The age-herald., 1898-02-09
Boston's Twentieth Century
 Club and It's Work

OtuU ditu tlo UUth
 Boston has perhaps the most unique club in the long list of remarkable ana ln- fuential organizations, which have brought the diverse interests of humanity into close and helpful association. It Is unusual, 1n- asmuch as the membership is composed of both men and women, whose sole ann and object is mutual mental development and the elevation of the citizens of Boston tn all those things which pertain to the development of the better tastes and tall ents of individuals.
 This Twentieth Century club of Boston has very simple constitution, and thus far has not developed any especially gift ed pariiamentarians. It has membership of four hundred, with long list of persons awaiting admission to the club.
 This admirable organization was formed only four years ago, but it has so rapidly forged to the front that it now ranks with the most notable clubs of the country.
 It is pity that Birmingham has not Q similar club, which would necessarily prove of vast benefit to the individual members and to the community at large. A correspondent thus writes of Bostons Twentieth Century club:
 From small rooms in Hancock avenue the club soon moved to Ashburton place like the former an old-fashioned street, not far from the station house. Here 1t has large house, a fashionable residence in the days when architects were not spar ing of space. The whole of the first floor affords fine club rooms, and there are din- ing rooms and committee rooms in the basement. The club does not now occupy the whole house, but in time it will do so, and will also probably extend its first floor over the vacant lot at the back, so as to provide a much larger lecture hall At present, however, the club is very well off, for the fine hall of the Boston univer- sity law school is just across the way, and this, by the liberality of the universi- ty is at the service of the club whenever one of it's lecturers is likely to draw an audience too large for the club parlors. This has often been the case, as, for ex- ample, when Miss Jane Addams spoke last winter.
 "The fortnightly lectures of the club have been given by some of the best speak CTS in this country, and few have been from abroad.
 "Henry D. Lloyd, John Fiske, Prof. Ed ward Benis, Hamilton w. Mabie, Jacob Riis Col. Waring, President Eliot, Gen. Walker, Helen Campbell, Margaret De- land, Jane Addams, John Burroughs and George s. Boutwell, are among those who have spoken in the past. This season George F. Hoar opened with discourse on Popular Discomfort and Representa- tive Government President Andrews Washington Gladden. and John M Robert
  among the speakers, as well as Prince Kraptokine. Other names and subjects for the year are: Mrs. Florence Kelly on Child Labor,' z. R. Brockway on Our Brother in Prison,' D. Gould on The Churches and the Masses Prof. Taussig on 'Aimlessness of the Currency Situation in the United States. and D. s. Phelps on Trial by Jury"
 list of the lectures gives but poor idea of the work of this club. Its general plans made each winter are very Tar reaching, and already have become of con- siderable importance to the community. The most widely known Of these are un- doubtedly the free organ recitalS instituted last winter and about to be repeated this season. These were given under the aus pices of the art section in the belief that the opportunity to hear good music IS an essential element of the higher develop ment of a municipality. Another aim was to show the possibilities which lay in the organ for interesting people in the best music. Again, 1t was hoped to stimulate young organists by giving them an au- dience apprecative of classical organ music.
 There will be ten lectures on "The Social Factors in the Development of the Indi- vidual Mind" These lectures are to have special bearing on the study of social problems as well to the work of the teacher, and the small fee charged for them is out of proportion to their great value. Perhaps the most important work of the winter is that undertaken by the committees for the study of tenement house ploblems. The members of these committees are chosen from the social science and municipal departments of the club, and include some very well-known men and women. They are going to study not only the condition of the poor in Bos- ton, but will acquire much data on the subject from European and other cities in e~ttta- farait- tees.
 . The Twentieth Century club is not a so- cial club, although there is social ele- ment at most of it's meetings. It has re- gently increased the limit of it's member ship to 400 and still has a long waiting list. It brides itself containing little "dead wood' or padding, as is the case in so many clubs. Every member is worker, and only those are chosen to membership who are likely to advance the interests of the club, or rather of the objects for which it stands.
 many of the best known clergymen, liter ary men and women, artists and workers along social science and philanthropic lines. The committees are formed on a very democratic basis. Every member is supposed to be interested in some one of the several departments into which the club is divided-art. education, social science municipal reform, etc. All, there fore, are asked to enroll themselves on one of the committees of these departments, and to help forward the special cause as far as they can.
 The club has already made itself felt in the community. and has brought together a body of men and women whose opinion is worth consideration at critical times.
 The club rooms are plainly furnished. but in excellent taste. with few fine photo- graphs or engravings on the walls and a good supply of current literature on the tables along the line in which the organi- zation is interested. With a $10 initiation fee and s10 dues. it has been able by good management not only to pay all it's bills, but also to have a surplus in the treasury of s200O or 5000.
 Trained Nurses Resent
 Hall Gaines Attack
 That rapidly increasing body of faithful,