The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-09-14

"HE club year really opened on
Friday with the drst meeting
OF the Ladies Literary club
The spirit of the meeting
seemed to indicate an earnestness and
enthusiasm which is not always pres
cnt at the opening meeting of the year,
and if there was anything needed to
kindle such spirit IL was found in
the president s address,: a brief report
of which was given Yesterday. The
whole talk was OF such a helpful ma
ture and of such general interest TO
club women that it is given today al
most entire. Mrs. Adams prcfaced her
talk with a few lines. showing her
humor and her ability to touch lightly
the salient points desired in: club
president. Referring to her predecessor
she quoted briefly from the speech
given last year -on accepting the chair
from Mrs. Eugene B. Palmer, md then
launched into her subject. saying in
part: 49, ,.
In the year before u.s. please re-
member that my time is AT your dis
posal: my strength. my energy and
my best endesvor arc yours TO COM
mand for any and all things which
may further tAe good or extend the
influence Of this organi1a ton.
Mrs, Critchlow has most wisely i'd
ministered our affairs during the past
two busy successful years, and to-
day we are enjoying the frIition OF
that sea son OF pa nnlng and endeavor.
In our beautiful, commodioqs club
home-but. in our pride OF possession.
let US not forget that these walls
Inca sing us are but the setting OF. the
gem-that the real Jewel In that com
positc entity made up of you. and
YOU, and you-each separate individ-
ual q facet In this many sided body
which is orr club.
Let us keep in mind that the
tho community. depends upon the
Integrity OF each particular part.
Do we each blend into this COM
poslte body as We should? Are we
each Keeping bright our own llttle
sparks OF helpfulness and ioyalty2
Are we asking ourselves, not what
can the club to do for me?" but rather.
'Of what service can l he 10 the
club?" This is the real test Of worth
a club member,
Shall we not take pains TO brighten
up this jewel. so that it may be
worthy TO occupy the beautiful set
ting which has been prepared for it?
II would be an Interesting study
10 trace from its beginning the evo-
lution Of the woman's club.
At first. to q very large extent, 1t
was merely educa tional In its aims,
and was designed in some cases TO
supplement the lack OF early advan-
tsges, which so many bright women
had craved, but had been unable 10
obtain. and in other cases, as was
true OF this club, to supply the need
of up-to date cultural opportunities,
in a more or less isolated commun-
ity.
have here manual OF the
Ladies Literary club. which was pub
lshcd for the Columbian exposition,
IN 1923. twenty years ago, when the
club Was sixteen years old 1t con-
iains very interesting article by
Mrs. Royle. and 1t Is pleasure to
quote q few Of the passages, still
glowing with the life Of her en-
ihusiam and helpful spirit.
From such beginnings in the hnc
OF sclf-culture there has little by lit
lie developed greater sense OF re-
sponsibility. a stronger desire for
mutual aid and helpfulness, for or
canized work Of an altruistic char
acter until today the watchword. Of
the up-to-date club woman Is -serv--
You remember that William Hard,
in his book THE Woman OF Tomor-
row." sounds this warning-"Leisure!
culture, emancipation. All nothing un-
less there is something more. Gull
ture without action is an ingrowing
disease which first debllitates and
then dissoves the Will to i've.
pa mma ncpaon oi pess~s wi5n9u wSic6 SHiy s,ses rs
thirst. but never .quenches It."
Are we, the Ladies Literary club,
suffering from an 'ingrow!ng cul-
ture?" Are we developing ourselves
in purely cultural study at the ex-
pense of more practical helpful ave-
nues OF endeavor? Does II not some
times put us 10 shame when we com
pare our outlines OF work with those
OF most other clubs, and see that they
are combining the art, history, music,
poetry. etc. with a goodly portion OF
home economics. child culture, civics,
and other practical subjects?
Are our studies in the Ladies Lit
erary club making us more eficient2
You know one definition of wisdom is
that u IS knowledge. plus the ability
TO apply 1t TO practical use, Educn-
tlon is coming more and more to
mean. not as IL once meant, a purely
ornamental cult. but practical efn-
hciency. So does the pendulum
swing rom the ornamental to the
useful. Is our club. then, giving US
wisdom? Should we not, along with
our cultural studies. have others Of
more useful nature?
Browning rightly says that Life
and the world are too big to spend in
dreams" and We should have care
lest we allow ourselves TO become a
one sided. instead OF a well-balanced
institution,
Our general programmes cover, II