The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-04-24
Among Women's Clubs.
o.

"What is a woman's club? A meeting
ground
For those of purpose great ana broad
and strong,
Whose aim Is toward the stars; who
ever long
To make the patient listening world
With sweeter music. purer nobler tones
A place where kindly, helpful words
Where wealth OF train for poverty
atones
And hand grasps hand, and soul finds
touch with soul.
Where victors IN the race for fame and
power
Look backward ever in their triumph
hour,
To beckon others toward the shining
goal.
What is a womans club? The fabric
OF "A dream,
Touched with an altar coal and made
alive
Instinct with hope for those who toll
And wait to catch that joyous days
first CLEAN
That ushers I'm "A better, freer age
When right for one shall be for all the
right
When together H. -lfa,s- -recoll and
fight
The war for right and truth shall
bravely wage"
These lines, expressive OF the Wom-
ans club, written by Mrs. Sara Pal
mer. president of the Womans Profes-
si0nal League OF New York, are con-
cedei to be tne best ever written I'm the
form OF verse.
Mrs Palmer Is also the founder OF
the well known Professional Woman's
league of New York, whose member
ship includes nearly 500 women. The
club is really engaged. as Mrs. Palmer
says. in Charitable work on praCti-
cal business bass-that OF helping wO-
men who are willing and striving TO
help themselves"
Women of all professions are includ-
ed In the membership, the doctor, the
musician, the painter the writer and
the lawyer, who find the association
great stimulus to them socially. intel
lectually and professionally. Since the
organiZat don OF the club, in 1897 the
clubs headquarters have been hired
from year 10 year. but the present
needs are so pressing that commo-
diOus club house is being built.
Among the Rhode Island clubs the
final literary meeting of the Ardirhe-
biar held with Mrs, Charles H. Beach
ON Tuesday. April ~. was most inter-
lsting occasion. The subject tJapan),
i'm charge OF Mrs. Fred a. Taft and
Mrs George keton. was treated In a
manner whicn won well deserved COM
mendation from the members Of the
club. The. first paper. by Mrs. Taft.
aweft-bFiehy in beginning upon the
geographical and physical features OF
Japan. In this connection the climate
was described, together with the eff
fects produced by volcanic and wave
action. me classes OF Japan were de-
scribed as being rigidly marked. The
people were characterized as being
honest, courteous. with high senti-
ments OF honor. self-respect and in
tense love of knowledge, but proud,
TeVCngeful. and in the lower class inn
moral" In the matter OF learning (the
paper conunLes) the Japanese are
making great progress, moreover pos
sess a copious literature embracing
vast variety OF subjects, the list OF
modern authors being a large one.
The paper .ails at length the his
tory of ,..e government OF Japan. en-
phasizing the fact that "all Japanese
viii agree i'm .he statement that the
most precious heritage of Japan from
the pa imperial dynasty. In
deed -Ifftt4tff-htta- -faapef-k -kHexR-ap 9TH
er rule from time immemorial, the
present emperor being the 12lst in the
line of succession. IF there is any
one thing we'll fixed in Japan ii is that
the emperor is the only natural and le-
gltimate ruler OF the country: in the
Japanese mind IL amounts almost 10
law OF nature"
1T is the keystone OF the area of the
whole social s.ucture. 1t gives SLapil-
ity TO the entire organization. 50 long
as this feenng lasts anarchy Is impos-
sible." Continuing, the paper gives an
interesting description OF toe earth
quakes so common In Japan. and the
influence these Eery catastrophes have
had in developing certain characteris-
tics i'm the Japanese character.
The development and present status
of j, anese art was next considered.
The Japanese social system was also
considered, the fact being brought
out that society. as we understand il.
is practically unknown, such functions
as balls receptions, etc, etc, being a
form of social life yet TO be developed
in Japan.
or the position of women i'm Japan.
the paper continues-"It is interesting
tn note tit..t-tif+A women of Japan have
been pronounced the best part OF the
Empire. \ number OF women are
known as writer's and some have been
trarslators of work from foreign liter
ature into our own most dttttCufr
tongue. The women have established
among themselves a Women's Educa-
tional Society which now consists of
-four hundred members who meet once
n month 10 listen To some talk given by
specialists. The society also supports
an industrial school FOR poor girls and
the training which is given them is de-
signed % instruct i'm such branches as
Will enable them To support them
selves" The paper also described the
work OF the Woman's Christian Tenn
pcrance I'nicn i'm Japan and the sec
ond national convention which occurred
IN Yokohoma. April. 1898. This great
successful meeting was held continues
the paper only twenty six years after
the organization OF the FIRST Protestant