The Washington times., 1914-07-13
Formed as a Church Society, 1t
Has Broadened Into a Conn.,
prehensive Association for
Study.
Its Work Is Cultural, Education.
al, Scientific, and Civic, and
Tends to Improve the Com.
munity.

civic life is shown in striking fdsI
ion BY the actipities of the TIVE
tieth Century Club.
A description of this club is
fitting preliminary to The Tim.
new series on the work of clu
women in Washington.
This series will be one of til
most comprehensive and interes
ing commentaries on woH1dn
work ever run in a WdShingto
newspaper.
By ]. R. HILDEBRAND.
The Twentieth Century Club might
properly be called the Cosmopolitan
Club.
Few women's clubs comprise so
vide a range Of interests. exert an
influence in so many fields, and in
clude such a representative list of
members, as this pioneer among the
women's clubs of Washington. It is
cultural. educational. scientific, and
civic
Started in 1890 as a philanthropic
organization at All Souls Church, 1t
grew beyond the bounds Of sec
tarianism. and soon established itself
primarily as a woman's club with
no UNCONVENTIONAL restrictions. 1t
still meets at All Souls Church par
lors, by courtesy Of that consrega-
ton, but the majority of its mem
bers no longer are Cnitarians. and
It has no affliation with any church.
A remarkable feature Of the club
has been the way it has blended its
conservative ideals with progressive
ideas, and has supplemented its club
study courses by practical efforts for
civic and social betterment
The club saves itself from a sub
merging Of its 302 members in the
general club work by dividing into
ten sections, each for study and
work along a specific line; There
are sections for civics, education.
archaeology, art, French, italian.
literature. music. parliamentary law,
and travel. II is probable that
section for the study of German will
be added next winter.
Work of Sections.
It is through these sections that
the club does much Of its concrete
work. The sections most active in
community welfare work have been
those on civics and education.
Milk bulletins We're distributed,
Red Cross first aid instruction given,
home nursing classes formed. and
the half and hall plan defended
during the past year by these sec
tons.
These milk bulletins constitute a
new effort Of which the civics sec
ton is most proud. Though the
Washington Health Department is
empowered to make bacterial exami-
nations of milk il has no funds for
the dissemination of this informa-
ton. Therefore, the Twentieth Cen
fury Club undertook the task Of
printing the results of these tests
Of the milk distributed al each
dairy, and circulating these bulletins
throughout the city.
The bulletins show the bacteria,
per cubic centincetsr, and the num-
her Of colon and strepto cocci per
cubic centimeter. The bulletin ex-
plGlllE lllc VI presence
OF each sort OF bacteria, ard points
out that in Milwaukee any bacterial
count less than $4,000 is permitted
10 lass.
Much opposition to this bulletin
Vss encountered from some milk
Ceslers, but upon consultation with
the Corporation Counsels office, il
was found that the club was within
It's rights in circulating Tnis infor-
nation. which is a part of the pub
lie records.
The educational section mas heard
lectures by educators from other
cities and from Officials Of the
cation and other special phases Of
school work nave BEEN touched
upon
Work Of the civics section during
the past year has been directed by
Mrs. Frederick V. Coville, while Mrs.
Theodore L. Cole will be chairman Of
this section next year. drs. William
?. Woodland is chairman Of the edu-
cation section.
Literary Section Studies.
Under the supervision of Mrs
Henry Farquhar the literature sec
ton last year studied the English es-
ssyists, and next year will take up
American esssyists.
An excellent example Of the way
in which the club study is related To
current interests is shown by The
program Of the music section. This
section chose for study the works to
be presented at the principal concerts
during the past year in advance Of
the concerts. Mrs. S. Stockton Voor-
hees was chairman Of the music sec
ton
Even the archaeology section was
brought down 70 the present time by
the presentation Of the most modern
discoveries in this field. The lecture
OF DR.. Mitchell Carroll especially was
enjoyed by the club members, for its
apt relation OF the findings among
ancient ruins TO the civilization OF
today. Mrs. John Lowe is chairman
OF the archaeology section.
Nothing but French is spoken in
the French section. This section is
not for the study Of the French Ian
gusge, but for promoting a wider ac-
quaintance with French history and
French literature. Its work is al
rected by Miss Elizabeth NJ. Car
hart
In the parliamentary law section a
text book by a member of the club.
Mrs. Daniel Paul, is used. Even in
this section the practice in parlia-
mentsry law was made practical last
winter by the work of revising the
clubs constitution. Mrs. Edith
Towne is at the head Of this section.
Travel Section Interests.
No more interesting sessions are
beld by any section than those of
the group on travel. First-hand
talks. mainly by club members who
have Travelled. are given on the
places visited. Here again the
purely academic is avoided by get