The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-05-11
MEANS ONE THING.
Women's Club to
Have Home Of
It's Own.
ACTION YESTERDAY.
Admits Waiting List-Ac-
cepts Mr.. Salisbury's
Gift Of a Lot.

BY a practically unanimous vote the
Worcester Woman's club decided yes
terday to extend it's membership from
400 to 600, thus admitting practically
the entire waiting list Of 237 women.
1t also voted unanimously to accept
Hon. Stephen Salisbury's handsome
gift of lot of land, and, as the presi-
dent remarked. this involved the build
| ing of a worthy club house on the land.
Both events were prophesied accurate
ly by yesterdays Spy.
1t took about one hour and half to
do the business, for after the motion
had been made to admit 200 more mem
bers. an amendment was added provid-
ing for the admission of but 100 new
members. and this caused prolonged
discussion.
Mrs. Abby Locke Stone spoke against
admitting this large number What
are we prepared to do with it?" she
asked. IT think there is room for an
other large club on different lines from
tain things and have done a noble work,
but there are other lines for clubs to
follow. 1t seems a pity that when a
minister's wife or a teacher comes here,
thirsting for club life, she must
wait a number of years before joining
large club. There is room for club
which shall include all who are willing
to work and are disciplined in club
ways. We have in this club women
who never intend to do a thing for it.
If by enlarging our club we shut off
the movement for a new club, it will be
unfortunate"
Mrs. c. H Brockway said she was
in favor of admitting the waiting list,
but she did not want the club voted
out Of Memorial hall. Would it find
other quarters as agreeable?
Mrs. Gardner c. Whiting said NE
cessity is the mother Of invention, and
we shall be able to find a good hall
when we have to. Enlarging the club
would mean stimulus in the right di
rection."
Mrs Nathaniel Paine thought Memo
rial was abouI as large a hall as the
club women could fill with their voices.
| At this juncture Mrs. B. 7. Rice
moved a consideration of Mr.. Sails
| bury's gift, but Mrs. w. H. Bliss con-
tinued the discussion of the waiting
list problem'by saying that she did not
think it would be fair to those who
had been waiting so long to make the
membership 500, opening the door to
| 100 and then closing it again, The
| president remarked that the club prob
ably would be able to find a home.
| however large it made itself Mrs.
! Stone raised the question whether the
| club had ever been crowded in its pres
| ent quarters, and the fact was ELECTED
| that while the club seats about 400,
! nearly 100 guests have been accOmmo-
dated in addition to the members. Mrs.
! Nathaniel Paine said the Boston clubs
! did not expect an average attendance
of more than two-thirds their member
ship
Miss Sarah A. Henshaw spoke at
| some length. She said that she had
stood for an unlimited club, but she
had never believed in admitting a large
number at one time. There were, how
ever, exceptions to all rules. The club
| now found itself in a peculiar place,
and with that in mind and the fact that
/ eventually it would have to enlarge it.
self by a big addition, she would with
draw her opposition to admitting this
large number. She did not believe in
| being dictated to by the waiting LIST,
nor in Admitting it for the sake of the
club house; she thought it better to en-
large the membership by the full num-
ber
When the amendment was put to
vote, and all in favor of increasing the
membership by 100 were asked to stand
not a single woman arose, and there
were peals Of laughter from all over
the house. The negative being put,
practically the entire house rose. The
original question was then put and de-
cided practically unanimously, all but
four Of the women in the hall voting in
favor of increasing the club member
ship to 900.
While it was thus voted to admit 200
of the waiting list, all of that number
are not thereby admitted for it is a
rule of the club that the names Of
qualified candidates shall be posted 10
days before their admission. Only about
100 Of the waiting list had been posted
prior to yesterday. The names of 200
were posted then. New members will
be notified by the clerk of the club
upon their admission to the club.
By the recommendation of the eX-
ecutive board, it was voted to send the
president to the council IN Philadelphia
June 2-3, to empower her to present the
resolutions relative to the reOrganiza-
ton of the general federation, and to
get the opinion of other clubs in the
state prior to going to Philadelphia
Apropos of the executive boards second
recommendation that Hon. Stephen Sal
isbury's gift of land be accepted, Mrs
Samuel Utley said that the land would
belong to the Womans club and the
building upon it to others. Mrs. II. S.
Pratt said she had seen Mr.. Salisbury
and he was willing to give the land to
the proposed club house association.
Mrs. Utley said the land should go with
the building.
Mrs Pratt then spoke at some length.
saying that Mr.. Salisbury's gift had
smplified the matter of home for the
club The location of the club house
must be central, yet quiet, and both
these requirements would be fulfilled by
Mr., Salisbury's gift. If the club were
imbued with the club spirit there was
no reason why it should not succeed
as other clubs had succeeded. 1t was
proposed to form a stock company;
such stock elewhere had paid from AZ
to 5 per cent. dividend. There was no
suitable room in Worcester for private
assemblies. and other clubs would hire
from the Woman's Club association.
If 100000 were taken by the club
members. there would be no trouble
with the remaining $4,000
Mrs. Pratts remarks were received
with applause. Some one asked what
the annual dues were that supported the
Dorchester club house, and the reply
was $50" Mrs. Whiting raised a laugh
by inquiring when the dividends on the
stock WOULD De declared ana mrs. b
n. Rice asked if the proposed stock
company would be independent of the
club. and was answered that the club, as
well as the individual members who com
posed it, would take stock. Mrs. Hen
shaw said that those who bought stock
would do so out of interest, and for her
part she believed the $4,000 could be
readily raised.
would non-club members be allowed
tn take gtOck2'' was asked land if so
will men be admitted as stockholders
~. ..-....Ia he hest % 1.aallad the -a-asi-