Evening star., 1938-06-19

listed as homemakers. Mrs. Radford
pointed out, however, that the story of
the value Of college women to the COM
munity was by no means told by these
percentages.
'It should be remembered" she said,
shat many of these 'homemakers'
work just about as hard as those who
are employed. They are active in
charities. community projects, church
and club work. Some of our members
are outstanding civic leaders of the
city. No woman with a college edu-
cation In these days, is satisfied to
confine her attention solely to her
home. and university women are apt
to take their responsibilities seriously.
They realize that they have had un-
usual advantages and they are trying
to make some sort of an adequate re-
turn to society"
Mary Lyon, one of the pioneer advo-
Gates of higher education for women,
predicted all of this something like
hundred years ago. She forsaw the ad-
vantages of wider outlook for women.
Speaking of the woman with the mar
row soul, she wrote, Let lady once
become settled down at the head of
family, however lovely and amiable
she may be, a narrow soul she will be
until the end of her days" She be-
lieved that women need to have their
views and feelings drawn away from
.-self and family. They should, she said,
''learn to sacrifice private interests to
public good" Judging by the present
trend in women'S interests of higher
education, the effects have been about
what Mary Lyon expected them to be.
In the early beg innings OF women
In business, teaching was practically
the only profession open to the edu-
Gated woman, but at present the
teachers are in the minority among
the employed college group. There are
f39 teachers, but the largest single
group Is that of secretarial workers, of
whom there are l73. This is thought
to be a somewhat larger percentage of
this class than would be found in
Nationwide survey of the organiza-
tion, and Is attributed to the fact that
the Government offices absorb so many
of the working women of the city.
The next largest group is the lawyers.
There are 40 of these. Trailing some
distance behind in point of numbers
are the editors and librarians, 25 of
each. There are eleven doctors. and
three nurses. Thirteen are engaged
in social welfare work and the same
number are to be found in various
types Of home economics work
The branch is proud of the fact that
l9 of its members hold Phi. D. degrees
and Mrs. Radford has included in her
survey statistics as to the decades in
which the members attended college. !
Somewhat surprisingly, Is of the men, |
bers were college women in the decade |
between 1880 and 1890, at the time
when women first began to attend in
stitutions of higher learning in ap-
preciable numbers, and just about the
time when the Association of Univer-
sity Women was in process of forma-
ton. Eighty-nine were in college be-
tween 1890 and 1900 and with each
successive decade the numbers in
crease, up to the present decade which,
OF course, is not yet completed.
The survey is interesting, because it
shows how some of the college women
kof Washington occupy themselves, but
1t cannot be compared with conditions
in other parts of the country, because
there are no comparable figures avail
able Not all of the members of the
local A. A. u. w. are college graduates,
for while the national organization re-
qulreS degree from an accredited
college for membership, the Washing
ton branch has a class of associate
members to which women with two
years of college work or 60 credit
hours are admitted. Associate men,
bers have all of the rights and priv
1leges" of the other members, except
that they may not hold elective offices.
A similar survey of the membership
OF the Women's City Club has also been
made recently. 1t is of special interest
because of the fact that the club is
just now conducting a membership
campaign. under the leadership of
Mrs. Thomas A. Sherman, chairman.
The two clubs have many points of
similarity. They attract the same type
q members. they give the same kind
Of programs and offer many of the
same privileges As matter of fact,
the membership of the two clubs over
laps in many cases. The chief point |
of difference is that membership in the |
City Club is not based on educational
qualifications. Members of the City
Club may be college graduates, and
many of them are. but candidates
wishing to join may do so, whether |
they hold a degree or not.
By far the largest percentage of the
City Club members are in Government
employ Out of total membership of |
549 there are 1874 working for the
Government. There are 139 home
~makerS on the roll. As in the case of |
the A. A. U. W., many of them are civic
leaders. Classification of the other |
members is little difficult Almost all |
OF the others are business or profess
sional women of one kind or another,
although "a are listed as enjoying an |
Stndependent income" Fifty-four are !
listed as business" women and there |
are smaller numbers in the numerous |
other classifications, such as q law
yers, judges, directors of schools,
2S teachers, 13 writer's, 10 Librarians. |
doctors, Z nurses, 6 artists, 6 musi-
clans and ! each of the following |
occupations: Certified public account
ant banker, editor and dean Of a law
school.
While the Womens City Club offers
many advantages to the homemaker.
its greatest appeal is to the business
women. There they may entertain
guests, listen to lectures, attend class
-, enjoy various forms of social ac-
tvity, change from business dress to
evening clothes on occasion and give
dinner parties. Through its afiliation
with other City Clubs throughout the
country members may enjoy all of
these advantages when they are travel
ing about, and may stay at the club" |