Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1919-10-23
CHINESE BECOME
SOCIAL PIONEERS
Men and Women Form Good Eel
lowship Club Together Under
Y. w. C. A. Leadership.

The Good Fellowship Club has made
Its appearance in society in Hangchow,
China.
1t began with the desire of a pro-
gressive young Chinese doctor to give
his compatriots, especially the Chris
tians, some healthful form of social In
tercourse.
Channels for a good, clean, social
life among Chinese people are very
limited. Until recently becoming a
| Christian often meant cutting oneself
off from ones friends and relatives,
also from feast days and festivals
| AS for joint meetings of men and wom-
en-well, such thing was never heard
of In decent society.
The young doctors plan of having
club where men and their wives
might come together to enjoy a good
time with each other was discouraged
and shifted at However, few people
agreed to be pioneers In the cause of
social intercourse, and Y. w. G. A. sec
retaries agreed to help make the club
a success.
AT first the meetings of the club
were laughed at by outsiders and the
whole affair considered joke. How
ever, the members kept on meeting, |
first at one house and then at another |
Soon the men got over the feeling of |
strangeness at starting out with their |
wives on Tuesday evening for a
friends home The women began to
Inv tha 20 t,I- L., |
the discussions-an intelligent part,
too-much to the surprise of their hus-
bands.
The membership grew. The clubs
fame began to spread AT first the dis
of the club were conducted in !
English. Soon 1t became necessary
for them to be carried on in Chinese
so that more OF the women could I'M
ierstand and take part Many of the
'coffers began to apply for admission.
The members began indulging in much
friendly chatting and occasionally for
rot their dignity TO play jokes on one
mother Finally 1t became so large
hat ii had to be divided into two sec
ions, which met separately three
'uesday evenings in the month and on
he fourth Tuesday met together for a
pint session, with a special program.
Students just returned from Ameri- !
an and German colleges, an old Bud |
hist scholar who is particularly inter- {
sted in the discussion on Buddhism .
nd Christianity, merchants, railroad G
I'D government officials compose the I
ems side of the room The women J
e still a bit shy about talking in
ont of so many people, but many of
lem show signs of great executive !.
,ility and power of leadership. They ?
e all well poised, clear thinking indi- :
duals, who will have a great infiu- Al
zee on China's future They discuss
nong themselves group meetings in
cir various churches, the lack of
easements for Chinese women, social su
rvice work, subscription lists for the Ii
phanage, cake making, types Of
oves baby diets, the latest engage
INT and other topics such as one
,uld hear discussed by a group of
men gathered together any place in '.s
nerica.
rhe social part of the evening is Civ IL
over to games, which at first
.ound the sober Chinese gentlemen, we
which they take up with great zest
er the first evening. And their ~
res enjoy it just as greatly.
Zeal American picnics are the latest
ng which the club has tried, and
Y are great success. A Christmas
y is being planned now !