The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-27
ONE STEP TAKEN.
Independent Club
Movement Gain
ing Strength.
WILL WAIT A WEEK.
Minority of Women Insists
on Breaking
Away.

The new independent club that the
women on the waiting list of the
Woman's Club have been talking about
for several weeks progressed one steI
yesterday forenoon at the meeting Of
the waiting list, which was held il
Salisbury hall at the instance of Mrs
Sidney A. Reeve, Mrs. Clarence B. Car
roll, Mrs. George A. slocomb, Mrs. John
e. futile, Mrs. Willard Scott, Mrs
Homer Lewis and Mrs. E. r. Goodwin
While it was made clear by a rising
vote that the majority of the rs women
present desired to Join the Woman's
Club, and would prefer to wait unit
that body should admit them, yet q
women, bent on forming an indepen-
dent club, held an informal meeting
after the other had adjourned with the
intention of formulating plans.
Mrs. Scott raped the ladies to order
and Mrs. Tuttle was elected temporary
chairman. Concerning the object of the
meeting, Mrs. futile said it was to dis
cuss whether 1t was advisable to form
a new club. Was it advisable to form il
now? Was Worcester large enough for
1t? Was there enough material for a
new club?
After Mrs. Homer Lewis had been
chosen secretary, the discussion was
opened by Mrs. Reeve. who said: "The
subject of an Independent club is one
in which I am greatly interested and
n n
of such an organization. In the first
place, a smaller club would permit
more individual work and it would SDe
easier and pleasanter to take part
where all were equally interested. II
has been objected that there would be
less money with which to buy outside
talent and entertainments, but the club
which gives its own entertainments
does the best work. In the event of an
Independent club being formed, the I'M
varying qualification should be a will
1ngness to work A president of the
Woman's Club told me that compare
lively few do all the work in that or
ganization, the reluctance to help being
so great that one chairman asked 40
women to write a paper before she
found one willing to undertake it.
That throws a great responsibility
upon the chairman. If every member
would promise to do what she was
asked, the burden would be lightened
In the second place, there would be an
advantage in the independence. If we
are admitted to the WOman's Club WI
should have to abide by the constitu-
ton and do the same things IS the old
members, for the club would Of course
be run on their lines Improvements
are possible in all things; a new club
started now would be in better touch
with the outside world and more pro-
gressive."
The chairman read letter from a
lady not on the waiting list, suggest
ing that all who would like to join the
new club were not on the waiting list
and that they should be considered
Mrs. Goodwin said: Waiting so LONG
makes one lose all their enthusiasm
posed and for while are interested ir
the prospect of belonging, but after
two or three years they cease to in
quire how they stand on the waiting
list, and after they have forgotten Il
think any more about it, they heal
that they have been admitted. In {
new club they could enter before -theil
enthusiasm had waned. OF course
there would be obstacles in forming
the club, but it win be better anC
F.. stronger on that account"
Mrs. futile raised the question
whether there were room in Worceste
for two strong clubs and Mrs. Slo
comb rose to say that if there were
room for one club of 600 members
there would be room for the sam,
number Of clubable women in twt
clubs. fIf there is work to be done
then certainly there is room for tn
woman who is willing to do it,"
Mrs. Ephraim Tucker, Jr., told of
place no larger than Worcester with 1
women's clubs. She did not doubt tina
If a second woman's club were to b
formed here the smaller clubs woul'
merge in it. Mrs. L. c. Miller said sh
should prefer to remain on the waiting
list until admitted to the Woman
Club. Mrs futile thought the ques
ton was whether it would be bette
to have one big club and a number 0
small clubs, or two larger clubs, an
she told how the Woman's Club ha
done more to break down the sectiona
feeling in Amherst than all the othe
influences put together. Could on
large club and a number of small one
be counted on to do the same2
Mrs. Scott remarked that she ha
been disappointed not to hear more c
what the Woman's Club was doing, 70
in Chicago, the Woman's Club was dc
ing a great deal of work in the city
There are large opportunities in ever
city, and the WOmans Club of a cit
Of Worcester's size should branch GU
and do work that the Woman's Gu
is not doing. I find members who oh
ject to getting stirred up as they