The San Francisco call., 1910-10-29

only or principal part that women take
in civic affairs is advocating woman's
suffrage. This is not so in San Fran
cisco at least.
In fact in many particulars women
can accomplish more than men. They
have the time and the enthusiasm
which men have not The success of
many of our improvement associations
is due 10 the efforts OF women
In some OF these associations the
women are the secretaries and they
work with untiring zeal This is so in
the Nisitacion Valley improvement as
sociation. where Mrs. r. b. Hutchison
is secretary. 1t is so in the Upper
Sunset Improvement club, where Mrs.
]. ". Hellman was secretary for sew
eral years. It is true also in the Glen
Park, Sunnyside and Parksije clubs,
where women are on several or the
important committees.
In the Arguello Boulevard improve
ment club the moving spirit is a
woman. In several of the districts
where women do not belong to the
clubs they nevertheless render very
valuable assistance to their district by
making protests TO the district club
and by circulating petitions for the
clubs.
It would be impossible in these COL
umns TO give a full account of what the
various women's clubs have done and
are doing for San Francisco. These
clubs have varied spheres Of activity.
In this sketch the accomplishments
Of one club OF each class is given as an
illustration OF what scores of other clubs
Of the same kind are doing.
CALIFORNIA CLUB
The California club is TO the other
-
association is 10 the other improvement
clubs Of the city 1t is by far the
largest and wealthiest. The club was
organized December 81, 1897, by Mrs.
Lowell White. The presidents of the
club have been Mrs Lowell White, Mrs.
George Law Smith. Mrs. Ayelett r. Cot
ton. Mrs. James W. Orr and Mrs. z. L
Baldwin Mrs. Lowell White was the
first and Is the present executive.
The club is divided into four depart
ments and u general committees. The
departments are: Department of edu-
cation. department of social science, de-
partment OF civics and department of
outdoor art league Each department
las its own special committees. The
general standing committees are: Leg
islatiYe. building, renting, visiting.
press, decoration. membership, program,
reception. tea, revision, painting and
decorating. There is a board Of direc-
tors consisting of 10 members
other clubs affiliate themselves with
the various departments and work as a
part Of the machinery OF the California
club. The California club in turn is
ahiHated with the California Federation
Of Women's Clubs. The federation is
an executive body consisting of repre-
sentatives or delegates from all the
wOmen's clubs.
The initial work of. the California
- - =,
conjunction with the local society al
Union square in February, 1898, during e
the golden jubilee. the fiftieth anniver-
sary Of the discovery of gold in Cali
fornia In May. 1899, and in April, 1900
successful exhibits OF the industrial
arts in California were held in the Me
chanics' pavilion. These exhibits proved
2 stimulus 10 the workers in arts and
crafts.
In 1900 the club co-operated in a
movement to better the conditions for
working girls in the laundries, and to
shorten the hours for milliners.
The club succeeded in having q
woman appointed upon the board OF
education and in having one woman
physician placed on the medical staff
of the hospitals for insane at Napa and
at stockton.
The California club was the first to
develop the idea Of the public play
grounds. In May. 1898. the club secured
from the board of education permission
70 use lot in Bush street near Hyde
which was equipped by the club for q
playground. For three years the play
ground was maintained at the expense
Of the club The experiment was sc
successful that the public was aroused
TO the necessity of an extended system
of Fairgrounds
in April. 1902, the board OF education
opened the playground at Seventh and
Harrison streets. the equipment fol-
which was donated by the club. AL
though this playground has passed from
the club vigilant supervision over 1t is
still maintained. The club for several
years adocated the establishment of q
playground in the North beach district
The demands Of the club have at last
been acceded to.
In 1899, through the efforts OF the
club. messenger boys circulating
libaries were placed in district Offices.
The Dunn memorial library donated
10 the club in 1899 was the first travel
ing library in the state of California.
The club now has six Libraries in as
many towns in the state. Other clubs
have taken up this work and there
are now more than so Libraries sent to
isolated towns in the state. The state
library board has initiated similar
system and is now sending out books
10 various towns from the state
library. A library set will be sent to
one town for six months and then
shifted TO another town.
Schoolroom decoration is anothe,
matter to which the club has given
much attention. Artistic rooms are o!
decided educatiye value to the child.