The Washington times., 1901-12-29
PLEA FOR MIXED CLUBS.
Association of Men and Women
Would BchcHi Both.

Women's clubs are now in full swing.
Day after day. here and there. gather
groups of eager. earnest women. united
to work for some special cause. With
men, the club is almosEy exclusively de-
voted to pleasure.
With women. the iclub is almost ex-
clusively for some serious work. What
if it be that one sends fans to the
Eskimos and blankets to .he Fiji
Islands It is only Judgment that is
at fault, not intent But IL would now
be difficult 10 find in all our land club
engaged IN such a ''purposeless purpose -
! Now and there may be a Mrs Jelly"
but she is the exception.
Earnest, useful, needful wcrk is the
aim of most women's clubs If there wa
a question Of the effectiveness of womens
| work view of what has been done dur
| ing the last decade or two would be suffi-
cient reply. Women have shown that
when they set out to gain some end
something must give way. They are earn
| est persistent and dauntless
But why, after all. women's cIubs2
/ There is limit to the strength Of a
woman, and she must at the last rely
on the strong arm of man for aid. In
most cases women look to men for finan-
cial backing. Men are more out in the
world, and better understand practical
business methods. Women. too often
take narrow and personal views of a sub
ject BY the conditions Of their lives
they have to deal with things in the
small. with the little details. There are
certainly exceptions to this rule, but thc
majority of women cannot free them
selves from the many little affairs which
make up the sum of existence to them
Men. dealing in large affairs. compelled
to look far in the future. TO Judge of
cause and effect. lack the faculty of per-
ceiving little details that surely have an
influence one way or another.
They lack the ability to give those lit
tie finishing touches that tell so much
in the completeness of 4 thing Little
stitches are missed that sometimes cause
the unravelng of 4 whole seam
II is difficult for women to be imper- |
sonll in their judgments or firm and III
wavering when decision is called for. In |
sympathy and in intuition they may excel |
men. 1t would appear that in the club. |
as in life. each would be better for the |
other. Women, moro tender, more gen.
orally conscientious. would have a bene-
fetal effect on men.
AS women's clubs now are. there is a |
strong nervous tension of work. As mems |
clubs are, there is too much relaxation.
not only In pleasure seeking. but from
the useful conventions Of society. Men
and women should be ever mingled in
work. interests. and pleasure. They are
dependent on each other for
happiness and welfare. Working together
in clubs. they would each give the other
some needed good quality.
a little more sociability would be added
10 club life for women. and more earnest
purpose for men. Then, from another
point OF view, the mixed club would be
better. Home is the starting point for
I'll good. The highest ideal home should
De the aim OF all men and women The
separate clubs tend to separate lives
md interests. This is detrimental.
Whateve- is for the welfare OF one Is
lso best for the other. Whatever affects
he lives Of women affects the lives OF
nen also. There are few objects that
woman's club would wish to work for
n which men also should not have an
nterest.-Milwaukee Sentinel. {