The Washington weekly post., 1899-07-25

taneorsly about fifteen years ago The
meetings took place at night when the
WorFers were free. and evening sasslons
continue 10 be the rule throughout the
.~T6e organizations which grew out OF
'hose small beginnings.
Women. Lunch Clubs.
Many OF the clubs which belong 70 the
chicago Association OF Young Women's
Ni1os are lunch clubs. and were origi-
Ialy organized TO provide an iuexuengive
i'ncheon and a comfortable rest for wo-
men and girls whose work called them
INTO The city. or all the iuncn eIuhs the
neon Day Rest has the largest member
snip. Only business women are eligible
20 join. The average membership f. over
~ and In the millinery season Il runs 70
~ me members are steEoRraphers,
tSpewri,ers. cashiers. clerks. students in
business colleges and IN the art institute.
teachers. and milliners Twenty-Five cents
month is the fee. The club quarters
contain a library. sltting-room, restroom,
Win nurse IN attendance. and a large
"ihing-room. Everything Is well cooked
ana daintlly served and the prices are
very reasonable. An exceIIeat meal may
De mad for y cents The rooms are open
az cay and evening. and al 6 O'Clock a
ieht supper is served for members who
attend the classes held from 70 ?. There
are courses in literature, stenocraphy,
history drawing, languages. cooking,
oressmaking. sewing. and millinery.
At all the lunch clubs prices are mod
crate and the food Is simple but good.
Coffee costs cents. tea . cents. milk 2
cents, and so on. Members r1ay bring
their own luncheon IL they 60 desire.
During the extra work OF Christmas a
good, hot supper IS served in the down
Town rooms for the convenience OF mem
bCrs.
The Girls Mutual Benefit Club was or
Ganizec In the autumn Of 1880 by six
young women who desired 10 bring a
broader culture and wider social oppOr-
tcniues into the lives Of working girls.
The founders started with fund Of S268.
They rented cottage. furniture was do
mated by their friends, and the clubhouse
was opened. The membership Increased
50 rapidly that nine months after or
kanlZing the limits OF the cottage were
OLlErown, and the club decided to build
lts own home, COmDOdiOUs building
with large auditorium, Il library "A
Gining-room, and a kitchen. II cost 400.
ne average membership Is Is, all work
ing. girls. The initiation fec is % cents
and the weekly dues are ,ents
one Of the Chicago clubs we'll known all
over the country as the Jane Club"
maintains d house for young women on
the cooperative plan at LJ3 Ewing street.
The house was built expressly for this
purpose The weekly dues are 3, which
includes room and board. The size OF the
clubhouse limits the membership to thr-
" residents. The club is governed by
the members and IS self-suppoTting.
Womeu ia the West.
While the most notable club work by
women has been accomplished in Boston
and Chicago, the gentler sex in other
parts Of the country has not been idle.
Particularly in the West this new social
factor has proves itself powerful. inflU-
encing legislation for women, caring for
neglected children, and initiating public
improvements Several of the State fed
erations Of clubs have appointed Vice
Presidents in each Congressional dis
trict. with a view TO bringing influence 10
bear at Washington. Though the ef-
forts of these organizations schools
have been improved, kindergartens and
manual training added. training schools
for teachers established, libraries found
cd and extended, works of art collected,
OF preserved public health safeguarded,
public parks opened, public charities better
managed and better organized, ana pub
lie sentiment aroused against abuses.
just to illustrate the sort of work that
is done by the Womens clubs, ii may
be mentioned that the WOmen's Health
Protective Association of New York, or
ganized in 1854, has succeeded in esta5-
fishing proper abatJOiTs on the east side
of the Hudson, In place OF the disgusting Z
cattIe-pens and slaughter-hOuSeS which
previously disgraCed the river banks.
Many of the Iowa clubs have organized
committees on town and village improve
ment. and a State organization, called the
DauPbters of Ceres hOuriSheS. II is COM
p0sed of the mothers. wives, and daugh-
ters of farmers. This organization studies
the needs of the farmers families, and
thus arOuses interest in al the questions
which affect morality and good citizen
shin.