October lit ) , 1891) ) . OMAHA ILLTSTKATHl )
The Woman's Club
Movement in Nebraska
H \\as In March , ISiiS , that Sorosls , the
pioneer woman's club , was organi/ed In New
York City with twelve members and will )
Alice Cnry for president. It was in March ,
ISS'.l , that Son His. to celebrate the attain
ment of her majority , called together all the
clubs she could hear of , ninety-seven In
number , mid proposed to them that Idea of a
permanent national organization which de
veloped a year later Into the General Federa
tion ot Women's Clubs. U was In 18114 , un
der the policy of Mrs. Ellen M. Henrotln ,
president of the general federation , that as
sociations of clubs Into state organizations
crnmiT"ll Tlir hlctnrV nf wh.Tt lq
two clubs from Lincoln , two from Crete and
one each from Fremont , Kearney , Omaha.
Weeping Water , Seward and Auiora.
The Nebraska federation has now accom
pllshed five years of existence , but that fac *
was not even mentioned at the annual meet
ing recently held In York , Indeed , the
women seemed so Intent upon getting ahead
ns to forget to look back and the gratula-
tlon and admiration tlmt so often marks
a meeting of women was delightfully ab
sent , although the onlooker would have neon
plenty of excuse for It In the reports of of
ficers and delegates.
The federation now comprises about 3,500
women , included In seventy-live clubs , that
vary In membership from the thirteen mem
bers of the Ladies' Heading club or Scotia
to the COO of the Omaha Woman's club
Each club has Us own plans nml methods ,
adapting Itself thereby to local needs and
condltli ns , but there Is a remarkable
uniformity of adherence to what Is now
established as the purpose of women's clubs
namely , culture for the individual and
service In the community.
The first of theto Ideas Is naturally the
ono up n which most club.s are organized
H is greatly to the credit of Nebraska that
every community , no matter how Miiall , has
a group of women who aio eager for self-
Improvement , ami also a woman , soinetlni-s
a college graduate , and often an ox-teacher
or specialist , who enn lead their studies
These studies of course take a great variety
of direction , but they are covered by the
broad Ideas so well explained by the presi
dent , Mrs. S. C , Langworthy , In her annual
address at Yoik , when she bald 'The
domestic , social and Intellectual development
of women decides the curriculum of the
woman's club. " The larger clubs piovlde for
diversity of taste by organising In depart
ment , as the Omaha club , which has n >
less than fourteen separate gioups of women ,
many of them largo clubs In themselves.
Other clubs organize for the consideration
of certain subjects , history nnd art afford
ing n popular combination. History , Indeed ,
Ecome to bo a favorite study , and not less
than forty-five clubs show a preference for
It. Of these sovutnl sue devoted to Ameri
can history , and two at least , the clubs of
Falrbury and Norfolk , are studying Spanish
history , grouping with It the literature , art
and mimic of Spain , while one , the Fort
nightly of Lincoln , Is making a similar
study of Russian. Literature ranks
next to history in point of popularity ,
not less than forty-three clubs
reporting upon It. In this department
Shakespeare and llrowiilng have ninny
disciples , but more than ono club Is reading
American literature and at least one , a
small , new club at "Wake-field. Is pursuing
nm.t ) ) , ) ( ] dv n 7 nloim ndmlrnr nnil com-
J
) >
f
OFFICERS. NCBHASKA STATE FEDERAT ION OF WOMEN'S CLU13S AT YORK.
known as the "club movement" Is thus a
matter of three epochs first , the era of In
dividual clubs ; second , their union In the
general federation , and , third , the develop
ment of state associations. In each of these
epochs Nebraska has had a part. The
Zetetlc of Weeping Water is the oldest dub
In the state , having been organized In 1881 ,
and for several years that club divided with
the Omaha Woman's club the honor of rep
resenting Nebraska in the councils of the
general federation. When , however , in 1894 ,
the clubs were called together In Omaha to
form a state federation there were ten to
enter as charter members. These included
patriot of that dramatist. Cunent events
form a nucleus for study In ninny clubs.
