The Indianapolis journal., 1902-09-07
American women's Clubs Abroat


New York Evening Post.
The Society of American Women in Lon
don is the somewhat cumbersome name OF
club formed to bring American women
together in the great metropolis and give
them a center where they may enjoy the
companionship of their fellow-country-
women. Its ambition, as is stated in its
constitution, is Ito bring together women
who are engaged in literary, artistic, scien-
tific and philanthropic pursuits, with a
view to rendering them helpful to each 9TH
er and useful to society,""
The society has three rooms at Prince s,
handsomely decorated, which are always at
the disposal of members, and large BAN
quet hall, where monthly luncheons are
given on the first Monday. AT these gath
erings prominent women of any nationality
are entertained and invited to speak on
subjects they have made their own. Mem
bers are privileged to entertain their Eng
lish friends at stated times. Informal at
homes are held on the first Saturday after
noon of each month, to which members are
privileged to invite both men and women
Music and recitations are indulged In, ana
the function ends in tea-drinking. Business
meetings are held once a month. The con-
stitution provides for election OF active,
honorary, life and nonresident members.
Every candidate for active membership
must be proposed by one member and sec
onded by another, and must be personally
knOWn Dy DOtn prOpOSer anu ScCoiluei.
Candidates residing outside the United
Kingdom are eligible for election, provided
they are personally known and properly
vouched for by resident member The an
nual subscription for active members Is
two guineas (s1050); members living abroad
and country members residing not less than
fifty miles from London, one guinea
$3.50; the entrance fee being two guineas.
The president is Mrs. Hugh Reid Griffin,
who is the only daughter of Mrs. Wells
Beach, of Waterbury, Conn. formerly OF
he hoe Itx,oI - xyao orS
in England, and is the regent of the Eng
lsh chapter of the Daughters of the Amer
lean Revolution.
The society has Joined the General Fed
Grafton of Womens Clubs in America-an
organization which is really international,
as ii numbers membership in India, China,
Australia and several European countries.
There is also an organization of American
women in Paris, known as the Ladies
Club. which has a beautiful commodious
house on the Place de la Madeleine. There
are large rooms in one building, and the
annex, any one of which might be used as
an assembly hall, irrespective of ante
rooms, toilets, kitchens. etc., for the ac,
| commodation of the club women of all
| lands. first-class restaurant is on the
| premises, and meals are provided for all
visitors in the dining room. The club now
| numbers several hundred members, whose
annual fees, however, do not nearly meet
! the expenses of running the sumptuous
quarters occupied. The founder, Nine De
Marcy, meets the deficit yearly out of her
private purse. This club is now classed as
| one OF the old organizations of Paris, al
| though it had to combat spirit of hos
| tiity as soon as it's formation was first
| suggested. Twice a week there is a club
dinner, and every day from to Z o'clock
| tea is served, while any member so minded
| is free to take her meals at the club regu-
| larly.
| Berlin has a club composed Of American
women; so has Shanghai, in China; Ceylon
| has a small society, composed mostly of
| the missionaries; Bombay has a Sorosis
1 several hundred
Emily II. Ryder, who formed this, went
| afterward to Australia, where she started
the Karrakatta, in Perth, in 1894 still in a
| teresting club in Adelaide. the president of
| which was in this country two years ago
| and was entertained by some of our promi-
| nent clubs. In Santiago, Chile there is a
| club belonging to the G. F. w. G.. We will
| not mention the clubs of Manila, Alaska
| and Hawaii, as they belong in the category
! of those of our own country.