The Significance of the Woman’s Club Movement

A Concise History of the Development of an Organization which has become an International Alliance in Forty Years, Together with a Brief Review of Purposes and Accomplishments Showing the Vital Relation Existing among the Individual Clubs, the State Federations and the General Federation.
By: Georgie A. Bacon, Worcester Magazine, May 1912

A prominent educator has said, “Women’s Clubs are the natural product of a progressive sex living in a progressive age. They stand for the home, for the school, for art and literature and music, for domestic science and for the intellectual advancement of the American woman who presides over the American home. They are not theoretical, they are practical; they act, they do things for the good of society, for the good of the community and of the country. The greater woman means the better nation.”

The club movement is not new, for as long ago as the time of the Puritans women had reading societies and held meetings for discussion. Women’s Clubs in the modern sense, however, first saw the light of day a little more than forty years ago, when the New England Women’s Club of Boston and Sorosis of New York were organized. It is true that a few “Clubs” ante-dated these, but a careful analysis shows decided points of difference.

In the beginning the clubs were small and simple, self-improvement being their main object; today, the club that lives unto itself alone is the exception. They have increased rapidly in size and number until, at the present time, it is estimated there are more than three-quarters of a million club women in the United States alone. The small club still exists and in many small communities is the only social and intellectual activity outside the churches. The large club, with its various departments, is found in towns but belongs more especially to the city and is usually the outgrowth of some small club whose members wished to enlarge their scope for study and put in practice the knowledge they had acquired. Such clubs have become powers in their respective communi­ties, and when one stops to consider the immense field that is open to them one realizes as never before that woman’s interest is no longer confined to the narrow sphere of her own home. The whole world is hers, she stretches forth her hand to every good work, and by so doing has become an influence that has made itself felt and a power that must be reckoned with.

The single club soon found its usefulness limited to its own locality. It realized that an exchange of ideas and assistance from other sections were necessary in bringing about desirable reforms, that in union there was strength, therefore Sorosis invited representatives from other States to a conference to discuss the question of federation. As a result that splendid, great organiza­tion, the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, came into being, an organization which consists to-day of fifty State Federations and more than a thousand individ­ual clubs. Two of these so-called State Federations are those in the District of Columbia and the Canal Zone; while among the individual clubs are clubs in Canada, China, England, India, Mexico, the Philippines, South America and West Australia, thus making the General Federation not a national but an international organiza­tion.

During the early years of its existence there was no definite plan of work. Composed entirely of individual clubs it followed along their lines, little consideration being given to subjects outside the realm of science, lit­erature and art.

At the time when important matters relating to the well being of society began to force their attention upon press and public community conditions began to stir the hearts of these federated club women. An ever broadening, irresistible influence urged them on until, listen­ing to the call of humanity they cast aside their cloak of selfishness and conservatism and appeared clad in the garments of humanitarian love and sympathy combined with a spirit of true helpfulness.

The first perhaps to recognize the full possibilities of such an organization was Mrs. Ellen M. Henrotin of Chicago; its second president. Hers was the vision of a seer, and the four years of her administration were spent in shaping a course along the line of united endeavor which should give to the federation stability and strength.

On account of the emphasis placed by her upon the formation of State Federations one finds today that the clubs in all the States have become federated, and that the Federations thus formed are working along prac­tically the same lines adapted, of course, to local condi­tions, needs and the means at hand. This was the first real advance in sustaining the motto of the General Federation, “Unity in Diversity.”

The second was brought about in response to the appeal of its fifth president, Mrs. Sarah Platt-Decker of Colorado, that the standing committees of the State Federations should be made to harmonize with those of the General Federation. With few exceptions this has been done, and as a result this great body of workers is devoting itself to art, civics, civil service reform, conservation, education, household economics, industrial and social conditions, legislation, literature and library extension, music, public health, including food sanita­tion, and all these terms imply.

While the high ideals of its founders, the wisdom or its leaders, the excellence of its plans and the efficiency of its committees make the work of the General Federa­tion of inestimable worth it is to the work of the State Federations and the individual clubs that it looks for its success. North, South, East and West it was the idea of better homes, better schools, better industrial conditions, better laws and their enforcement, a better civic spirit and a truer national life that brought about “the awakening of thought that leads to action; the inspiration of truth that leads to duty” among club women.

