iO2 On the Campus 



cried, and under leadership of Mrs. Croly (Jennie June), 

 an Englishwoman, they organized Sorosis, the first wo- 

 men 's club, the first women's organization in which the 

 interests of women, and women only, held the place of 

 first consideration; the first women's club in two thous- 

 and years; for be it remembered there were clubs for 

 women in the days of Aspasia, and of the Caesars, in 

 what we term pagan Greece and un-Christian Rome; 

 but none, until Sorosis, in all the centuries named of 

 the Christian church. 



The new social organization was by no means wel- 

 comed. There was at the time, of course, no lack of 

 jest and petty wit; the members of Sorosis were, for in- 

 stance, called "sorry sisters ", etc.; but there was real 

 criticism too in plenty. There was, it was said, no place 

 for such a thing as a women's club; such had no aim or 

 excuse for existence, women knowing nothing of parlia- 

 mentary law, could not govern themselves, or accom- 

 plish anything worth while even if they wanted to. 



Curiously enough too, the organizers were ridiculed, 

 and the organization decried, because men were not made 

 eligible to membership! Only think of it! In Boston 

 about this same time Mrs. Severance was organizing her 

 woman's league, to which, in the generosity of her good 

 heart, men were admitted, poor dears! and on learning 

 of this, some of the charter members of Sorosis actually 

 withdrew; Kate Field among them. So difficult was it 

 for the finest of New York women to come out from 

 the traditions of centuries and stand alone, to defend 

 themselves and the ideals God had entrusted so large- 

 ly to their hands ! 



