The times., 1899-07-24
SOROSIS NOT MENTIONED
Labor Commissioner Wrights Re-
port on Women Clubs.
An Enquiry Into Their Attitude To-
ward Social Economics Many
Feminine Organizations in the
United States-The LaudabIe Mis-
sion of Some of Them Explained.

The Department of Labor has recognized
the woman's club in all seriousness. The
July report of the department, now being
issued by Commissioner of Labor Carroll
D. Wright, devotes forty-four out of 124
pages to women's clubs. and not one refer
| ence is made to Sorosis Millinery or to
! Sorosis itself, mother of clubs. No less
! than 1883 other womens clubs are men
toned, but not a whisper of Sorosis. This
is probably the fault of Sorosis in not
! replying to the questions sent to it in
a circular letter addressed to all the wo-
mems clubs by Commissioner Wright. The
topic of the enquiry is The Attitude of
| Women's Clubs and Associations Toward
Social Economics" by Ellen NJ. Henrotin.
Mrs. Henrotin is Chicago woman, and
Sorosis of course aspires to lead both Chi
cago and the country. There is likely to
be a 'how-de-d do among Sorosis mem
bers when the report is distributed.
The letter sent out by Commissioner
Wright contained schedule of enquiries
in regard to any special study in social
economies or any practical work in this
direction carried on by the clubs. More
than one-third of the clubs answered that
| the study of sociology, political economy
| or philanthropy was pursued and others
that it was TO be in the future. About
| one-third carried on practical work in one
or more of these branches but the same
clubs were not found to be in both classes.
| To the question Are working women
members of your club?" $50 clubs report
els
included women working in the profess
| sions, commerce and trades Only
| twenty eight clubs had working girls
| clubs as auxiliaries. Over 300 clubs found
| tendency among working women in
! their vicinity to study the subjects men
toned in the first enquiry and 3SS clubs
favored working women joining existing
clubs, while i2o favored their forming sep
arate clubs. Twelve of the latter clubs were
especially addressed and asked their rea-
sons for their opinion. Six replied that
their clubs met in the afternoon, when
working women could not attend; three
replied that the work of the club took so
much time that working women could not
keep up with it, and one answered that the
dues were too large
A few clubs have found ways to secure
the presence of working women. The New
Century Club, of Utica, N Y, has two ses-
afternoon being repeated in the evening,
with supper for the women employed dur
ing the day The Ladies' Literary Club,
of Grand Rapids, Mich, has held evening
sessions for the working women of the
city. Both Of these clubs are among the
powerful ones which own their own club
houses. One thousand Philadelphia work
ing women are banded in the New Century
/ Guild.
From the replies it is very evident that
there is a growing interest everywhere
among women In social economic ques-
tions, and the clubs seem to have become
convinced that in this study will be found
a solution of nearly all their problems. 1t
is believed if the enquiries of the Commits
sioner could be made at this time the
number of clubs interested in social and
economic problems would be largely in
creased, as since the Denver meeting many
clubs have determined to introduce the
study into the coming winter programmes.
Every State federation of clubs, it was
found, stands pledged to some form of
economic enquiry. The work accomplished
by the Civic Club of Philadelphia and the
Women's Health Protective Association of
New York City is singled out for special
commendation and description.
Santa Fe, n. NJ, has a Woman's Board
of Trade and Library Association, one of
of trade" Las Cruces, in the same State,
has organized a similar association. num-
Der of clubs are conducted exclusively for
business women besides those included in
the Working Girls Societies League. In
Chicago there are many lunch clubs, and
one has an average membership of 500,
which runs to 200 in the millinery season.
The dues are % cents a month and the
club is entirely self-supporting. The club
rooms contain library, sitting room, rest
room, with nurse in attendance and large
dining room, where light supper is served
at o'clock for girls who attend night
classes.
Southern California has a Woman's Par
| lament, to which working women belong.
but the opinion of the members is that
! their interest is best served in clubs by
themselves The Aloha Club of Chicago,
whose members are all self-supporting wo
men, formed a stock company with shares
| at $3.50 each, and built summer home
on donated land on the shores of Lake
Michigan.
The bulletin calls attention to a new form
of womens clubs now appearing with sue
cess-the factory club. Three are treated
as examples-the Woman's Century Club
OF the National Cash Register Company,
OF Dayton, Ohio, formed in 1897: the Occi-
| dent Club, of employees of the Western
Electric Company, of Chicago, and the
| Looking Forward Club, of the New York
employees of John Wanamaker. In the
| Woman's Century Club two meetings a
month are held at MONDAY, and the COM
pany donates thirty minutes of the hour
I OF the meeting to each employe. During
! the winter monthly social meetings are
/ held with literary programmes, supper and
dancing. Members all have the advantage
of lessons in cooking from graduate OF
| Pratt Institute. Brooklyn, who is paid by
! the company. The president of the club.
who is a forewoman in one of the depart
ments of the factory, wrote to Commission
] er Wright that "as this experiment has
| proved TO be such a success with US, it
/ should be tested in other factories; it is
! great economic gain. Our experience dem
onstrates that the young women who have
received the training of the associate life
I do better work; that the mental recreation
| and stimulus of club life react upon the
/ minds of the young employees" She also
| considers that this club has accomplished
| great results in calling the attention of
manufacturers to the benefits of social or
| ganization among their employees.
| To Wheel Across the Continent