In fulfilling these obli­gations is it any wonder that education first became the chosen field of their endeavor? At an early meeting of the General Federation a tre­mendous impetus was given this subject when the needs of the public schools were discussed by women from different sections of the country. It was shown that the greatest need of the South was greater finan­cial support; that in the West better trained and more well-educated teachers were needed; that in the whole country there should be “less cramming in and more drawing out,” as the capabilities of the future man or woman were of much greater importance than his or her knowledge of books; that most serious considera­tion should be given to elementary schools; and that greater sympathy should exist between the home and the school.

This is exactly what the education committees in the different States have been trying to accomplish and a survey of the subjects that have occupied their attention shows that no aspect of education has been foreign to their thought and care. A knowledge of their work reveals the fact that every State has now come to a better understanding of the aims, methods, conditions and needs of its public schools.

The rural school, that bulwark of national strength, virtue, and intelligence, has come in for its full share of attention, and in no State has better work been done in this direction than in the State of Georgia. Through the instrumentality of its State Federation of one hundred and eighteen clubs, representing 11,000 women, nine or more model rural schools have been established in differ­ent parts of the State, the idea having been suggested by the president of the Normal School at Athens. These schools are carried out according to the belief of the Federation that the greatest need of rural education is that it should be made more human, more rational, more nearly related to the life of the children and the homes from which they come. Such schools are intended not only as centres of interest and inspiration for the com­munities in which they exist but as models for similar work in other sections, and the Federation is responsible for their sup­port until they are able to become self-supporting.

One of these schools is known as the Massachusetts-Georgia Model School, having been established and for a number of years supported by the Massachu­setts State Federation. Another type of rural school established and maintained by federated club women is called the Settlement School. One, located in a remote mountain valley in Tennessee where civilization was unknown, is the child of the Massachusetts Federation. Through the efforts of its teachers this little school has won its way into the hearts of those sturdy mountaineers, and where suspicion existed heretofore all is friendliness, sympathy and helpful co-operation. A number of its children have been given an opportunity to get a glimpse of the great world beyond, that they might carry back to their mountain fastnesses the message of right living and right thinking. Who can foretell the results of such a work of mental and moral regeneration?

Space forbids any account of the great work that has been accomplished through the establishment of kindergartens, the introduction of manual, industrial and trade training, the advocacy of domestic science courses, the support of vacation schools and school lunches, the provision for scholarships for young and eager students, the formation of Home and School and Public Education Associations, the agitation for compulsory education laws and a larger revenue for school purposes, the cooperation with other organizations and the thousand and one educational problems to which club women have given serious thought and careful consideration.

Bewildered by the extent of the horizon that had come within their vision it seemed for a time as though they had forgotten that great common interest, the home; an interest that binds all together in the inevitable bond of social responsibility. Finding they were becoming more resourceful, more of a power in the social life of the community they asked themselves the question, have we, as home makers and home keepers, lived up to the ideals that should be ours? And through a recognition of the tremendous changes that had taken place in the world about them they began to realize how great were the changes in the conditions which surrounded the home, in the problems that confronted the home keeper and in the family life. As a result they set about the task of creating a new and widespread interest in that institution which is the source of all that makes for true manhood, true womanhood, true citizenship – the American home.

Believing that a systematic training in home duties is an essential part of a girl’s equipment for life they first turned their attention to the establishment of domestic science and even the higher branches of home economics as part of the curriculum in schools and colleges. In many cases clubs contributed large sums to bring this about. It was soon found that qualified teachers were difficult to obtain and the work was being retarded on that account. This condition had to be met, and several Federations did a work similar to that of Wis­consin when it raised $10,000 to endow a chair of home economics in Milwaukee-Downer College-­ and established a permanent loan fund of $5000 from which young women desiring to fit themselves as teachers could borrow the necessary amount, this to be returned with- out interest.

In many of the States, particularly in the middle West, the Federations are actively cooperating with their State universities and agricultural schools in extension work. It has been said if one needs encouragement along this line they must go to Nebraska. Extension work has not stopped with the women, it has reached many men who, absorbed with their own affairs, had failed to realize their wives were wearing themselves out because of labor making not labor saving devices in their homes. In New Jersey the Federa­tion has recently established a Household Experimental Station somewhat similar to that conducted by Good Housekeeping when it was located in Springfield.

Page after page might be written which would testify to the widespread interest that has been created by and among club women in this direction before the questions of pure food and food sanitation claimed their attention. For twenty years or more a national pure food law was before the Congress of the United States. Its importance was not recognized by the public until the harmful and fraudulent adulterations of foods became a topic of daily conversation. Then it was that the club women of the country bent their energies towards the protection of the consumer by urging the passage of that measure which has for its title “The act for preventing the manufacture, sale or transportation of adulterated or misbranded or poisonous or deleterious foods, drugs, medicines and liquors, and for regulating traffic therein and for other purposes,” and which is known and referred to as “The Food and Drugs Act, June 30, 1906.”

