American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-08-19
SOME RURAL CLUBS IN IOWA THAT ARE
DOING MANY WORTH. WHILE THINGS

that a thing is filling a place. Are the country
clubs Of Cerro Gordo County doing that7 Just
ask that question of some of the members, and
the answers will come tumbling in. Answers
written by busy housewives with one eye on the
oven; answers from enthusiastic beginners; an.
swers in pen and In pencil; answers differing In
everything except their one hearty assurance that
country clubs. as they know them. are a success.
Their organization has been in no instance an
e~ruptive, artificial thing. In every case, from the
beginning Of the first club In 1899 to the last one
In 1916, there has been a marked spontaneity about
It. Sometimes an intimate little group. meeting
to talk and enjoy themselves. would find It sud
denly supper time; then as the interesting dis
cussion was broken off. somebody would exclaim:
well, let's get together again In a couple OF
weeks There you have a club. a good time that
happens every fortnight or 80. Another time a
member of a successful club moves to a new dis
trict and suggests the forming Of one there. AL
WAYS the clubs were needed, and where a thing
is needed II has to come. These enterprising coun-
try people have found many problems and are
settling them through the medium OF their clubs.
Their influence IL being felt over all the northern
part OF Iowa.
As I'm many progressive things you find the
women leading. 80 in more than half OF the
Gerro Gordo clubs there are no men at all. The
clubs meet In the early afternoon 30 that their
members may reach home and have supper ready
when the days work IN done. Some OF the or
CARNATIONS do practically no literary work. They
quite openly avow their purpose In their names,
the No Work, the Social Hour. They broaden their
afternoons to take in their families, at picnics in
the summer and at dinners In the winter
The other afternoon clubs make more effort
TO have pro grams I'm connection with their good
times. The general type includes music, readings
and papers on various topics. The Glover Leaf
Club Is remarkable and fortunate In having for a
member a dear old lady ninety years old who
takes an active part. One feature OF this clubs
meetings is the pronunciation drill. to which each
member brings any word OF whose pronunciation
she Is not sure. In the winter. when farmer
n rsbands have their easy times" oil attend the
mac. ings. The aim OF another club. The Mothers
GUIDE. is very progressive and distinctive.
This club includes In Its membership roll
the women or the community who have children
OF school age. hs endsavor Is TO improve the
school and social cono,tions IN its district-hot'
to quote a member. "becnSs' tnose cono'iohS
we're particularly bad, but becau~,e 'hey mis"' y"
made particularly good with a hS'o ioa@
Doesn't that sound practical and worth Tn"o'
These women have intelligently studied the situSs
ton and have gone to work to bring school ana
homo into closer touch. They hold one OF inc
b,monthly meetings at the school house each year.
hearing the class work and n program given by
the children. Social affairs are held frequently
M the school house. The members realize that
nothing can bo more important to them than
helping their children.
From War and Books TO Hens and Corn.
A different phase is prominent In the House
Improvement Club. Outside OF Its literary work
Il has for a purpose the doing OF many charitable
tlirss. At some of Ia meetings the meh'rorh
dispense with n program and saw bnsily Tor soHe
unfortunate. 1t makes n point OF welcoming new
people and oves freely OF It's time and money
wherever needed. This ia done. not only IN
its own neighborhood but far and wide where there
II a call for charity. sympathy and friendiiness'
The Oldest OF the Cerro Gordo county clubs Is the
Farmers wives and Daughters. founded In 1897
II has been very much alive during all is busy
useful sixteen years. Its programs are INTEREST,"
ing and varied. A paper ON the war succeeds one
of the advantages OF planting corn IN the new
moon. It's members can discuss with equal sue
cess an up-to-dato book and how TO make mems
pay.
Tho Midland Kountry Klub Is more snterprising
than most of It's sisters In the way OF study IL
has taken up A course In United States history;
hut don't think tho members are blue stockings
rbev know how to have a good time as well as
lHNy hhV"
tho best. IL you aren't convinced just so to one
OF It's big summer picnics. The other afternoon
clubs. tho o-wo-So. the Chatterbox. and the
Friendly Club are busy and up-to-date. too, with
their Interesting discussions and helpful outside
work.
The othw clubs. tho XIII Kare, the Progressive.
the South Mason. tho Triangular, tho Pleasant
Ridge. the Harmony. the Owen Progressive, the
Colonial aud tho Lime Greek Farmers League. are
made up Of family groups. 1t Ia an impressive
list when you consider that each club has from
thirteen to twenty families included At first 1t
was a problem to interest the young folks. They
looked on the whole matter as a bore and n punish-
ment They did not approve at all OF being either
gotten ready" or made to get ready for this
social ordeai. Now. however. ms a result of the
clubs' good Judgment In planning programs and
getting the younger members to work. the iassards
are ut the forefront Of their clubs. They are on
committees and plan good times with all the xest
that they ahow In any fun. The evening clubs.