The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-12-04
TEDDY HAS NOT APOLOGIZED.
WHAT CLUB WOMEN ARE
DOING.


Bill Arp is Reconci1ed to IL,
Idea of W0ncn's Clubs Til
UnblusliinG Impudcncc G
Roosevelt.
Atlanta Constitution.
l've been watching these women
these club women. For long time
did not like the name, but am recon
ciled. l never visited mans clu
but once. 1t was gathering of YER
nice, woll behaved social gentlemen
with eatables and drinkables ;n th
background, but no body partook t,
excess while was there. The excess
came afterwards, if it came at all. Blu
wOman's club he's neither eatable.
nor drinkablcs nor cigars. OF course
it is very social gathering, but the,
mean business and they do it. ONLY
few years ago few ladies of this
town determined to do something fol
the town and they formed "The
Cherokee Club" and soon had more
members and went to work. AL the
members had passed their teens and
the married ones had laid by their
crop. They secured charter and
then got lease from the city and the
State for fifty years control of the
ground between the hotel block and
the railroad, and adorned it with grass
and gravel walks, and enclosed it with
a chain fence and placed handsome
iron seats by the shade trees, and
planted beautiful fountain in the
center and peopled it with gold fish.
This beautiful park is the trolicking
ground for the children and a cheerful
resting place for their tired mothers
and trysting place for young men
and maidens. Near by the trains are
passing al all hours, and our new
beautiful passenger depot is near at
hand, where our people congrcgate to
receive their friends or bid them good
by. And the club did it all, for the old
depot would still be there if the women
had not stirred up the men TO demand
another.
Then these women began to plant
flowers and shrubbery in the school
house grounds, and next they started
a small library in small room, and
circulated good books among our peo-
pie and they kept on and on until they
got larger room and more books, and
kept it open two days IN week and
the demand for books soon widened to
the country and every week they sent
out four boxes of sixty volumes each
along the mail routes, and SO have
established q rural circulating library
that has proven blessing to our coun-
try boys and girls, and the books al
ways come back unhurt and are sent
out on another mission.
Next these good women started
sewing society among the poorer classes
in our community and arc taking turns
in teaching the girls how to cut gar
ments and make them and where they
are very poor they give them aid and
comfort. 1t is all charity. But last of
all and the best of all they have ac-
tually laid The foundation of Club
Library building that will hold thous
ands of books and where all the best
magazines of the country will be taken.
The city fathers gave them beautiful
lot and if the weather permits the
building will be finished and paid for
and occupied in three months. 1t will
no. only be library for books, but a
place for rest for the travelling man as
we'll as for our country friends and
their wives and daughters when they
come to town. Besides these uses 1t
is intended to have literary and musi-
cal entertainments there that will be
far moro elevating and refining than
the average shows that perform in our
opera house.
These same women organized a
lyceum course for two winters and
succeeded fairly we'll, but to send afar
Off for lecturers costs too much for q
town Of this size and 30 they are going
to secure home talent and talent from
Atlanta and Rome and Dalton and
have entertainments at popular prices,
say at 10 cents admission, as Professor
Proctor, the great astronomer did up
North. He told me he never charged
more IN manufacturing town and al
ways gave the working people the pre-
ference of seats and always had a
crowded house. It was a cheap and
delightful school to them. What these
club women will do next I do not
know, but they mean business. They
mean to elevate i.ieir own sex first and
If the mon and boys come In they will
find welcome. 1 suppose that this
library building will be the first thai
any club has erected In the State, ant
what I wish to remark and emphasize
Is that there is not respt otable towr
or village in the State but can do some
thing on this same line.
Now hear you ask, whore dill 20,
get the money to do all this? "Heaver
helps those who help themselves
Onr women began with very little. Th'
railroad gave them $50 to start on ant
gave them part Of the seats in the park
Then tho club gave an oyster suppe
and made q good little sum. Late
on they held a bazaar, and later on
concert, and after awhile another sup
:, per, and all along at intervals the
smiled ut tho merchants and ,other
and got some more money, and whe