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Clubs  and  Teachers. 
HE  meaning  of  “  club,”  although  perhaps  not 
changed  so  far  as  the  dictionary  is  concerned,  is 
yet  undergoing  a  rapid  change  by  increasing  breadth 
of  application.  Formerly,  when  a  club  was  mentioned, 
a  vision  of  loungers  and  cigars  and  liquors  filled  the 
mind.  Now,  we  have  women’s  clubs  innumerable, 
clubs  for  recreation,  for  self  help  in  many  lines, 
study  clubs,  etc.  Any  small  association  in  these  days 
may  be  a  club,  without  losing  character.  Thus  we  may 
think,  and  perhaps  our  husbands  also  may  think  with¬ 
out  a  shudder,  of  even  a  Housekeepers’  Club.  Since  the 
Chautauqua  movement  so  wisely  led  the  way,  study 
clubs  are  largely  on  the  increase,  and  especially  is  this 
the  case  during  the  last  year  or  two.  “  Isabella  Study 
Clubs  ”  and  their  formation  are  one  feature  of  woman’s 
work  in  connection  with  the  Columbian  Exposition, 
Spanish  history  in  all  branches  being  the  especial  line 
of  study  followed  by  their  members. 
About  our  Country  Schools. 
It  does  not  take  the  thinking  mind  long  to  come  to 
the  conclusion  that  our  public  schools  are  the  founda¬ 
tion  of  the  National  life  in  its  social,  moral  and  polit¬ 
ical  phases,  and  that  on  the  education  received  therein 
depends  in  large  degree  the  future  of  the  individual, 
as  well  as  of  the  nation. 
Whether  certain  conditions  in  our  schools,  as  they 
have  come  within  our  own  observation,  represent  fairly 
the  average  conditions  in  all  the  schools  of  the  country, 
we  are  unable  to  decide.  So  far  as  we  know,  matters 
stand  about  as  follows  as  regards  teachers.  A  few  of 
the  young  men  who  have  had  some  liigh-school  educa¬ 
tion  help  to  make  up  the  list  of  winter  teachers  ;  per¬ 
haps  an  equal  number  of  young  women  from  the  village 
eke  out  the  supply,  while  the  great  majority  of  teach¬ 
ers,  both  in  summer  and  winter,  come  from  among  the 
ambitious  country  girls  who  have  been  good  students, 
and  been  able  to  get  a  little  beyond  the  common 
schools. 
If  this  is  the  case  everywhere,  or  even  in  all  the  long- 
settled  portions  of  the  country,  Tiie  R.  N.-Y.  having 
its  following  among  the  most  intelligent  farmers,  must 
include  among  its  readers  a  good  proportion  of  these 
teachers.  The  subject  of  the  district  school  has  been 
much  discussed  in  its  columns  during  the  past  year  or 
two  ;  but  it  has  occurred  to  us  that  a  special  corner  set 
apart  to  live  matter  direct  from  the  schools  would  be 
both  interesting  and  helpful,  if  those  who  have  special 
facilities  for  observation,  or  are  in  the  work  would 
sustain  it.  A  column  once  a  month,  or  once  a  fortnight, 
could  well  be  devoted  to  this  vital  topic,  if  it  is  wanted, 
and  if  our  teachers  will  all  help  for  the  general  good. 
We  would  like  to  hear  from  them  on  this  point.  How 
many  petition  for  the  school  column  and  promise  to 
help  to  sustain  it  ?  Incidents  from  present  experience 
are  worth  any  quantity  of  theory. 
Some  “Housekeeping”  Difficulties. 
WOULD  our  housekeepers  like  to  peep  just  for  fun, 
into  the  Chief  Cook’s  domains  ?  It  will  be  a  back¬ 
ward  glance,  to  the  time  when  the  leaves  are  first 
beginning  to  turn,  and  the  Thanksgiving  and  Christ¬ 
mas  numbers  begin  to  occupy  the  thoughts  of  editors 
and  publishers. 
In  order  to  have  a  sure  supply  of  such  matter  as  is 
wanted,  several  of  our  best  contributors  are  given 
orders  for  matter  for  these  special  numbers,  leaving  a 
small  space  to  be  filled  with  the  best  of  the  chance 
articles  that  find  their  way  to  all  the  offices  at  this 
time  in  increasing  quantity.  Much  of  this,  however, 
comes  in  just  as  the  last  of  our  copy  is  going  to  the 
printer,  or  even  later. 
