The Savannah morning news., 1904-09-20
INDIANA LEAP YEAR CLUBS.
HOOzier Young Women Are SizinQ
Up the Bachelors.
From the New YORK SIM

FROM the New York Sun.
Indianapolis.-An organiza ton, which
had its origin in the fact that many
marriages in Indiana are followed nv
appeals to the divorce courts, bu+
which was really started in a spirit Of
fun, bids fair now to extend 10 all
parts of the state, and in the end if
may prove a corrective for the divorce
evil
Several weeks ago some of the young
women of Milan, Ripley county, organ
lied leap year club. 1t was designed
to furnish information to it's members
regarding marriageable young men
and bachelors and the members pro-
ceeded to list the men of the immedi-
ate vicinity, each name being follow
ed by a short sketch of the owners
personal characteristics
This was followed by similar organ
izations at Versailles, Osgood, Moores
Hill, DillsbOro, BateSVille and Other
towns in Ripley and Dearborn coun-
ties. Then the members of these differ
ent organizations got together and
concluded to act in concert
Typewriter list of the young men
and their traits were exchanged hv
the members of the clubs of the differ
ent towns. When these lists We're com
clubs it was found that every young
man in the two counties was listed ana
in addition all the travelling men who
visit the county and who We're known
to the young women of any of the
clubs.
Certain terse designations for the
records were agreed upon and each Of
the young men was listed by number
in typewriter sheets and this number
nrraSTOnndpa fn
record book where a fuller description
was kept
If, for instance, No. on the type
written sheets was followed by the
words mot desirable" a reference IN
the book gave in detail the reasons
why he was so characterized If No.
was followed by the sentence. "A
hard worker, but stingy," the record
gave examples of acts from which the
conclusion was reached.
One man was characterized as
rich, but dyspeptic;" another as too
fond of other girls" another, good
looking, but knows it," another as
needs a wife with a strong will" and
SO on throughout the list.
The story of the object for which
the clubs had been formed got out.
OF course. and hundreds of letters
have been received by members ask
MS III IulleI "DETAILS. In several other
counties similar clubs are now being
formed, and it is quite possible that
they will soon exist in nearly all the
counties of the state.
The organizers have been compN-
mented from pulpits bX ministers who
nave felt that the Indian divorce rec
ord is disgrace to the state, and
judges and influential citizens have
given the clubs their unqualified in.
dorsement. 1t is said that in Dear.
born and Ripley counties the infu-
ence of the organization is already be-
coming apparent on some of the
young men, for they have found A
marked difference between the actions
of some of the girls toward them
since the clubs were organized.
This is specially true of the Young
men who, being under more or less
OF a cloud at home. had found no
trouble in entering the society Of girls
IN other towns in the county where
they were not so well known.
The latest reports on the subject OF
divorce, compiled from all the coun-
ties of Indiana by the state statisti-
clan, Show that there is one divorce
Tor each seven marriages. These fig
ures have led people to commend the
course taken by the young women of
Ripley and Dearborn counties, and
they are urging similar action in other
localities.
1t is not improbable that the or
ganlzatlon, begun in a spirit of fun,
out now working earnestly for the
good OF its members, will be extended
TO all parts of the state and will prove
corrective of a growing evil