Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 20.djvu/733

WOMEN IN INDUSTRY. 625 WOMEN'S CLUBS. of Labor; Mussachusctis iMhor ISullclins ; Inter- national Congress of Women (IS'.lll) ; "Women in Industrial Life," Ckautauquan (Oolober, 1897) ; Political Science (Jiiitiicrli/, xv. ; Economic Journal, i. England: Hcports of Itoi/al Commis- sions (18:i2, 1803): Collet, Eilitvalid Worlciny ^yomen (London, 19(12) . See Domestic Service ; iNDU.-iTuiAL Kevolutiok; Labor Problems. WOMEN'S CLUBS. Orsanizations of women wliiili oiininated after the Civil War as an out- tome of tile new demand for eoiipi'ration and popular edueation. and which from 1.S8I) to 1000 became a oliaraeteristic feature of woman's ac- tivity. Previous to the nineteenth century asso- ciations of women were practically unknown. The first in the United States were for religious and charitable purposes, such as the Female Society for the Relief and Employment of the Poor (1708), church societies auxiliar}- to men's asso- ciations, female Bible societies, the American Female (Juardian Society (1834), and the Daugh- ters of Temperance (184050). The organizations which arose during the Civil War — the Sanitaiy Commission, the Woman's Loyal League, the Frccdmen's Bureau — showed «'omen what they could do. After the war, economic changes long at work had freed the energies of a large class of ■women for new work. In 1868 ]Irs. Croly founded Sorosis (q.v.). This gave the impulse for other clubs. The Woman's Clul) of Brooklyn was organized in 1860-70. The Association for the Advancement of A'oinen, organized in Ivew York in 1873, decided to stimulate the formation of clubs. Simultaneously with Sorosis the New England Woman's Club was started by Mrs. C. M. Severance, but with the coiiperation of men. A horticultural school for girls, a cooperative building association, and a registry for higher employment were undertaken in addition to literary iirogrammes. Mrs. Julia Ward Howe and Mfa. Ednah D. Cheney were prominent members. A correspondence with other clubs was started in ISSS. Even older than these large clubs was the pioneer of the reading circle type — the Friends in Council of Quincy, 111. ( 1866') . Many clubs have grown out of reading circles and classes. Women's clubs usually are incorporated, and are self-governing and self-supporting. Fees are low in comparison with men's chilis, and the aim is to be democratic. The work of clubs may be summed up as: (1) Educational : through classes in history, art, economics, literature; readings, preparation for travel, lectures, and preparation of papers; (2) Social: teas and receptions for prominent men and women, and at homes; (3) Practical: (a) originating and aid- ing all kinds of philanthropic movements; (b) civic betterment, sanitary, artistic, and political; (c) educational, for fostering schools, libraries, art galleries, kindergartens, vacation schools, and scholarships for women: (d) legislation, the promoting of laws for the benefit of women and children — factory inspection, child labor, age of consent, police matrons, tenement houses and parks. Women's clubs have started special asso- ciations — Housekeepers' Alliance, Legal Aid So- cieties. Free Bath and Sanitary Leagues; and they have worked with religious associations to aid public schools. An interesting development in Western cities — notably Chippewa Falls, Wis., and Albert Lea, Minn. — is the establishment of town rest rooms for farmei's' wives. There was no efl'ort to unite the various club.? until 1880, when delegates from sixty-one clubs met in New York in response to an invitation from Sorosis, which wished to observe its twenty- first anniversary. At a convention in 1800 the General Federation of Women's (;liibs was formed. The Federation began with (i3 clubs in seventeen St.ates. The Woman's Ci/clc, which was started in September, 1880, iiublished a di- rectory of clubs. Jlany club women were inter- ested in the Woman's Department at the World's Fair, in club exhibits, and in the man- agement of different congrc8.ses. Out of 5977 speakers at the Fair 1447 were women. The ^Vonlall's Congress of licprcsentative Women and the Federation met at the Fair. Biennial meet- ings of the Federation are held in large cities. I'ntil 1804 the Federation was composed of in- dividual clubs. At that time the State Federa- tion appeared. There were in 1903 4 district federations, 39 State federations, and 703 clubs representing 211,763 women. The question of admitting colored women's clubs has arisen. Foreign Clubs. In England the club arose out of the emancipation movement. The provision of smoking rooms is typical of the adaptation of men's club life to English women's associa- tions. The Alljcmarle Club was started in 1874 for both men and women. In 1878 the Somerville Club provided a reading room, li- brary, and lectures for women journalists. Later clubs are the Alexandra ( 1884 ) , a social centre for 900 women who must be eligible to attend the Queen's drawing-room ; the University Club (1887), limited to 300 college graduates; the Pioneer Club (1892) for professional women; the Writers' Club (1892); the Victoria (1894), providing a town home for country mem- bers; the Sesame (1890); and various social clubs : the Green Park, Empress, New Victoria, Ilchester, and Sandringham. Many clubs have been started since 1894, the most important of which is Grosvenor Crescent (1896), which is a centre for women's work. Women's clubs exist in Dublin, B.ath, Liverpool, and JIanchester. The club movement has not progressed on the Conti- nent. East Africa, South America, West Aus- tralia, England, and India are represented in the General Federation. Among the clubs are the Girls' Literary Society of Adelaide; the Karra Katta Club of Perth, West Australia; the Eclectic Alumna; Club of Santiago. Chile, and a club of missionaries at Silendon. East 5frica. In India Dr. Emma Brainerd Ryder started several clubs. The first was the Bom- bay Sorosis, organized in 1889. A Woman's Literary and Scientific Club was started in Mexico in 1897. Working Girls' Clubs. These were the outcome of the spirit of helpfulness which became manifest in the last twenty years of the nineteenth century. While learn- ing much from women's clubs, these clubs were less spontaneous, more the result of outside influence. In London, the Soho Club and House of 1880, the Club and Working Girls' House, and the Saint Giles Evening Club for Working Girls were among the earliest, labraries and evening classes, musical drill, safe pleasures, countrj' visits and excursions, are