But  there  is  trouble  ahead.  Just  as  every  inch  of 
available  space  is  planned  for  well  in  advance,  accord¬ 
ing  to  the  maxim  of  “  taking  time  by  the  forelock,”  so 
happily  illustrated  last  spring  in  The  R.  N.-Y. — an 
article  comes  in  which  is  so  good  that  it  surely  ought 
not  to  be  refused  ;  it  is  Christmas  matter,  and  must  go 
into  the  Christmas  number,  and  yet  the  Christmas 
number  is  like  the  stocking  that  Santa  Claus  and  the 
mouse  discussed;  it  “won’t  hold  another  thing.  ’  And 
notice,  the  article,  when  it  comes  to  the  Chief  Cook,  is 
accompanied  by  a  suggestive  line  from  a  “  chief”  still 
higher:  “We  ought  to  have  something  like  this.” 
What  is  to  be  done  ?  Apparently  nothing ;  but  it  is 
finally  decided  to  use  one  of  the  articles  destined  for 
the  Christmas  number  in  the  issue  just  previous,  and 
all  is  in  train  again. 
A  new  complication  arises.  The  powers  that  control 
the  main  departments  have  planned  that  this  shall  be 
a  contrast  number,  and  just  now  the  Chief  Cook  receives 
word  that  an  article  contrasting  foods  of  the  past  and 
present  would  fit  in  nicely  with  the  other  plans.  So 
much  for  being  too  “  foresigh  ted.  ”  Word  is  about  to 
be  sent  that  if  the  masculine  element  insists  on  having 
a  hand  in  the  Christmas  pie,  a  larger  dish  must  be  pro¬ 
vided,  when  it  begins  to  appear  that  the  Christmas 
story  ordered  is  going  to  fail  to  be  on  hand  in  time.  A 
line  of  inquiry  is  dispatched,  but  plans  must  be  made 
in  case  it  does  not  arrive.  The  drawing  for  the  Christ¬ 
mas  illustration  also  fails  to  put  in  an  appearance,  and 
just  as  the  copy  is  being  sent  to  the  printer  comes  a 
letter  saying  that  the  artist  who  was  to  furnish  it  has 
been  at  death’s  door  with  a  fever  for  two  weeks  ! 
What  next  ?  A  design  is  got  up  hastily  to  be  sent  to 
another  artist,  but  the  powers  that  be  send  word  that 
they  fear  there  will  not  now  be  time  ;  they  will  see 
about  it. 
The  articles  are  half  in  type  when  along  comes  the 
belated  Christmas  story,  with  a  note  saying  that  it  had 
been  sent  three  weeks  previously ;  the  first  copy  had 
probably  been  lost  in  the  mails.  It  must  go  in  of 
course.  To  accommodate  it  the  “Christmas  dinner” 
turns  into  a  “  New  Year’s  dinner,”  and  one  or  two 
editorial  notes  seek  the  bourne  never  intended  to  be 
passed  by  them,  the  yawning  portals  of  the  waste 
basket !  Surely  now  that  the  matter  is  in  type,  all 
will  be  well.  But  listen  !  The  artist  has  made  time 
for  the  illustration  at  the  eleventh  hour  and  fiftieth 
minute,  and  there  is  no  place  for  it.  The  parties  of 
the  other  part,  if  they  may  be  so  called,  who  haven’t 
half  the  room  they  want  for  themselves,  kindly  make 
room  for  it  on  the  business  page,  and  the  Christmas 
number  is  at  last  an  accomplished  fact. 
Do  our  friends  begin  to  see  a  little  of  the  pains¬ 
taking,  and  planning,  and  difficulties  attending  The 
R.  N.-Y’s  efforts  to  please,  to  entertain  and  to  be 
helpful  to  them  ?  And  this  is  the  story  of  but  a  single 
department  of  two  pages. 
Concerning  Women’s  Clubs. 
