The Saint Paul globe., 1904-07-10
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special Foreign Correspondence

Special Foreign Correspondence
LONDON, July 9.-It seems doubtful
If the really rather high ideal which
the founders Of the new Lyceum club
have set for themselves has had JUS
tice done to it in such accounts of the
club as have been sent out to the
United States since it's opening the
other day. Probably it has been stated
that the Lyceum starts with a larger
membership and finer clubhouse than
any other wonan's club in the world,
and no doubt a good deal has been
said regarding the strikingly large
number of distinguished women-both
in this country and the United States
whom Miss Constance Smedley, the
bright girl who conceived the idea Of
the Lyceum club, has succeeded In in
teresting in the project.
The Lyceum is. of course, open to
professional women of every nation,
and aims to do for its members a lot
Of services such as no social organiza-
tion-whether made up OF men or wo-
men-ever has undertaken before: but
the scheme of the young authoress
who founded it goes good deal farther
than that:
the writer the other day, "is a union
of intellectual women workers the
world over which will advance the
interests of all Of them. That the Ly-
ceum club starts, and for the present
mas Its chief headquarters, In London
Is merely accidental'though we hope
10 make our clubhouse here a meeting
ground for women workers of every
nationality, as well as a sort of clear
ing house for their work. Our hope is
TO nave, eventually, just as pretentious
quarters and equal facilities for aiding
heHperS In New York and the other
great capitals
Woman's trade union" some
one called the Lyceum in nv hearinr
a few days ago, and that really sums
II all up. When Miss Smedley's idea
OF an international club for feminine
writer's artists, musicians and other
inteiiectual workers was first mooted
II attracted no end of attention and
no sooner was it known that LADY
FRANCES Balfour, the prime minister's
slster-in- law, had become its chair
man, and Mrs. Moberly Bell wife ne
the editor of the Times, it's vice chair
man, and that half of the intellectual
women In this country, including Mrs.
IhomaS Hardy, Mrs. Craigie Miss
Beatrice Harraden. Mrs Humpf,ry
ward and Mrs. Flora Annie Steel. were
on the clubs provisional committee. .ap-
pi1cationS for membership came in aI-
most as fast as they could be record
ed. No small number of them came
from the United States. and every 9TH
er civilized country in the world in
Guiding China, was represented. too.
AT the outset, it had been decided
tnat the essential qualifieat ton for
membership in this club should he
active work for pay on the part Of an
applicant (the idea being to excipda
fashionable amateurs and beginners
VINO had so far shown no special nrotn-
lSe), and this rule has been adhered
TO, with the result that over 30 ner
cent OF those applying were rejected.
Inc list OF members includes the names
OF Two duchesses. several countesses
and a few ladies, it is true. but -each
of them Is an actual woman worLer
For instance, the Duchess of Suther-
land and her grace of Leeds are both
authors, while the Countess of Aber-
deems work is too well known to need
any comment. Mrs. Langtry's daueh-
ter, Jeanne, Is now. as Mrs. Ian NAL
COIN, one OF the foremost liberal host
esses, but she is member of the Ly-
ceum club solely because she composes
songs that get published. The Count
ess Feodore Gleichen, another of the
titled members, paints and sells pic
lures. The only exception to the clubs
rule Is made In the case Of the wives
OF distinguished men, and we have
two OF these In the persons of the
Countess of Malmesbury and Lady
Esher
So far, bureaus Of the Lyceum club
nave been opened in Paris, Berlin and
Prague. The American membership is
not yet sufficiently large to justify the
opening of depot in New York. but
such an event seems not far off. AT
present the interests of the Lyceum: