The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-01-13
HUSBANDS NEED
50 A LESSON
By Hrs Ella ". Peattie.

The members of a woman's club on
the west side Of Chicago ceased to at
tend because they feared the anger of
their husbands, whose permission to
join the club they had not summoned
the courage to ask for The women
were Italians. and the club was one
which grew out of the Hull House WO-
mems club. OF course it is Immediate
ly apparent to every American woman
that if a club is needed anywhere it is
needed right there, among those wo-
men who have not acquired the lesson
Of personal liberty, and among those
men who have not learned TO differ
entiate between the states Of childhood
and wOmanhood.
The club should be reorganized upon
lines consistent with the conditions.
The permission of the husbands should
be secured-there is nothing like a
compliance with custom-and, if neceS-
sary, the approval of the priest should
be obtained. The club need not meet
on Saturday, as it has been in the
habit of doing. for that is day when
housewives are particularly busy. and
when men return to their homes at an
early hour and naturally desire the So
ciety of their wives.
1t is not uncommon for men much
more experienced than these autoeratic
Italians to look upon the club move
ment with suspicion. But there is not.
so far as known, a case on record
where a man has objected to the clubs
when he has come to understand their
aspirations and their achievements. ex-
cept in cases where the women have
proved Incorporate in their devotion
to their club duties. Some women are
incorporate even in the exercise of
their virtues.
For the great mass of women the
club has proved to be a higher school.
1t has taught the shy woman her own
value; the dependent woman has
learned to take the Initiative; the mel
ancholy. lonely, suspicious woman has
acquired geniality in the friendly halls
of the club; the fashionable woman has
acquired a taste of the hearty bread of
democracy, and has found that INTEL
lectual pleasures are ike a drink of
cold. clear water.
The pretty. debOnair creature fresh
from college, conscious of her abilities,
her beauty and her style, has learned
at the clubs to pay respect to the
ppearing, elderly, grave
~ dressed women whom she once
passed as nonentities. but whom she
has found to be possessed of much wis
sympathies.
The woman who is left in sorrowful
| inoccupation. with her house emptied
of the children that once filled it. and
herself wearing to an incOnspicuous old
age. has discovered in the clubs that
her mind is still fresh and receptive,
that she still has wit and charm, and
that her rich experience in life is an
appreciable and appreciated quality.
She who has a passion for making her
self of use can find here the outlet in
social and benevolent ways.
The fashionable woman has CHANGED
upon the discovery that a Paris gown
counts little in the combat of wits; the
questionable has learned to value the
society woman'S suavity and gracious
ness: the poor woman has learned that
her rich club neighbor may need her
sympathy and her help.
The woman's club is place for the
reciprocity OF ideas, for the study of
many things, and for sociability. And
it may be said without fear of contra
diction that the amity which reigns
among these large bodies of women
would have been impossible a few
years ago, before the women learned,
little by little, the value Of the i'm
personal attitude toward life. The
club has done more than any other
one thing to eradicate those qualities
which were, in the Objectionable sense
of the word, termed feminine.
If men could be made to understand
this-even the men of Italy, whose at
titude toward women has always re-
manned somewhat feudaL however
! kindly-it is likely that their objec-
tions TO the club would cease.
Copyright, 1901, by w r. Hearst)