WOMEN'S CLUBS 



6349 



WOMEN'S CLUBS 



for they are strict vegetarians. But three spe- 

 cies are found the common wombat, the hairy- 

 nosed and the Tasmanian. They belong to 

 that order of mammals which carry the young 

 in pouches (see MARSUPIALS). 



WOMEN'S CLUBS. It is said that the ma- 

 trons of ancient Rome used to meet to rule 

 upon the social etiquette of the day, a fact 

 which seems to indicate that women's societies 

 are not strictly a modern development. The 

 women's clubs of to-day, however, have a- much 

 wider field of action than those of any other 

 period, and they exercise a far-reaching influ- 

 ence for good. According to their purpose and 

 aim, they group themselves into four general 

 classes, although with more or less overlapping 

 of purpose. 



Social Clubs. Probably there have been few 

 ages since civilization began when women have 

 not formed select circles to give them the 

 means to enjoy a few hours of sociable sewing 

 or embroidery and a "cup of tea," the time in- 

 terspersed with conversation. However, as edu- 

 >n began more and more to extend its ad- 

 vantage to women, with the opening of the 

 universities to coeducation, these purely social 

 gatherings frequently assumed a new character. 

 With the recreation there was combined defi- 

 nite study along cultural lines literature, art, 

 travel, music, history, household economics, and 

 the like. Almost every town had its women's 

 Shakespeare society. 



This literary-social class constitutes the large 

 majority of women's clubs, their researches now 

 extending into political economy, social reform, 

 child study and kindred fields. 



Practical Clubs. It has remained for these 

 modern days to give a distinctly practical turn 

 to the women's clubs to put them to work, as 

 it were a result of the growing tendency to 

 allow women a part in tin- management of tin- 

 business of their communities. The earliest 

 step in the direction of pram.- , I activities was 

 taken by those societies which concerned them- 

 selves^ actively with church mutters and with 

 organized charities, and by patriotic societies 

 hkr tin- Daughters of the American Revolution, 

 worknm to preserve historical landmarks and 

 n In---. Thru, out of the interest the social 

 Huh* had always shown in things educational, 

 tli. n? flowered such practical benefit* as free 

 libraries, circulating rural libraries and better 

 schoolhouses. The interest in child study 

 economics has broadened into effective agita- 

 tion for legislation touching child labor, the 

 eight-hour day for women, factory sanitation. 



pure food, milk inspection and other questions 

 of vital importance. 



For centuries women have been home mak- 

 ers. Now they are applying their wealth of ex- 

 perience to the solution of the problems of 

 "municipal housekeeping." Their clubs have in- 

 stituted "clean-up days" in thousands of towns, 

 bringing order and cleanliness into back yards, 

 vacant lots, streets and alleys. Kverywhere 

 they are working for playgrounds and for chil- 

 dren's courts; for public markets and the use 

 of vacant property as kitchen gardens for the 

 poor; to reduce the cost of living; for better 

 management of reform schools, pri-ons, asylums 

 and charitable institutions, and for proper su- 

 pervision of dance halls. Everywhere their de- 

 termined campaigns in the interest of public 

 health, happiness and morals are accomplishing 

 great good. 



Political Clubs. The agitation over woman 

 suffrage has given rise to numerous political as- 

 sociations. Wherever suffrage has been granted, 

 women's clubs prepare women for the right use 

 of the ballot, conducting classes and preelection 

 meetings at which the different candidates are 

 invited to present their views. 



Professional Clubs. The admission of women 

 to the professions naturally led to the organi- 

 zation of special clubs for women nurses, doc- 

 tors, lawyers, and others. Press clubs for women 

 writers exist in most of the great cities. In 

 many places business women have organised 

 luncheon clubs where home cooking is supplied 

 at very low prices; many of these clubs have 

 rest rooms and reading rooms in connection, 

 and offer lecture courses and study classes. 



Canada. Women in the Dominion are or- 

 ga nixed into clubs for social, political, business, 

 journalistic, suffrage and trade-union purposes, 

 and in connection with religion, art, music, lit- 

 erature and travel. One of the most prominent 

 dubs is the Imperial Order of the Daughters 

 of the Kmpire. which has 500 chapters and a 

 membership of 30,000. This organisation took 

 a leading part in patriotic war work in Canada. 



General Federation of Women's Clubs. This 

 great national association originated m 1889 

 when the Sorosi, the oldest women's club in 

 the United States, invited the various state fed- 

 erations to meet with it in general convention. 

 The total member-hip is now close to 2,000,- 

 000, and the conventions held every two years 

 I lively attended. Special leaders in charge 

 of the diii' ren< departments of activity outline 

 program.*, which form the basts for the work of 

 the affiliated state groups. L.M.U. 



