The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-26
THE FUNNY CLUB WOMEN
QUEER THINGS THESE wELL-MEAN-
ING LADIES WILL DC.
Take Themselves Too Seriously and
Perpetrate Absurdities-Much
Yet to Learn.
Brooklyn Eagle.

had collectively the sense of humor that is
so frequently their saving grace individ-
ually.
The amusing break made last week at a
convention Of the Women's Christian Tenn
perance Union, held in Brooklyn, will bring
a smile. deep and broad, upon the faces OF
those who have observed much of the do
ings of club women and womens CLUBS
during the past few years.
The w. c. T. u. convention passed reso-
luton denouncing the action Of whisky
firm in printing the faces Of prominent men
upon its advertising posters. The CLUB
then discussed the matter of making the
punishment fit the crime Of this wicked
whisky firm, no one seeming TO suspect that
the public men in question might be will
ing victims Of the obnoxious poster, for
their own advantage.
During the discussion one earnest "advo-
cate of the cause moved that the poster
men" be requested not 10 post the objec-
tionable posters. But at this point small,
serious, conscientious worker interrupted
her to make another motion. This woman's
idea was that the officers of the w. c. I.
II. should boycott the wicked firm In ques-
ton, who insinuated that our public men
drink whisky. She didn't know eXaclly
what boycott meant, evidently, but al
though a Christian woman, she felt sure
that no suffering would be bad enough Ior
that vicious whisky firm TO endure!
And II is sad to have to record that the
condemned whisky firm was clever and ma
hcious enough 70 make good aoverusiLs
capital out of that little club woman
ignorance.
in many womens clubs. She has not the
smallest notion of any world outside her
own mite Of a mind. occupied with its own
particular fad. She had not the faintest
conception of what tremendous fool she
Is making of herself, and. incidentally, OF
every other woman in the world she Is
exactly the sort OF obtuse, well meaning
woman who must be maddening to the man
Obliged to live with her, and notifying to
every intelligent woman who hears her get
I'D before a woman's club and talk. Ana
she does get up In clubs ana taiK% o5S tS Se
fountain of what she doesn't know Is never
failing.
RESPONSIBLE FOR a ISLANDER.
She II is who gives strength to that
Islander, promulgated by men, that woman,
as a SEX has no humor. AS If woman could
have held her job all these generations,
and lived, without a sense of humor, as
we'll as a designing mind, and a sublime
faith, to sustain her. Women have humor
enough, but they have learned to keep the
joke to themselves.
A club woman of a more intelligent sort,
speaking of this well-meaning little soul,
moaned:
''She has no idea of timei A friend of
mine had to address a whole club of her a
year or two ago. 1T was pouring rain and
belated trolley car made my friend ten
minutes late for her appointment. She was
much troubled at her lack or punctuality,
but the president of the club met her with
a smiling face.
You don't mind when you speak, dc
your? she whispered.
"oh. no." said my friend, politely; mot al
Were waiting for a few more members
TO come" explained the president. 1--WE
thought 1t was best to have more members
here"
MY friend counted the dozen members
present and agreed that ii was. In the
course of the next hour about twenty-five
more members arrived and the meeting
opened. Private business was first on the
programme, and my friend feeling herself
in the way, went out and sat on the stairs
In the course of time there seemed to be
lull in the business discussion, and out
ser heg ans In er ha%d
You don't mind waiting while tc
speak. do you? she chirped. No? thought
not. i have a paper on Expansion"
want to read 1t awfully. and If you're sure
you don't object Thanks. so much!'
$50 my friend went into the parlor ant
heard a paper on Expansion which wa:
made up of selections from the editorials o.
all the leading papers. with no credit giver
to the writers.
linen a paper on Onl0d was redQ Dy
lady who couldn't very well come to thu
next meeting. and who lived out of town
and had TO start for home soon and ther
the president announced that as Mrs s.
didn't mind when she spoke. and as severa
members wished TO go home, they woult
have Current Topics next, particularly a.
Current Topics had been omitted for tn
past three weeks.
MY friend. whose afternoon engagement
had been spoiled by that time. listened I,
Current Topics, and finally made her owl
W. nd a hal af
appointed time"
Now. / call that dishonesty" cried tn
club woman. Tt Is thirty-eight years sine
the first woman graduated from college
What is the use of a college education 1
II does not teach women TO be honest an
businesslike and exact?"
MUCH YET TO LEARN.
Yes. it is more than a generation sine
the first woman graduated from college
but college women and women of highe
education are still a very small minority
Even the business women and educate
club women are far less in numbers tina
the vast majority of women who know lii
tie outside the walls of their nurseries an
kitchens. And it is just this narrow
minded, inexperienced woman, lately er
tered into the school of a woman's clul
who shows her ignorance TO be so fal
reaching and pathetic. She means so we
old woman said to her daughter: "Yo
mean well, Nell, but you have such a TO,
way of showing it."
Still. no matter what she does, this clu
woman cannot be ignored, nor droppe
from the ranks, but must be carried, a
an added burden, by the ever increasin
army of brighter witted women Her mi.
takes are to be endured. and she must
taught and pitied and helped by her sistt
women.
The sphere Of educational clubs seen
TO be the universe. The papers read
each meeting are upon widely different sui
jects, and frequently in one session, ov,
the whole world of knowledge. includir
Shakespeare and the musical glasses. IL
related that at a meeting OF one clu
where the members were divided I'M
groups. one group discussed THE PhilippiI
War" another Better Street Cleanir
Methods a third 1.-THE Religions of Il
World and still another Child Culture
What the other groups talked about is n
stated. but IL any subject was left TO di
cuss, doubtless the other groups had it.
good story is told of one club who
special interest was "Chlld Culture" al
who strayed far from its fad.
matter what subject IL first attacked. Up,
one occasion II seemed about TO break |
record. The subject for discussion w
Municipal Art, and members were spea
Ing quickly and with interest. The meeti
was approaching its close when the sar
small. earnest soul aforesaid-yes, she w
there. too. with her one little idea-got