake OF argument-that she
knows almost nothing at all OF said poetry, and
absolutely nothing about its sources. There's q
dilemma for you. In this dilemma the Chicago
bureau of information waves an alluring circu-
lar letter in the face Of the unhappy woman and
slips an application blank into her hand.
Write out a reasonable number Of questions
pertaining to the subject of your proposed
paper" whispers the bureau emissary. I" inclose
fifty cents $50. 5O) and send to us. We will look
up the necessary material for your essay and
forward 1t to you"
Here Is q system Of essay writing made easy
a solution of the problem "How to Write
Papers, Though Ignorant" Tho bureau Is evil
IDENTIFY built along Chicago lines. Chicago has
avowed yearnings for culture, which IL has per-
sisted in regarding as n commodity. 1t is there
fore quito consistent that the woman's Club
should mako the diffusion of culture a matter
of commerce. by the way. how the cs pile up
in the consideration Of this question! A Chi
cago club. consistent with local custom. will
take contracts for collaboration in culture, con-
But why does tho Woman's Club pause therol
Why not perform a slight remaining service for
bureau really furnishes the essay, though per-
haps In an unjoined and unpublished shape, some.
the same reason for shipping essays in sections.
Why not, therefore,. put them together in o
manner to do credit to the MANUFACTURER and
bureau nor the woman who applies will have
any conscientious ,sGruples on this ground. II
tbS ohhO"o 10 " ioooi ihk nti4
that is what it appears to be. why not be q thor!
ough.going one2
There are dim possibilities here which may
not have occurred to the founders OF the new
bureau. though they are possibilities of an emf
nently practical and Chicagoesque character.
The bureau might provide different grades OF
essays at carefully scheduled prices. one grade
at 81 a piece. and 30 on up to excellent articles
at $40 and even a few chefs d'euvres at $25
each. There should be an "organ of the
bureau in which, for n slight sum in excess of
the usual price. an essay would be printed over
the name OF the purchaser.
In order to facilitate the work of the bureau
clubs might be requested to send advance state
ments of the course of study to be pursued dur
ing the year, so that a stock of essays could DO
provided to supply demands at short notice. OF
course, as a result, there would unquestionably
be a greater or smaller surplus of leftover stock
in some lines. but these could be closed out at
greatly reduced prices In the spring. when most
Of the clubs have finished the seasons work.
These bargain sales would doubtless be SUCCESS
full, though the purchasers would take a good
deal of risk. For instance. in June a woman
Dramatists," and in, September find that her
club proposed tostudy PREHISTORIC Man." u-
1t can readily DO seen. however, that this sys.
tenn would provide improved opportunities for
the wire-pulling SO dear to many club women.
Suppose that the bureau issued an announce.
mani somefhihp lilo thia.