The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-03-26

The Providence Fortnlghtly club met
w. Hubbard. AZ Elmwood avenue, with
the vice president. Mrs. w. NJ. Cong
don in the chair. in the absence OF Mrs
Louis l.. Angel the president.
The roll call was responded to with
quota tions. after which the program
committee reported that Rhode Island
would be the subject OF study for the
coming club year Then followed a paper
on Fielding and Smollet. written by Mrs
! c. A. Gilbert and read by Mrs. j. Il.
! FislSe The writer outlined the life of
! each Of these two well known and always
! popular writers, who were the pioneers
! I'm fiction. and gave an account of their
| most celebrated novels.
Mrs. Frank w. Peabody read care
| fully prepared and interesting paper on
| Daniel before. in which she gave re-
| view Of his literary works and dwelt
/ particularly on his literary writings and
\ social studies. which, In his time. were
/ as popular as his Robinson Crusoe." In
/ closing she quoted a portion of one Of his
/ poems. n satire on the English race, so
| called.
Miss Anna C. Burrows followed with a
short. comprehensive paper on Laurence
/ Stern.
| A most attractive ana llntly poIlioil
/ OF the literary program was an account
| OF a trip TO Washington, ID. c.. with a
report Of the recent congress Of the
| Daughters OF the Revolution by Mrs.
| Alice Wentworth McGregor. who was a
delegate from the Pawtucket chapter, ID.
A. r.
Mrs. Harry Gregory next presented a
delightful and helpful article on Women
OF the 10Th Century" In part she said
n roliad
over this grand old world OF ours since
the Christian era. none have been so re-
markabe for progress in every line OF
thought and development as the 18th, and
the most notable Of all. and the most
worthy OF study. has been the progress
made by women during this period
Christianity opened the door for women
into n fuller. broader life, but circum
hstances no less than the will OF man as
a dominant power kept her In condition
OF dependeuce--a pet, "a plaything, 2
drudge or slave TO the man or men who
might claim authority over her
Notwithstanding the fact that many a
brave woman had struggled with all th'
powers OF her mind and soul TO breal
the chain which bound her, the 18th cen
tury found the position OF women on'
of tutelage TO fathers husbands and sons
Among the better class and among gooC
people that bondage was not realized, th'
chain which bound her 10 her environ
ments not CALLING. but among the poo
the bonds ate into the soul with tn
, cruelty Of the star chamber or the in
, quisition.'
.In our own land many things unavod
, able helped TO bring about and continue
, this state OF things The poverty OF m
) country in the early years or JUS Felte
ment. the necessity OF home manutactur'
az goods and garments and large famlhe
condemned mothers and daughters 70
round OF uneuding toll. The great iacl
OF means OF mental culture and social ~
tcrCourse; the absence OF any means o
seIf-support for an unmarried womal
outside the home; the popular teennl
that no man OF proper pride would alloN
sisters or daughters TO seek any lucrativ
employment were links OF long chain.
"in 1SlO there were but seven occupa
tlons open 20 women. oi tnese teaV,t,n oo,,,rn
, meuts but at that date women teachcI
were confined mostly 10 primary depart
ments I'm the city aud TO summer term
. I'm the country. popular ldea OF t@neI @
7 incompetcncy prevented Just recon
{ pensc for their services even In these 20
e siuons. 4 dollar or two = week VIZ
2 boarding around was considered goo
wages for a woman teacher. There wa
, n strong. prevailing opinion that wome'
were incapable mentally OF srasplng
higher education and stu less the tram
o ing required by n learned profession. Ne
y reasoned that as women were unlike me
physically and had not their strength %
. muscle and Drawn, 40 they must be un
! like mentally. and must be possessed o
smaller brain power, ns well as OF smalle
n hone and elncw. There was in the publ
! mind n firmly rooted belief that no wo
man could enter into any profession o
. take up any line OF work outside the Sc
- / clusion OF them without losing all thos
traits OF character which made womal
. lovely and lovahlc. and much was sar
b. . of the woman unseNct.' whatever Una
. might moan
. Continuing Mrs Gregory gave an intor
y cstiug account ~ women M the profess
% ons and their early struggles and dini
culties and closed with an appeal 70