Sometimes this Is otfeetod through a roll call
at every meeting , when each member an
swers to her name by a moment's discussion
of borne topic of immediate Interest , and
sometimes through a department , as In the
Omaha club , where a hundred women give
an afternoon every 'two weeks to a serious
consideration of current history and litera
ture , Two clubs In Lincoln , Sornsls and
Sorosls , jr. , 'the ' former 'one of the oldet
clubs of the stale , have always given thelt
F1 * ' "Ionics of Ri'iiornl intorp'sl. " ni"1
Sorosls of Stnntou lias Just followed their ex
ample. Domestic lute-tests are allown In t\\o
ways. A large number of clubs huvo de
partments for child study , \\here they un
dertake to make a scientific und sympathetic
study of childhood. They it-port the good
fortune of lectures and correspondence fiom
specialists and assistance from edueatois
uverywheie. Here Is one of the points
whoie the women of the homo nntl tlio
wunun of the bchool touch tMch other to
their mutual piollt. Numouuis departments
ot domestic economy are also le-porteM , not
for the study of cooking merely , but fur the
consideration of all that has to dolth tin-
physical well-being of a family. The club
tit Columbus is conspicuous for Its woik In
that direction.
The study of music and of art is being
fosteied throughout the state by blandlng
committees appointed last year by the fed
eration and for the llrt t time ut an annual
meeting the program at York Included a
musical afternoon and an nrt evening. Mrs.
1 > . A. Campbell of Lincoln presided ovui
the former session , as chairman of the federation
oration committee on music , and another
member of the committee. Mrs. 11. F
Uoano of Crete , made u plea for the study of
music as an art among the clubs , while
Mrs. Heals of Norfolk Illustrated such study
in a. p.iper entitled "The I'lilltsophy of
Music. " The remainder of the afternoon
was devoted to the thiee gloat divisions } of
opera Italian , French and German. Com-
pieheuslve papers wcic read upon these re
speethu topics by Mrs. Frawley of Stronm-
buig , Mrs , llcufih of Sownrd and MIVJ. Camp-
bull and illustrations of each were given
by piano , violin and voice. The perform
ers were chosun from within the clubs rathe ;
than from the professional class without
them , though several of them weie real ar
tists. The program therefoiu served t'i
strengthen the idea that musical study as
to content and history may be prosecuted In
the smaller towns as well as In the cities
where opportunities for hearing music aie
greater.
There are several musical clubs In tin-
stale of which the Matinee Muslcale of Lin
coln Is deservedly the best known. The
Mo/art club of I'laifsmouth Is also doing
goml work , and music forms part of the
curriculum of clubs at Hoatrlce , Wyinoie ,
Omaha and Fremont , while Columbus Is
distinguished for Its use of the Derthlck
system , In which It Is taking the sect ml
year.
The art program at York was weakened
by the absence of Mrs. Keysor of Omnba ,
who was detained at homo by Illness In her
family , though she had expected to lecture
on the Uoston public llbraiy. Her stur-
eoptlcon slides were used , however , and
explanations were made by Miss Lida Wil
son of the art department of the Omaha
club. Mrs. F. A. Hall of Lincoln , chairman
of the federation art committee , uUso as
sisted on the program. A feature of the
meeting at York was tho" art room , where
Draun and Hcrlln photographs , as well as
Perry pictures were presented for sale , and
where there were cases of beautiful cera
mics and nrt decorations of various soi ts.
This room was constantly thronged. A
number of good pictures were purchased for
club rooms , school rooms and homes , and If
ono onay judge from the Interest expressed ,
the art committee will huvo a largely In
creased number of art study classed under
Its fostering care next year. The ait do-
partmcnt ( f the Omaha club also assists tlnfio
c- ' I . 1- -o " . . . lv
registered , by the loan of Its collodion of
WELCOME.
M'KINLUY XMKUIIKUN , S I ) TROOl'S IN I'AUXUE
PRESIDENT M'KINUJV AT AltEUUEEN , S. IJ.THE CARRIAGES IN LINK.
photographic reprodueticns of works ot
art , numbering 300.
