The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1899-03-18
WOMEN AND MEN. THE FU
IURE OF CLUB LIFE.


ing both In itself and for the man that
wrote It:
Does the EXTREMITY rapid growth OF
women's clubs stand for future social
changesY says Mr. Higginson in The
Bazaar. There is something very for.
midable in the unobserved steps with
which the hitherto subject sex makes
it's way into masculine privileges, when
once granted the smallest toothold. In
our early colonies girls were often al.
lowed to attend the public schools only
in summer, when tho boys were at work
in the field; whereas now in most places
the slight majority Of pupils are Of the
female sex, and nine .tenths OF the
teachers. Even in church, at least
among the Jews, the admission Of WON.
en- to any thing like equal places in tho
synagogue is thing only recently at.
tempted. Is not even club life to be de-
Tended against these peaceful and in.
sidious invaders?
At first sight, it would seem, no two
things could be more remote from each
other than mems and women's clubs.
Mems clubs are usually housed. Won.
enc are gradually creeping beyond the
parlor, though usually reaching no far.
Their than the vestry, but in some places
have houses Of their own. Men seek
clubs for relaxation. women for at least
mental exertion. Men go thers to read
newspapers; women, to read essays and
reports, or to hear lectures by others.
For many women the club is the most
strenuous pant Of their lives; for most
men it 10 avowedly tho LATEST. By the
phrase "club woman" we commonly i'm.
ply a person particularly lsborious or
usaful; the phrase "club man" certainly
suggests no such associations. Both
imply some spending Of money, but
where woman spends a dollar on a
club, the man usually spends ten; where
she spends five, he spends fifty. At
both, food is occasionally served; but
with this difference. that the woman's
cup Of tea probably costs her no more,
all things considered, than it would cost
at home, whereas the mems club dinners
undoubtedly cost considerably more. al.
though commonly at proportionate con.
venience to himself. 1t is q curious
fact. as illustrating the lavishness of tho
American temperament, that the Lon.
don clubs, on which ours are modelled,
originated in the purpose CT economy;
aud that to this day the American who
dimes at one Of them is always amazed
at the smallness Of his bill. He is sci.
dom astonished ia that direction when
he gets back to New York or Chicago.
Yet it is to be noticed that all these
barriers OF dsmarcation are slowly
breaking down. The women's love for
lectures or papers or discussions is
more and more reproduced for the men
under the more convivial name OF
smoke-talks. Some clubs OF men ha-
bitually duplicate their supply Of these
for the benefit Of wives and daughters.
As such clubs have ladies' nights, 80
women's clubs have special occasions
when their meetings ara opea to men
also. Again, it is observable that class
90 for study begin to be formed in mems
clubs. as in French or Spanish, perhaps
as relief from too arduous labors over
American leads at whist.
So far as the business management OF
clubs is concerned, the great general de.
velopment women in this direction
removes all obstacles from that quarter.
In comparing, for instance, the list OF