Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-12-03
WOMAN'S INFLUENCE

Speech by GOVERNOR HJALMAR
PETERSEN before Federated Wom-
ems Clubs of Minneapolis, Nov %.
1886.
Not long ago the chief statistician
of one of our large insurance COM
panies stated that if keen observer
were suddenly to return to earth from
the generation of Adam Smith Of the
eighteenth century he or she, as the
case might be, would be more i'm
pressed by two things than by any
thing else in the modern world. T.
two things which would make the
greatest impression upon lis way
farer from the eighteenth century are
the marvellous mechanical inventions
and improvements which we enjoy,
and the wonderful change in the
status of women. These are, no doubt,
the greatest achievements Of the Last
century. The emancipation of w-man
constitutes a momentOus blOOdless
revolution, the results of which we
are not fully cognizant as yet.
Suppose a woman could step out OF
the eighteenth century and come back
to earth today. She might become as
famous as the man from Mars who
is so often invoked by writer's and by
public speakers. Let us go around
with this woman and take note of a
few of the changes she might observe.
She would notice that the veXed Ques-
ton of 'Woman's sphere has ceased
in her day-abOut two hundred years
ago-woman's sphere was strictly con-
fined to the home. But today this
sphere has expanded so that it in
cIddes almost everything,
For example, about nine million
women of this country have gone into
industry, business and the professions
But more surprising than all, per-
haps, women go to the ballot box in
great numbers, They help to deter
mine public policy. They hold pub
lie office. 1t is worthy of note that
for the first time in our nations his
tory woman holds a portfolio in
months ago a noble woman of this
country died. Her outreach of heart
and hand was compared to that of
the great Lincoln. | refer, of course,
to the late Jane Adams, one of the
great figures of our modern historic
period.
Moreover wouldn the woman COM
ing to us from the eighteenth century
be surprised to observe how largely
her sisters of today gather into clubs
and organizations of various kinds?
The present day range of womens in
terests and the extent of their parti-
cipation in the civic, social and eco
nomic life of the community are no.
where better reflected than in the
United States with its profusion of
WOmen'S clubs. Their development
had its beginnings in the sewing cir
cles, quilting bees" and informal So
cial gatherings which in colonial and
pioneer days served as the sole diver
sion of women.
The women of this country felt the
need of getting together because of
certain economic and social disabil-
tiles, lack of education and economic
dependence. Machine production,
greater conveniences in the home, the
changing nature of the family and
it possible for the women of this coun-
try to foster and to participate in
club and organized activities.
Organized wOmen's activities have
pursued a different line in countries
across the water from what they have
in the United States. In Germany
and in the Scandinas ian countries, for
example, women's organized inter ests
have gathered about such subjects as
delinquent girls, unmarried me theirs
social diseases and public health. In
England they have focused in edu-
cation and in employment.
In the organized interests of the
women of this nation one may trace
some of the major movements of our
age and time. For example, they
have gathered about such great needs
and problems as religion, education,
the abolition of slavery, temperance
and in recent years the limitation of
ornaments and the abolition of war;
All of these great movements have
been crucial in character and some
of them still remain as major prob
lens.
The club life of the women of this
country has followed three general
lines of interest. The first was re-
ligious and cultural, familiar in
Ladies' Aid societies, Dorcas and mis-
sionary organizations, Browning cir
cles, and others. In 1889 81 such