The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1911-10-28

Lecture. j
Was a Success. Large Audience
Greeted Speaker. Sale of
Tickets More Than Paid
Expenses
A good-sized audience of over two
hundred people attended the Charlotte
Perkins Gilman lecture in the opera
house Saturday evening, and it is safe
to say that those who had gone with the
of being bored received
most agreeable surprise. II was clear
case of Those who went to scof re-
mained to admire. tor the speakers
charm, of manner won her audience at
once.
Mrs. Gilman is the living embodiment
of her ideas. Fascinating as is her per-
sonality, womanly and almost ultra
feminine as she is, one loses sight of
the woman in graspine the ideas she
presents. With the deep-set burnin 8
eyes of the genuine reformer, with a
voice trained to interpret in it's slight
est infections The most delicate shades
of meaning, she subtly impresses her
word pictures indelibly upon her hear
ers' consciousness. She held the deep
interest of her audience from the start,
and il was noticed by those who habit
ually attend the performances at the
opera house that never before had they
observed anything like the absolute still
ness that prevailed throughout the house
during the course of Mrs. GiIman's re-
marks.
The speaker was introduced to her
audience in q few we'll chosen remarks
by Mrs. Louisa Conger, president of the
Equal Suffrage club under whose au-
spices Mrs. Gilmsn came to the city.
The speaker began by briefly sketch
ing the history of woman, from the
matriarchal period, when she received
the highest honor as mother of the race.
down through the ages during which her
Gradual subsection was accomplished.
She illustrated very clearly the man
made distinction between woman 8
sphere, as wife and mother, and
mans sphere. not only-as husband
and father but the whole world beside.
She brought 10 the attention of her hear
ers the fact that man is not regarded as
male, but as man. human being.
That woman has heretofore been regard
ed as a female. from the view point of
sex alone whereas she is in reality a
human being. also with desires, ambit-
ions and aspirations and brain with
which to accomplish them.
Mrs. Gilman pointed out that the pres
ent conditions in this man-made world
are the cause of the great unrest and
uprising among women of all classes
all over the world. She briefly re-
viewed the attempts at organized
efforts that have been made for the i'm
provement of the status of woman. The
lecture was enlivened by many telling
points and bridht flashes of humor: as
when the woman candidate for heavenly
rewards interviewed Saint Peter at the
gate. She also illustrated. by several
humorous anecdotes. the position of the
woman who is economically dependent
upon her husband. and her peculiar
trials when she wishes to obtain q
little ready cash.
One Of the finest word-pictures. among
the many painted by Mrs. Gilman. was
that of universal motherhood. of the
efforts of woman to enfold in mother love
not only their own children in their own
home. but everv child in the world.
That every child should he hanpy and
we'll cared for is Growing belief as
women are heine awakened. and effort
is being directed more and more in this
direction.
There was a noticeable absence of all
rant and filings at men. snch as are
usually supposed to be inseparabIe from
lectures on equal SUFFRAGE. Mrs. Gilman
does not hold modern man responsible
for the Injustice to woman which pre-
walls in the world today. She attributes
to custom and tradition. and to
mans present thoudhtlessness and
carelessness. the fact that this iuatice is
not riahted. However. Mrs. Gilman. in
one abort sentence, pronounced the most
terrible arraisnment. Of man rossible.
when she stated that man. alone. is re.
sDonsible Tor three Of the areatest evils.
war. inta,nner rance. snd presafs,ition..:
Mn silaan read ssssxa IL selectiora
from her own poems dnrine The. lecture.
ovI nIo.nl S.,{kI, S1,n< ,s~n.k E.~..H:S..I