Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-06-16
WoMEN's CLUBS.
while Yet i'm Their Youth They Have
Done Much to Raise the Average
Standard of Intelligence.

Of women's clubs there is literally no
end. and they are yet in their vigorous
youth We have literary clubs and art
clubs, and musical clubs; clubs for
science, and clubs for philanthropy;
parliamentary clubs, and suffrage
clubs. and anti-suffrage clubs-clubs of
every variety and every grade, from the
luncheon club. with its dilettante menu,
and the more pretentious chartered
| club, that aims at mastering the
scheme OF the world, to the simple
working-girls' club, which is content
with something less; and all in the sa-
cred name of culture. They multiply,
federate, hold conventions, organize
congresses. and really form a vast edu-
cational system that is fast changing
old ideals and opening possibilities of
which no prophetic eye can see the end.
That they have marvelously raised the
average standard of intelligence cannot
be questioned, nor that they have
brought out large number Of able and
interesting women who have gener-
ously taken upon themselves not only
their own share Of the work of the
world. but great deal more.
an institution which has given light and
an upward impulse TO so many lives,
and changed the complexion of society
so distinctly for the better. But il may
be worth while TO ask if the women OF
to-day. with their splendid initiative
and boundleSs aspirations. are not 60
ing 4 little TOO fast, getting entangled
in TOO much machinery. losing their in
diyidualiJy in masses, assuming more
responsibility than they can well carry.
Why is ii that lines too deep for har-
moHious thought are so ealy writing
themselves on the strong. tense. mobile
and delicate faces OF American women:
Why is il that the pure JOY of life seems
to be lost in the restless and Unsuitable
passion for multitudes. so often thinly
disguised as love for knowledge, which
is not seldom little more than the shell
and husk OF things?
Is the pursuit Of culture degeneratine
into pursuit of clubs. and are we tax
ing for ourselves new taskmasters mort
pitiless than the old? The emancipa-
ton of woman is fast becoming her
slavery" said one who was caught il
the whirl of the social machinery anC
could find no point OF repose- We pride
ourselves on our liberty. but the true
value of liberty IS to leave people free
from a pressure that prevents their full
est growth. What do we gain if we
simply exchange one tyranny for an
other? Apart from the fact that the
finest flowers OF culture do not spring
from a soil that is constantly turned
any more than they do from a soil that
is not turned al all, it is question OF
human limitations. of living so as &c
continue 10 live. of growing so as &c
continue 10 grow. Nor is it simply
matter of individuals. Societies. too.
exhaust themselves; and those which
reach an exaggerated growth in day
are apt 10 perish in a day. II is not the
first time in the history of the world
that there has been a brilliant reign of
intelligence among women. though per-
haps there was never one so widely
spread as now. Why have they ended ir
more or less violent reactions? We NAV
not be able TO answer the question sat.
isfactorily. but it gives Us food for re.
fection.-Mrs. Amelia Gere Manson. Il
Century.