The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-22

evening. In this one privilege alone,
the members feel that they stand on
level with their men friends who are
addicted to club life, and they take
solid comfort in this mode of enter
tanning. The cost of dinners is regu-
lated only by the wishes of the indi-
vidual hostess, who has her room or
table set aside. her decorations ar
ranged and her menu served quite in
dependently of other diners.
New YOrk's Big Club.
The New York Council of the Ma
tional Association of Business Wom-
en- is a close second to the Chicago
club. 1t has rooms on the top floor of
a big office building at 1OS Fulton
street, close to the financial district
in which most of its members are en-
ployed or Independently engaged in
business.
When Miss Cleora e. Swift a sue
cessful and ambitious business woman,
started the movement in 1900. New
York women were not as ready to ac-
cept the suggestion as their more opti-
mistic sisters in Chicago. But Miss
Swift was not to be discouraged, and
she interested in her work two most
efficient helpers, Miss Virginia Potter
and Miss Grace H. Dodge, whose phi
lanthropy and vital interest in wom-
ems work were we'll known through
out the business district. With a
charter membership of nineteen, the
workers furnished simple but comfort
able the quarters they had selected,
and opened the lunch-room which in
stantly proved to be an efficient mis-
sionary. To-day the membership is
nearly 300, the debt is paid and the
club is entirely Self-SuDDOrtinQ
The initia ton fee is 81, with dues of
so cents monthly. With this income
the moneys derived from the sale of
luncheons and occasional dinners, the
Executive Committee meets every ex-
pense. The only salaried officer is the
cashier and the working force in din
ing-room and kitchen is composed en-
tirely of women. Members are served
table d'hote lunch for 20 cents, but
slight premium is charged non-mem-
bers who frequently find their way to
the rooms. An la carte service has
also been established, and the entire
menu is simple and homelike.
Dining Room in the Sky.
The dining room Is exceedingly sim
pie, it's chief charm being it's outlook
On all sides it is lined with great win
dows, overlooking 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 preten-
tious, being decorated in dull green
rose, and Flemish oak. The piano
stands invitingly open. There is
fair-sized library, including all the cur
rent periodicals., and a desk supplied
with club stationery
But perhaps the feature which ap-
peals most strongly to many of the
members is the convenience and COM
fort of the small rest or dressing rooms,
each supplied with a couch and pillows
aplenty, toilet articles of all sorts and
medicine chest containing all the
simpler remedies. These rooms, fur
nished daintily in delft blue and white,
with immaculate curtains and down
pillows are a veritable boon to women
employed in Office buildings, where
practically no conveniences or comforts
are supplied for women clerks.
Owing to the fact that the club
rooms are located far from the resi-
dence and theater district, the rooms
are open at night only on stated &C.
casions, such as club dinners, recep-
tions and entertainments of a more or
less formal nature. On these occasions
dinner is served for nominal sum, Sc
that members may not be obliged to
hurry home to dress for the evening
function. The rooms are always open
late enough for a suburban member
to change her frock and enjoy a little
rest should she plan on remaining in
town for the theater.
In other words, a representative BUSH
ness woman's club is formed and man.
aged solely for the comfort and con-
venience of its members. 1t does not
aim to ride literary hobby or raise
the intellectual standard of it's menu
bers. 1t has no mission" If II has
classes on its calendar, vt is because
the members demand classes. It does
not pose as an employment agency,
though II promulgates the doctrine of
hanging together" 1t does not even
force sociability upon It's members.
They come and go as they like, and,
barring the weed and the bottle. II is