The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-10-08
BY KATE UPTON CLARK.

OERHAPS the women's clubs Of
| which men most approve are the
fashionable ones, where there is
considerable display, all is conventional
and the members are not likely to do
tanatical things.
This point viii be disputed by many,
but Investigate for yourself and $50 if it
is not so. With all that is said regard
ing the fear among women of breaking
social canOns, men are more timid than
they The sheep-like uniformity Of
men regarding their apparel extends 20
other matters The fear of the aver
age man that either he or his wife or
children will queer" themselves,
amounts TO panic. Any one who knows
both mems and WOmen's colleges viii
testify that, anxious though the girls
are to walk on certain accepted lines,
their brothers are even stTicter, and
heap upon those who dare TO be differ
ent heavier penalty of ridicule or
SCOrn.
Therefore, it is easy to see why most
men are willing 10 have their wives do
the regular" the fashionable thing.
To venture of the beaten tracks is to
be talked about"-very likely made
fun of. or hardly critlcised-and this.
for the women of their households, is
something few men can contemplate
calmly.
The kind of a woman's club next in
popularity is the philanthTOpiC 1t has
long been recognized among the best
people" that women are peculiarly
adapted 10 work among the sick and
the afflicted. Hospitals. asylums. kim
dergartens, restaurants for working
girls, and the homes for the aged
these are universally considered proper
objects for the interest and efforts Of
society women. Everybody can see the
results of such work No argument is
needed to defend it. The social position
is strengthened of every woman who
goes into it, or who joins a club which
has for its object any form of charita-
BILE endeaVor
The musical and art clubs for women
are considered by most men-the great
mass of the business and professional
everyday" men-as really silly, but
comparatively harmless. In some cities
they have great social prestige and be-
come highly desirable.
The WOmen's reform clubs are those
which are regarded with most suSpi-
ciOn. Society demands an explanation
from everybody who daTes 10 undertake
Ia reconstruction. Like individuals, il
resents blame. In a general way as
with all of us, II admits fdultS-buU
does not like to have them specifically
pointed out. and it becomes enraged
when attempts are made to uprOOt
them. The woman refOrmer is the es-
pecial butt of the satiTist and the car
toonist The woman who joins a club
of this sort knows that she takes, as il
were her social life in her hand.
The we'll known story of Mrs. Lydia
Child, one of the nOblest and most gift
ed of American women, illustrates this
phase of the club movement better than
perhaps any other. She had been inn
mensely pOpular-the pet of society
until she joined an anti-slaVery society
and began TO write warm pleas for the
freedom of the blacks. Then old friends
turned against her, her literary vogue
Waned and she was treated with ScOTn
and insults where she had once been
applauded.
You may think and say that the time
for that sort of thing has passed, but il
has not. The woman who dares to name
and denOuuCe the sins of society today
is often subjected to as whitening con-
tempt as that which was visited upon
Mrs. Child
1t is the literary club. however. that
the humorist most enjoys exploiting
and the men Of the family most love 10
jeer at.
We'll what are they gushing over al
the club now merry husband asked