The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-26
In Won ans Realm.
INFLUENCE OF THE CLUB.
What Mrs. Henrotin Thinks They
Have Done for Town md Country

What Mrs. Henrotin Thinks They
Have Done for Town and Country.
You will find women's clubs back Of every
good word and work" Is the statement made
by Mrs. Ellen NJ Henrotin, ex-president of
the National Federation of Womens Clubs.
Whlie all may not agree with her to the ex-
tent implied in'' her assertion. yet coming
from woman who has had such an op-
portumty to study the influence of clubs
upon women, such words are significant.
everywhere are womens clubs working for
oetter sanitation. for cleaner administration
IN the Dooy polite, for more just laws" con-
uhues Mrs. Henrotin. why out of twenty
-FOUR bills recently presented to the Maine
legislature by woman's club. twenty-five
We're passed They have simply revolution
lzed prison conditions in Chicago They have
frequently been instrumental In putting
manual training in the public schools, some
umes defraying the whole expense Of its
Introduction and first years trial. and they
are are largely responsible for summer schools
Tor It the poor. They set on foot travelling
loraries' etc, In fact. their whole genius
runs In the direction of studying conditions
anu applying appropriate measures.
AS long ago as the worlds fair the re-
| had little difficulty then in securing 1000
women from as many different places to serve
as chairmen of committees. All of these wo-
men were ready, apt, and not only under
stooq the demands OF the time, but appre-
hended the lines upon which the club work
must progress, If it progressed at all.
MY experience has been an interesting
one, and 1T has taught me that women are
not as easily held together as men. Men are
greater idealists-ah! do not look SO sur
prlSed; It's fact. They may be held to-
gether by cause, by the idea Of conquest.
by love OF arms, etc. You can only hold
women together by giving them something 20
know ~ 'u''' u app''eu Ano"'euse' '0u
When Mrs. Henrotin was asked whether
she would miss the scepter, she said:
an ne vas sds But haTe sh sh0y Equally ny
enjoy. again working as an individual for the
Individual To strive for a cause-for ideal
public conditions-is exhilarating and broad
ening; but doing the duty that lies nearest
tends to as full and well-rounded a devel-
opment and leads to as great ends"
The discussion as to the relative merits
OF the large and small club still engages the
attention OF club women. The fact that large
clubs are proving so helpful and important
Isl IS the best argument in their favor. The
objection to the large club most frequently
urged is that the individual is lost, and that
among so many! there is less opportunity for
individual development. Experience, how
ever, has proven this untrue. Those large
clubs are always the strongest and most sue
cesstul in which the individuality of mem
bers is most strongly developed. In the his
tory of the civilization of the world we
lind that with the assertion and recognition
OF individual rights has come not separation
but unity, not discord but harmony. The
only bond of tribal unity force, the bond
or modern society is sympathy. AS much as
love is stronger than hate, as much as peace
is stronger than strife, as much as SYM
pathy is stronger than rivalry, so much Is
the unity of the present stronger than that
OF the past. Thus we have the seeming
anomaly that mankind is most mutually SYM
pathetic, harmonious and united when in
dividuality is most strongly developed.-Mid-
land Monthly.