Their influence was a potent factor in its enactment and was recognized not only in letters from unprejudiced legislators but by an invitation to the General Federation to send a speaker to the first meeting of the Interstate Pure Food Commission held thereafter. Encouraged by this success the enactment and enforcement of State laws and the amendment of laws already upon the statute books were secured in many States through the instru­mentality of club women.

In Indiana the question arose as to the best method of assisting the officials in enforcing its revised law. A mass meeting of women was held in one of its largest cities, and it was decided to circulate throughout the town a petition by which the signers should agree to patronize only those dealers who displayed a placard bearing the seal of the Board of Health, showing compliance with all of its requirements. There can be no doubt as to the effectiveness of this method, for in a letter from the State food commissioner is the following sentence, “The day after the women’s meeting the local dealers wore themselves out clean­ing house and, I believe, are still at it.”

For the past few years consider­able attention has been given to the inspection of markets, bakeries, dairies and the sanitary covering and handling of food supplies. But now that the pure food law has been broken down through the manipu­lations of men who have proved themselves enemies of the cause, through decisions rendered in favor of unscrupulous manufacturers, through concessions made to special interests and through the resignation of the chief of the Bureau of Chemistry, Dr. Harvey W. Wiley, the friend of the consumer, a resignation where wrong has triumphed and right been put down, the club women of the land are again beginning to make their influence felt. To their families and to themselves, to the com­munities in which they live and to the patriotism for which they stand they owe a service which only they can give. As home makers and home keepers the health of the nation is in their hands. What the women demand, that shall they have.

It was Dr. Josiah Strong who said, “The supreme problem of the twentieth century is the city.” If one looks deeply into the question of civics his statement is soon found to be true, for with the rapid growth of our American cities, the tremendous influx of foreign immi­gration, the rush and competition of business, the enlarged means for transportation, the ever increasing prosperity of the American people, the bewildering demands of society and the strenuous life of the present day we are brought face to face with problems that require wise minds, expert service and an intelligent public opinion in the solving.

Women have not been slow to detect the needs of their communities and to realize that responsibility rests in a large measure upon the individual. An officer of the American Civic Association, Mr. Clinton Rogers Woodruff, has said, ” Unquestionably the most potent factor in the present day movement for civic improvement is the influence of women.” Women arc the natural domes­tic housekeep­ers, is it not eminently proper they should become civic house ­keepers? They abate nuisances in the household, why not in the city? They make their home a place of beauty, why neglect the homes of others? As mothers of the nation they protect the health of their children, why not that of the public?

The natural beginning in civic work among club women was in behalf of the City Beautiful. They planted trees, beautified home and school grounds, made unsightly places in the vicinity of railroad stations blossom like the rose and turned waste places into attractive parks.

Thinking that a park would be of great value to its town a small, energetic club in the Middle States availed itself of a law which enabled fifteen or more persons to secure land for such purposes independent of municipal authority. It decided upon a satisfactory site whose owner proved most generous by giving one half the land; the other half was secured through sub­scriptions, even the children in the public schools con­tributing. To-day the town has a park that will be a joy forever and it was said of the club that no associa­tion of business men could have carried the work through with greater effectiveness in organization or promptness of execution. To promote beauty is an end and not a means, therefore women were quick to discern that to be beautiful a city must be clean. The most effective work in this direction has been done through the observance of municipal ” Clean-up days.” City and town officials, public spirited citizens, men, women and children have coop­erated with women’s clubs in making it a success. “Clean-up days” have developed into “Clean-up weeks.” In Louisville, Ky., the experiment was a conspicuous success. Sixty thousand circulars urging cooperation and bearing the endorsement of the mayor were issued; 30,000 being used in the schools and 6,000 distributed by the police. A committee of eighty women directed the work and photographs taken before and after furnish lasting evidence of what had been accom­plished. Would that “Clean-up days” be inaugurated in every city and town in the land. Without doubt Pennsylvania heads the list of States where effective civic work is done by women. Inspired and supported by an ex-president of the State Federation the work has been so systematized  along County lines that all the clubs in a single County are working upon the same issue at the same moment. In one County 30,000 children were enrolled as members of a Junior Civic League, which had for its ob­ject systematic instruction in the duties of citizenship.

