The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-09-15
OF INTEREST TO WOMEN
TO PROMOTE CONFIRMATION.
One of he Latest Clubs Formed An Chicago.


 Chicago.
 Chicago Record-Herald.
 woman's club ito promote the art of conversation Is one or the ih'e. esting organizations Of Chleaso. has an exclusive field and on its mem bership roster are the names or some of the clever and brilliant women or the South Side. It is known as the Lesche Club. l., turn prepares a topic of club interest, and. talks it out and over" with her fellow members, unassisted by notes or paper. A recent decision that par ticularly difficult or lengthy subjects might be handled with the aid of very small and brief notes has so far af- fected no one. The Lesche gatherings, which allow Interruptions as frequent as necessary for the proper understand ing of the subject in hand, furnish the best kind of club and social training. So friendly and sympathetic are all the members that one never hesitates to speak before the others.
 We are glad to be interrupted and questioned" says the Lesche president, Mrs. Charles A. Beck. We become even more thoroughly conversant with our subject in this manner than when preparing it for the club"
 The careful preparation necessary for the giving of a thirty or forty minutes talk" without notes is in itself said to be good mental training. By the time the secretary, at the following meeting. has briefly summed up the gist of the information given the Lesche members feel that they have the topic pretty well mastered.
 Has no Outside Speakers.
 Tba oJuh y,ap,harshin is limited tO thirty, this number being. in the opin- ion of the members. quite large enough for successful parIor handling and par liamentary regulations are called Into play as little as possible.
 we try to keep the Lesche meetings as informal and conversational as pos sible,'' says Mrs. Reed, one of the organizers of the club. and for this reason we seldom have outside speak CTS, however distinguished. We did this at first, but now we keep our pro- grams almost entirely to our own mem bers. And, although we felt the need of a constitution after two or three years of club existence, we make little use of club formalities of any kind"
 The original impetus of the Lesche Club-the name being that of con- versational club for both men and wo- men, maintained for purposes of artis- tic and literary discussion in ancient Athens-was provided by a casual meet ing of nearly thirty "neighborhood friends" in which the talk turned upon gossip.
 we decided, then and there, to have a club in which talking should furnish the chief reason for being, but which should never be allowed to entertain gossip" says Mrs. Reed. The 'Lesche came into speedy existence, and has been successful ever since"
 It was further decided-all proceed ings being carried on in simplest, most informal manner-that the organiza- tion and purpose of the club should be kept quiet" at least until its success had been assured. Long after the at tainment of this end the modest Leache members preferred to retain their peaceful seclusion, and the Lesche group has borne little part in club federations or festivities of any kind.
 Members not able, for any reason, to handle the given subjects are required by the club constitution to provide substitute, and this Is invariably done. AS a rule, it Is considered point of club honor to live up to the program. The art, literature and varied accom- plishments of the different centuries, beginning with the sixteenth. have been consecutively studied by the Lesche members in previous years contemporary artists and writers re- ceiving later attention. This year. however, will mark a temporary de- parture from earlier lines by offering an elective program. Every member has chosen her own topic, to be treated as she may prefer.
 American Literature" Chicago Be- fore the Fire Shakespeare in Music" London" Chicago Today" South Sea Sketches" "Cathedrals," Washington, D. e. "The Art of Pleasure" "Constantinople," Dublin and Cork" The Beautiful Bermudas" these are among the twenty seven subjects to be talked over in the Lesche circles during the coming months, with other topics of no less varied interest. The secretarial resume of each topic will as always, work pleasantly for members compelled to be absent. x < .&
 The Japanese Tea Room. The Japanese tea room will be the fad among the smart set this season, and the fashion of all things Japanese in hangings, china, divans, couches, and the like will be revived in all their color and richness. The present was has revived the fad, and the Japanese tea room is being fitted up in many a palatial home where madame can in dulge her taste at any cost. The favorite informal function will be tea" in this new oriental apart ment, and already one scents the odor of Japanese incense blending with the