The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-24
WOMEN IN CLUB CIRCLES
THE VARIOUS ORGANIZA-
TIONS IN CHICAGO
PROF SMITHS WEEKLY LETTER
Efforts to Secure Legislation for
PensiOning Teachers-The Foot
ball Face-NOre of the Re-
cent Discoveries.

min anniversary OF It's organization.
There We're present among the 456 ceie-
brating the event but seven Of the found
ers of the club. This is Chicago's pio-
ncer woman's club, and 1t has a fine
record, having Inaugurated many excel
lent schemes for the bettermcnt OF con-
d1tions here, and assisted ably in carry
ing forward other plans than those 1t
proposed. It was q gala DAY and there
were many stories, jokes and puns, some
of them very amusing, but I confess to
some fear in offering them to your read
ors, and so leave them out. Number
less other clubs have been formed, and
there is great activity among them.
Here in Chicago the courtesies of
81 ecch and amenities of social life ap
pear to justify the use Of vigorous
terms. Quite recently one minister took
occasion to speak of "a madonna and
her husband" and in rne course of his
sermon said: Mary did her own work.
She did not need help. She was quiet
{ nestle woman. In an age when mis-
guided women are shrieking for wider
sphere l gladly remember that the wam-
an whose mama stands highest among
women on cart achieved her immortal
ity through domestic fidelity and unae-
fected piety." Bitter exception was taken
to the use of the word "shrieking and
there are many who marvel that the
minister overlooked environment alto
gether. The ladies felt that there is
vast difference between the conditions in
the home of Joseph, the carpenter, and
Chicago home, and on this point it must
be admitted they are quite right. To-
wards this gentleman grief rather than
anger characteriZeS the feeling. But
certain West side minister does not
escape so easily. He took occasion to
say that members of these clubs neglect
their homes and their husbands to attend
H.,
to the Austin Woman's club, which at
cnce proceeded to denounce him as an
ignorar1us and a donkey. One of the
ladies said with much heat and mdigna-
ten: 81 know the minister and I once
heard him say that Illinois was the only
state in which woman suffrage is recog-
niZed. The mans a donkey. /, of
course, challenged the statement aiEi
told him what the facts were. After the
meeting he came down to me with the
sweetest smile and looked at me as if l
never knew anything about the matter.
Here the lady's wrath presumably over
came her, for there is no further report
of her remarks. But really now, was
Ehe not grossly tried? Think of that min
ister coming towards her with the
sweetest smile!" What mental agitation
that smile must have occasioned, and yet
with a look as If the lady knew nothing.
Can human ingenuity devise greater
barbarty? This difference between the
gentlemen and ladies is not confined en-
tirely to the members of clubs, however.
THE PENSION.
Although the Teachers federation took
I'D the task of securing legislation for
pensioning teachers, all who would be
affected by the law, which, of course, in
cludes every teacher in the city, have
Leen invited to participate in the dis
nP 10
the bill The high school teachers and
the men are much opposed to any form
of pension to which they are expected to
contribute. There are exceptions, OF
course, but they do not change the rule.
The law now in force is quite inadequate
and it is feared that the scheme for pen
sioning teachers will fail altogether, but
the point to be considered is this: There
is too much prejudice among the teach
erS. One of the principals said at re-
cont meeting: 1T seems that the teach
ers have no confidence in any one. They
doubt the federation, the attorneys,
members of the board, and in fact every
one When it comes to an important
question they all want to have their in
dividual say This distrust has doubt
less been engendered, and possibly fos-
tered by the organization. If teachers
had their individual say there would
be less cause for distrust even if less
teachers scarcely know whom to trust.
They are in state of expectancy that
something is going to happen. EXPIRES
sionS such as IF We could only depend
upon that" or "Wait until you hear
from some other person." indicate that
great doubt exists, and that person
scarcely knows whom to trust. AS
safeguard organizations are effected for
the purpose of making 'the teachers
influence felt and because IF we do not
take care of ourselves no one else will"
If corporations ARE without SOULS so
In measure are organizations of indi-
Viduals supposed to be so that We can
but conclude that there are elements of
strength and of weakness also in them.
Their strength lies in a warm Uniform
support of all measures that contribute
to the efficiency and success of the indi-
vidual members as teachers. and their
weakness is found in unreasonable dis
trust and selfish attempts at personal
ACKNOWLEDGMENT The federation has
done a splendid work here, and it is a
matter of congratulation that this divis-
ion of opinion is not among the men,
bers, but, mainly at least, between the
members on one hand, and others in
terested in the pension law on the other
THE FOOTBALL FACE.
Among the many topics of interest dis
oussed recently, football has not been
overlooked. A recent debate among
school men here was characterized by
the same vigorous language that seems
almost singular to Chicago. Principal
Westcott, of the North Side High school,
denounced the game and declared that it
was unsportsmanllke and brutal. He
had before him picture of an ah-star
athletic or football group and said that
with the exception Of three each had
1.-The football face" the principal or dis
tinguishing feature being brutal. These
players belong principally, If not entirely,
to Yale and Harvard. His school has
the champion high school football team
Of Cook county, and the pupils have ar
gued the point with their principal. He
finally closed the discussion by saying
that not a single member of the athletic
association would be able to pass COM
petitive examination to be held on the
10th inst. and that if one did pass he
would pay al the expenses of the athletic
team next year. The challenge was ac-
cepted. the brightest pupil in the team
was selected, he went at his studies with
great energy and it is hoped that he
passed This however, will not be
known for some days But little atten-
ton has been paid to Principal West
colts remarks, and there are some who
feel that the condition of the North Side
Athletic association probably justified his
denunciation.
SOME MORE DISCOVERIES.
We have had no startling announce
rrents from our university professors for
some time, but they have not been idle.
Prof Clark, head of the school of ex-
preston, found serious fault with Soth-
ern's acting as Hamlet declaring +b.+
Of tha Ua11da1rilIa +,.-o