The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-03-08

A sweeping glance over the affairs of women's clubs and societies this third year of the new century will show better than anything else whether the feminine sex Is bringing up It's end of the work of civilization. The development and present trend of these clubs are manifest In a comparison of what they are about today with matters that interested them twenty years ago.
 The first organizations of women one knows anything of were the church so- cieties, the sewing and missionary cir c1es, mothers meetings and those queer half devout. half gossipy gatherings where the female members of a congre- gation met to stitch garments to sell in order that from the proceeds thereof they might educate some poor, but virtuous, young man for the ministry. They would as soon have thought of educating young woman for the ministry as those days as of themselves having any voice in church management. although the fem mine sex was then what it still is-the mainstay and support of all church organ izations.
 Next the woman's society advanced a tiny peg further. There began to be leisure class among us-a ladies' leisure class at least. The mems leisure class IS OnlX now III DTOCtSS OA w AhH the advent of women who had time on their hand came the idea of 'the higher culture" The word aesthetic came to be the vogue, rolled sweetly under the lady tongue morn, noon and night. La dies culture societies were formed, TOT not yet did they boldly appropriate the masculine title of club. Timtdly, taking care to have the approval of influential clergymen and ministers, women began to organize for cultivating their minds In a thoroughly refined way. To this ehd aesthetic freaks of all shades were lm- ported from overseas These were aI- ways of the male sex in those days anu they all wore long hair. They all posed some in tights. others in Oriental petit coats. and they clasped their hands ana rolled their eyes and uttered harmless nlafttudes in costume, while women sat at their feet and adored. By and by wo- men themselves got into thls aestheuc posing business, and that broke 1t up
 Newt came the womans club proper or imnroper. for to this day, though It annropriates the name, 1t Is never place where women may meet to sIhoke anu drink and gossip, at least hardiy ever The Women's Pioneer Club or Lonooh' which includes among It's members some of the most famous and intellectual ladies Q natronized too But the strongest drink to be obtained there is conee-British coffee at that. of which the less said the better So even the Pioneer is not quite the same as a mans club.
 Not being permitted to either drink or smoke. the members of the new women's 8 cluhs had to do something to keep the organizations together. They hit on the lucky idea of reading papers. Only for the long and amiabe club paper as a bond of union the woman's club would long since have fallen apart. The fair naper readers friend gathered in force to listen to her for much the same reason that people go to funerals-with the inn nressIon that the friendly attention will he remembered when their turn comes.
 Well. the paper reading stage is pass ing let us be thankful But it held wo- men together in organization till they got used to the sound and became familiar with parliamentary usage. As a direct outgrowth of the woman's club movement fl may be observed that practically with out exception the present professional trainers in parliamentary usage and ex- tempore speaking are women who got their start in women's clubs.
 Now we have come to the really earn est and useful work that at last the