Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-22

and vital interest In women's work were
well known throughout the business dis
trict. With a charter membership OF nine
teen, the workers furnished simply but
comfortably the quarters they had selected.
and opened the lunch room. which instantly
proved to be an efficient missionary. Today
the membership is nearly 800. the debt IL
paid and the club is entirely Pelf- supporting.
The initiation fee is 81, with dues of SO
cents monthly. With this income and the
moneys derived from the sale OF lunchecns
and occasional dinners, the executive COM
mittee meets every expense. The only
salaried oficer is the cashier. and the work
ing force in dining room and kitchen Is
composed entirely OF women. Members are
served a table d'hote lunch for 20 cents,
but a slight premium is charged
bers who frequently find their way TO the
rooms. An a la carte service has also been
established, and the entire menu is sim
pie and homellke.
The dining room 10 exceedingly simple,
its chief charm being it's outlook. On all
sides it is lined with great windows, over
looking the North and East rivers and the
bay. A day must be gloomy. indeed. when
it sheds no light in this room.
The reading room is more pretentious,
being decorated in dull green, rose and
Flemish oak. The piano stands invitingiy
open. There is a fair sized library, in
GLIDING all the current periodicals., and a
desk supplied with club stationery.
But perhaps the feature which appeals
most strongly TO many OF the members is
the convenience and comfort Of the small
rest or dressing rooms, each supplied with
a couch and pillows a-plenty, toilet arti-
cles Of all sorts and a medicine chest con-
tanning all the simpler remedies. These
rooms, furnished daintily in delft blue and
white, with immaculate curtains and down
pillows. are a veritabie boon TO women
employed in once buildings where practic-
ally no conyeniences or comforts are sup
piled for women clerks.
Owing to the fact thai the club
rooms are located far from the residence
and theater districts, the rooms are open
at night only on stated occasions, such as
club dinners, receptions and entertainments
OF a more or less formal nature. On these
occasions dinner is served for a nominaI
sum, so that members may not be Obliged
TO hurry home to dress for the evening func-
tion. The rooms are always open late
enough for a suburban member to change
her frock and enjoy q little rest should
she plan on remaining in town for the
theater.
In other words. a representative business
woman's club is formed and managed solely
for the comfort and convenience of its
members II does not aim to ride a lit
erary hobby or raise the intellectual stand
ard OF its members. 1t has no mission"
IL II has classes on it's calendar, It is be-
cause the members demand classes. II does
not pose as an employment agency, though
1t promulgates the doctrine of hanging to-
sether." II does not even force socIabiIty
upon its members. They come and go as
they Ike. and barring the weed and the
bottle, II Is a clever imitation OF It's proto-
type, the mans club.
In both the New York club and the Chi
cago club stenographers predominant on
the membership roll. This Is not true,
however. OF the club movement In Minneap-
oils, Detroit and Buffalo, where doctors,
dentists and other professional women are
In the majority. In New York the club
rooms are the ~faVOrite gathering place for
the Insurance women, who write some Of
the heaviest policies taken out.