The Topeka state journal., 1903-06-30


n century Will show better than
anything else whether the fem
inine sex is bringing UP its end OF the
work Of civilization The development
and present trend of these clubs are
manifest in a conn rarison of what they
are about today With matters that in
terested them twenty years ago.
The first orEa anizations of women one
knows anything OF were the church so
cieties, the sewing and missionary cir
cles. mothers meetings and those queer,
half devout ha;f gossipy gatherings
where the femal9rnember of q ccngre-
cation met 70 stitch garments to sell
in order that from the proceeds thereof
they might educate some poor. but yir-
tuous, young man for the ministry.
They would as soon have thought of
educating young woman for the min
istry in those days as Of themselves
having any voice in church manage
ment, although the feminine sex was
then what it still is-the mainstay and
support of all church organizations.
Next the woman's society advanced
a tiny peg further. There began to be
a leisure class among us-a ladies' lei
sure class at least The mems leisure
class is only now in process of forma-
ton. With the advent of women who
had time on their hands came the idea
II
thetic" came to be the vogue rolled
sweetly under the lady tongue morn.
noon and night. Ladies culture socie-
ties were formed for not yet did they
boldly appropriate the masculine title
Of club Timdly taking care to have
the approval of influential clergymen
and minister's women began to organ
ize for cultivating their minds in
thoroughly refined way To this end
aesthetic freaks of all shades were i'm
ported from overseas. These were al
ways of the male sex in those days and
they all wore long hair. They all posed,
some in tights, others in oriental petit
coats, and they clasped their hands and
rolled their eyes and uttered harmless
platitudes in costume. while women sat
at their feet and adored. BY and by
women themselves got into this aesthet-
ic posing business. and that broke it up.
Next came the womans club proper,
or improper, for to this day though it
appropriates the name. it is never
place where women may meet to smoke
and drink and gossip, at least hardly
ever The Women's Pioneer club of
London which includes among its
members some of the most famous and
intellectual ladies of England has a
smoking room. well patronized too.
But the strongest drink to be obtained
there is coffee-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 wo-
mems clubs had to do something to
keep the organizations together They
hit on the lucky idea of reading papers.
only for the long and amiable club pa
per as a bond of union the woman's
club would long since have fallen apart.
The fair paper readers friends gather
ca in force to listen to her for much the
same reason that people go to funerals
with the impression that the friendly
attention will be 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 of their own
voices in public and became familiar
with parliamentary usage. AS a direct
outgrowth of the womans club move
ment it may be observed that practical
ly without exception the present profess
sional trainers in parliamentary usage
and extempore speaking are women
who got their start in women's clubs
Now we have come to the really ear