THERE  is  strength  in  numbers,  and  the  present 
epidemic  of  organizing  a  number  of  women  into 
a  society  or  club  has  helped  to  make  of  them  more  use¬ 
ful  members  of  society  as  a  whole.  I  would  like  to  see 
all  the  home  mothers  working  together  in  small  bands, 
not  for  the  heathen,  nor  for  their  own  suffrage,  but 
for  their  own  improvement.  Each  one  of  us  has  so 
many  home  cares  and  worries,  each  of  our  lives  is  so 
full  of  a  never-ending  routine  of  home  drudgery  that 
we  are  apt  to  narrow  our  lives  to  our  own  four  walls, 
and  when  the  babies  come  and  multiply,  our  cares  and 
anxieties  put  up  a  tombstone  over  all  hopes  and  ambit¬ 
ions,  and  as  far  as  fulfilling  the  best  there  is  in  us  is 
concerned,  our  lives  may  be  said  to  be  ended.  We  have 
degenerated  into  slaves. 
I  wish  to  talk  with  you  about  forming  clubs  that  will 
bring  into  your  minds  thoughts  of  others  and  the  best 
thoughts  of  the  best  writers.  You  know  that  no  matter 
how  much  work  and  care  you  put  on  your  milk  and 
cream,  the  butter  is  tasteless  and  soon  becomes  rancid 
without  a  little  salt.  So  with  your  lives ;  j'ou  need 
something  to  give  them  flavor  and  prevent  them  from 
becoming  either  bitter  or  insipid. 
I  wish  to  tell  you  of  a  club  made  up  of  housekeepers 
— the  young  girls  afterward  formed  a  separate  club. 
All  had  large  families;  some  had  boarders,  few  had  ser¬ 
vants,  and  their  homes  were  scattered  among  the  hills, 
but  within  a  radius  of  three  miles.  This  club  had  its 
beginning  in  the  agreement  of  three  neighbors  to  read 
a  certain  number  of  chapters  in  a  novel  and  then  get 
together  and  discuss  the  “  book  characters”  instead  of 
their  neighbors.  They  decided  to  meet  at  each  other’s 
houses  in  the  alphabetical  order  of  their  names.  At 
first  they  tried  weekly  meetings,  but  as  this  plan 
seemed  irksome  and  recreation  was  their  object,  they 
changed  to  fortnightly  meetings.  Their  numbers 
gradually  increased  ;  they  found  a  simple  constitution 
necessary,  one  to  bind  them  together,  give  them  a 
name,  fix  a  definite  time  for  meeting,  make  provision 
for  increasing  membership  and  provide  for  the  election 
of  a  few  officers.  They  decided  to  have  no  fines  and 
no  dues ;  so  they  needed  only  two  officers,  a  leader  or 
president,  and  a  secretary.  The  leader  kept  the  con¬ 
versation  strictly  to  the  day’s  lessons,  called  on  the 
members  in  turn  and  tried  to  allow  to  each  member  an 
equal  amount  of  time  to  present  her  views.  The  meet¬ 
ings  were  entirely  conversational,  no  essays  were 
allowed.  The  last  half  hour  was  devoted  to  discussing 
what  had  happened  in  the  world  during  the  last  two 
weeks,  the  members  taking  turns  in  presenting  the 
“  Current  Topics.” 
The  first  book  read  was  Dickens’s  Tale  of  Two  Cities. 
The  leader  decided  how  many  chapters  should  be  read 
for  a  lesson,  and  divided  the  number  equally  among 
the  members.  Each  member  read  the  whole  lesson, 
but  made  a  special  study  of  her  own  chapter  and  “  re¬ 
cited  ”  as  to  the  plot  and  gave  a  brief  resum6  of  what 
it  contained.  The  reading  of  this  one  book  carefully 
and  understandingly  surprised  most  of  the  members 
they  had  never  before  realized  how  carelessly  they  had 
read;  how  much  could  be  read  between  the  lines  and 
how  differently  each  interpreted  the  same  expression. 
Perhaps  the  most  interesting  meeting  was  after  the 
book  had  been  finished;  one  afternoon  was  given  to 
discussing  the  characters  as  a  whole  and  showing  the 
influence  each  had  in  developing  the  plot. 
After  this  book  was  finished,  some  time  was  spent  on 
French  history  :  the  Revolution  and  Napoleon  were 
found  to  be  prolific  subjects;  then  Les  Miserables  was 
read  in  the  same  way.  Almost  any  good  book  will  pay 
for  careful  perusal.  Historical  novels  will  generally  be 
found  attractive.  George  Eliot’s  Romola  for  Florence 
in  Savonorola’s  time;  Bulwer’s  Last  Days  of  Pompeii 
for  late  Roman  history,  or  King  Harold  for  early 
English.  Any  historical  novel  awakens  a  desire  for 
further  study;  while  there  is  no  more  beautiful  alle¬ 
gory  than  Kingsley’s  Water  Babies,  and  Wallace’s  Ben 
Hur  finds  admirers  everywhere. 