Think what work like this will mean to the future of our cities, towns, states and even nation. Had such instruction been given thirty years ago Pennsylvania would have escaped many of the civic problems which it has faced within the past few years.

To the Civic Club of Philadelphia, which was organized in 1894 and on whose seal are found the words, “Higher Public Spirit, Better Social Order,” must be given first place for civic betterment work. A record of its achievements shows how far reaching its work has been and cannot fail to impress one with the idea that civic regeneration can never be attained until the people as a whole can be made to realize that as individuals their responsibility is great.

A progressive thinker has said, “Mankind has two major dreams-The Golden Age and the City Beautiful; two haunting aspirations. The Golden Age lies always in the past, the City Beautiful lies just over the hill in front of us. To realize the better of the dreams- City Beautiful, the dream of achievement-we shall have to build the People Beautiful, and then we need take no thought for the building of the City Beautiful, for it will as inevitably be the fruit of good living as the City Hideous is the fruit of bad living.”

The growth of a people is marked by epochs and while the nineteenth century made of women a social force, the twentieth century will give to the child its rightful heritage. In the building of the People Beautiful the most important factor is the conservation of child life. It is to the child that we must look for the future of the race, and it matters little how perfect our present civilization is if it assumes such a form that children cannot grow up healthy and vigorous under it. ” Every child has the inalienable right-

” To be born right.

” To be loved.

” To have his individuality respected.

“To be trained wisely in body, mind and spirit.

” To be protected from evil persons and influences. ” To have a fair chance in life.”

 

Through the efforts of their public health committees the club women are beginning to realize that instruc­tion in the duties and responsibilities of parenthood must form part of the education of our youth if that tremendous, disintegrating evil, the great black plague, is to be kept down; that the time for silence as regards sex is past; and that it is the duty of parents to see that their boys and girls understand the dangers that threaten them. Probably more has been done to arouse interest in this crying need by the Illinois State Federation than by any other organization of women. Its work resulted no doubt from that originated by the Reform and Philan­thropy Department of the Chicago Woman’s Club, and was stimulated by the findings of the Chicago Vice Commission.

Club women everywhere are taking an active interest in everything that pertains to the health of the child. They are studying into the causes of infant mortality; they are teaching ignorant mothers how to properly feed, clothe and care for their children; they are urging the necessity of pure and clean milk which constitutes “nature’s perfect food;” they are insisting upon improvement in the methods of the physical examination of school children and, in many cases, are supplementing this work by providing school nurses.

They are agitating the need of better sanitary conditions in public schools and are investigating and making known housing conditions which all too often engender immorality. What pure and noble thoughts can come from “Dingy walls, that are gray with grime; Sodden yards, that are thick with slime; Is it a wonder, such homes within, Poverty’s child is a child of sin? ”

They follow the child beyond the home and school out into the street and studying the dangers that beset it there they provide, equip and maintain supervised playgrounds and recreation centres. It is through the medium of such institutions as these that the child learns to master himself, to gain an insight into the great social structure of which he is a part, to respect the rights of others and to realize that “Obedience to Law is Liberty.”

Entering the industrial world club women have discovered evils which are sapping the vitality of the hundreds of thousands of growing children employed in gainful occupations, evils which are filling our institutions and causing deterioration of the race. Perhaps no question has appealed to them with greater force than that of the working child. As a result they have succeeded in urging Legislatures in many States to enact laws which will not only safeguard the child in industry and protect him from exploitation but will increase the physical, mental and moral opportunities which are necessary to fit him for efficient citizenship.

Their work for the past five years, in behalf of the establishment of a Children’s Bureau in the Department of Commerce and Labor of the United States, is crowned with success and helps to strengthen the following state­ment of Mr. Albert J. Beveridge, former senator from Indiana, ” Throughout this entire nation child slavery must be stopped, and there is only one force beneath the flag that can stop it. That force is the might of American women at the American fireside influencing the American ballot box.”

That the influence of the club woman is great is shown by the fact that organizations of men as well as women are continually appealing to her for advice and help. She has been invited to sit in the councils of organizations such as the American Civic Association, the National Municipal League, the National Civic Federation, the National Conservation Congress and the National Civil Service Reform League. At the first conference of governors at the White House she was given a seat.

Only the merest sketch, the briefest suggestion of her activities, can be given in an article like this. Founded on the true principle of woman’s part in the world’s work what has been done by women’s clubs is but the earnest of what will be done. Because of her ability to put into action the results of study and investigation, thus coordinating knowledge and action, the path of the club woman will lead her “To finer and diviner ends Than man’s mere thought e’er comprehends.”