The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-18

Ou~s-hOSpltaDle TO women OF dinefeEt
minds. degrees and habits of work and
thought-it must be representative OF
the whole woman not of any especial
class of women. for the idea of clubs
for women VAS to rid them of the sys-
TEN of exclusion and separation. A
note of invitation was. however. agreed
upon. signed by all presnt, Miss Kate
Field acting as secretary. and a num-
Der of James suggested to whom 1t
should be sent. In the meantime Miss
Field went to Boston. where she Was
to attend the Charles Dickens lectures
on behalf of the New York Tribune,
prior to his coming to New York.
The second preparatory meeting wos
called to meet at Mrs. Croly's house
In West Fourteenth street. bu preNi-
Gus to its assembling many things hap
pened which threatened to nip" the
new organization in the bud. Among
these were letters of withdrawal from
Mrs. Field and Mrs. Botta, the fo-mer
on the ground OF immediate and long
continued absence from the city. the
latter, the opposition of her husband.
Mise Kate Field was in Boston. nus
the burden of responsibility fell upon
Mrs. Croly and Mrs. Wilbour. Mrs.
Croly prepared a platform as a basis
of action and Mrs. Wilbour some pref
rules for order. The two formulas
were put together and formed the drst
constitution.
As to the Name.
The hiding of the name Is told in
an historic sketch given on the SIX
tenth anniversary of Sorosis by Mrs.
Croly. Ii reads: ITO find a name Mrs.
Wilbur and I looked through piles of
dictionaries. or rather. we placed piles
before us with the intention of search
ing them. But i'm the first one. which
u .a,a 20 h a hot N nfnll hlgtlnnlFN
I found the word "Sorosis," and liked
IL for its full appropriate Specification.
its unhackneyed character and sweet
ound. which seemed to me full OF al
gracious meaning. Mrs. Wilbour at
first thought IL would require too muCn
explanation. and suggested that we
should ask Mr.. Wilbour's opinion. We
did so. and he thought it a good word
and a good name. so we agreed upon
il. and the mex day IL was presented
with the constitution as before stated. 10
II women. IL of whom enlisted 1t once
I'm the new organization and 'nbs"rir-
ed Their names to its charter mh"r
ship"
The presidency of the new cluo was
offered to Mrs. Croly. but she pr'fe,r"
To remain a worker in the ranks. At
her personal solicitation Alice Cary.
the poet OF American women. accep cd
the position.
At this period no one connected W'th
the undertaking had even heard OF n
"woman's club" The first that was
known of the existence Of another
club came through A letter from Mics
Kate Field in reply to one informin"
her Of the meeting for organ TATTOO
and the adoption OF the name of Sor-
osis. Miss Field wrote: Tine Boston
women are also forming a club. hn'
they have got men with them, an
know better whit they want. Th'N
will accomplish something efin an
practical. Don't SO on with 'Sorosls.
| won't have the rimc. Nobody know
what it means. and nobody viii know
what you mean or you want. ant
YOU will be laughed at"
The promoters were willing to a.
knowledge that the Boston wom"'
knew more and hat "Sorosis" Nigh
be a poor thing but they liked Il an
1t wac all their own.
For the FIRST Time.
The first meeting was held at Del
monico's on the 10Th of April. 1865. Tr
membership by this tim had NOR
han doubled. the constitution and lis
Of officers had been printed. arrange
ments lad been made for regular meet
ings at Delmonico's and the nam
'Sorosis' ~nnounce as derived iron
the Greek word. meaning an aggreEl
ton.
Miss Kate Field olme back from
Boston and presented herself at ~
meeting. accompanied by Mrs. Jane
T. Field Of Boston. Through her N
fluense the name SoIosis was set ASH
and her substitute. The Woman
League adopted. Mrs. Croly fous;'
valiantly. but was obliged to su5m'
to the majority. Madame lie Vert. n
Southern writer. then resident in Ne,
York. was the only one who stood b
Mrs. Croly to the last. The woman
League soon found as such they wer
expected to cooperate and receive IN
patronage Of a male organization. TIL
was more thar the membership ma
|, hargained for. At the next meetin-
! the first Monday i'm May. Mrs. Ell
Dietz Clymer. who had voted for IN
change. brought in 4 resolution for 70
consideration. and by a second Hoi
Soros's was restored nv an overwhe'r
ing majority. Miss Field. Mrs. Lor;
street ,then Mrs. Gildersleeve) an
, Mrs. Gibbons withdrew from the c'u
/, and left the room in disgust.
At this meeting Alice Cary preside
and read her first and only address
/, At the mex meeting che resigned tr
presidency. though continuing HI
membership. The conflict of opini"'
agitsted her and her nervous syste.
q was not equal to the strain.
The methods employed during Z.
. first year Of Sorosls' existence wcl
. simple but orderly. Meetings were d
: ranged fortnightly. first n init
/. Monday in the month. the FIRST II
|, social and literary purposes. the -
: ond for business. These have alwa!
= remained as at first. The liteIl
! work was performed exclusively :
= the members. Luncheon preceded q
literary programme. the social even
Of the year were memorable az es'l'
: fishing the custom of public dim
: giving by women as we'll as men.
Invited tn lat.
The first was offered as an amsn'
n honorable on the part of the New So.
Press club and consisted Of a Ores
fast. to which the press club invit'
Sorosis. "a did not invite "a to spe,
e or do anything but sit still and q
. and be talked and sung to. The -
a ond was a tea given by SoroSis TO 1