Punctuality  was  insisted  on;  and  the  meetings  were 
kept  strictly  between  the  hours  of  3  and  5  P.  M.  Each 
member  promised  to  do  all  in  her  power  to  make  the 
meetings  profitable. 
There  is  no  reason  why  in  each  neighborhood  there 
should  not  be  such  a  club.  During  two  weeks  a  woman 
can  plan  her  duties  so  as  to  go  from  home  one  after¬ 
noon.  The  reading  can  be  done  at  odd  moments. 
When  you  once  get  interested  in  the  work  you  will  be 
surprised  at  the  number  of  odd  moments  available,  that 
you  never  before  knew  you  had.  One  club  member, 
who  had  a  number  of  boarders,  said  the  club  meeting 
was  the  one  pleasant  thing  to  look  forward  to,  and  she 
found  all  her  work  lighter  and  more  quickly  done  by 
thinking  of  the  pleasant  and  amusing  thoughts  sug¬ 
gested  at  the  last  meeting.  It  was  the  salt  of  her  life. 
The  work  of  such  a  club  should  be  thorough  and  sys¬ 
tematic,  but  should  never  be  considered  a  burden.  It 
should  be  the  entering  wedge  to  enable  a  woman  to 
introduce  thought,  skill  and  intelligence  into  her  daily 
tasks  so  that  instead  of  her  work  driving  her,  she 
drives  her  work.  mary  m’neill.. 
Woman’s  Work. 
OE  came  in  one  night  with  an  anxious  look  on  his 
usually  placid  countenance,  and  said,  “  Maria 
will  you  sew  a  button  on  my  trousers  ?  It’s  been  hang¬ 
ing  by  a  thread  for  more’n  a  week,  and  to-night  when 
I  was  chasing  that  pesky  calf  into  the  stable,  it  gave 
way  completely.” 
Of  course  I  said,  yes,  although  I  had  planned  enough 
work  to  last  me  all  the  evening;  but  I  should  have  to  let 
that  go.  So  after  supper  Joe  brought  me  the  trousers 
and,  if  you  believe  me,  there  were  three  buttons  gone 
and  another  just  hanging,  and  there  were  rips  and 
tears  enough  to  last  until  bed  time.  I  made  the  best 
of  it,  but  was  a  little  discouraged  the  next  morning 
when  Joe  took  down  an  old  coat,  and  asked  me  if  I 
couldn’t  find  time  in  course  of  the  day  to  sew  in  the 
sleeve-linings  and  patch  it  up  a  little. 
I  asked  him  why  he  didn’t  put  on  his  other  coat  for 
everyday  wear.  He  replied  that  this  one  was  warm  and 
quite  good  enough  to  wear  to  do  barn-chores,  if  I  would 
patch  it  up  a  little.  It  soon  spoiled  a  decent  coat  to 
wear  it  to  do  chores  anyway. 
If  you  have  ever  mended  an  old  coat  you  can  imagine 
what  a  job  I  had.  I  hurried  arouud  and  did  up  my 
house-work,  and  it  took  all  the  remainder  of  the  day  to 
mend  that  coat.  I  worked  hard,  too.  Joe  was  much 
pleased  with  it  after  it  had  been  finished,  and  began  to 
think  of  two  or  three  more  old  coats  which  would  last 
quite  a  while  with  a  little  patching.  I  balked  up  then 
and  told  him  squarely  that  I  wouldn’t  mend  another 
Before  the  cause  of  consumption  was 
known  (that  was  only  a  few  years  ago) 
we  did  not  know  how  Scott’s  Emulsion  of 
cod-liver  oil  did  so  much  good  in  con¬ 
sumption  and  in  the  conditions  that  lead 
to  consumption. 
The  explanation  is  interesting.  We 
send  it  free  in  a  book  on  careful  living. 
Scott  &  Bowse,  Chemists,  132  South  5th  Avenue,  New  York. 
Your  druggist  keeps  Scott’s  Emulsion  of  cod-liver  oil— all  druggists, 
everywhere  do.  $1 