Other branches of study inlerchtlng certain
clubs hero and theru and gaining the at
tention ot others aio : railiamuntary drill ,
social sclonco and civics. Ono club , that of
Dundee , Is looking into the science of geol
ogy , under the dliection of an enthusiast
on the subject , and ono very Inteiesting
club known as the Maker Township club
of York county IH studying English , along
with its coui&o in civil government. This
club Is composed of farmer * * ' wives tnd
daughters and has for Its president a
former school teacher.
Hut the club exists not alone- for sclf-cul-
tuio , but for service to the community , and
the fact that this Idea Is growing stronger
among the clubs of the state was not only
asserted by the president in these words
n ! i 1'l.v u . "in , * ittntv |
DELEGATES TO THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE NEUKASKA STATE FEUERAT1 ON OF WOMEN'S CLUHS AT YORK ,
OCT01JER , 18W ,
shown In the lepoils throughout the meet
ing atork. . la 'luKiimuh ino club Is wuik-
ing for a public libi.iry and the Falrbury
\vom.in b club M pledged to a similar undoi-
l.iuing next year , bo aio the six clubs of
'leciiniseh. In Columbus GOO volumes uio
in en dilution through thu ellorls of the club
ana that number will have additions iw the
women ruUiu tumls by subscilptlon or by
giving cnteitalnments. Mills club Iti cun-
ceined also to have good pictures 111 Its
school building : ; and clubs everywhere ru-
jioit InteicsL and eltort 111 that line. Village
impiovument is another vital activity with
many clubs. Fulrbury owns u drinking
fuuniuln , thanks to its \Vomutru club , ana
Una club , HKo many unuuiur , Is working
in thu early closing movement , regarding U
also as a "city improvement" that stores
should be. closed ul U o'clock.
Hul It Is Impossible to mention thu forms in
which the ucilvuy and public splilt of Ne-
ur.irikawomen uroexpressing themselves. Nor
.n U pLhSiblu to quote thu practical common
.dihu munilubteu in thu papc-is and Uiscus-
lens lit lliu ioik meeting. Thoie was , liuvv-
icr , an especially rich piogram , conducted
> .Mis. A. W. Field , chairman of the educu-
lUiial commltteo of the mule federation ,
( in.li dcsenea incnll..n. The following were
. .inie of the topics upon It : "How to 1m-
, /iovo / Conditions of Country Schools , " paper ,
iiy Miss Blair of YVuynu ; "The Vacation
i'liiblom , " discussed by Mrs. 1'ago of Syr.i-
iibo ; "Household Economics , " treated by
.Mm. J , H. LaChappollu , Ashland ; "Manual
Training , " address , by Mis. Farmer of Al
bion ; "Why I Jo Men Ulslllto HuslnesB Deal
ings with Women ? " discussed by Mrs. Nor-
ils of North Demi , "Thu Mothers ( ire.Ue.st
Need , " paper , by Mrs , Klngsloy , Mlnden ,
Upon the last afternoon of the meeting
thu woinun tested fiom their labors and lis
tened to a story written by Mrs. Heller of
Omaha , after which they leliirned to thu
discussion of "Household Economics , "
"Wugo-Eainlng Women and "Vlllago Im
provement , " which topics were handled by
three Omaha women , Mrs. Mary M , 1'ugh ,
Mis. C. H. Loblngler mid Mrs. lllunchu Mc-
KHvoy respectively. Then the press came Infer
for Its hlmru of attention. Miss Sarah Har-
ils of the Lincoln Couiler spoku on "News
paper English , " and Mini Ideal MacKeover
of Stromsbtirg explained the alms of the Na
tional WiHITS' association.
The Federation library , until such time
as the state provides u circulating library ,
will furnish ths only means for many to
secure books for study. It Is Increased yuar
by year through gifts from the clubs mid
Is the object of a generous annual gift from
thu Omaha elnb , which appreciates Us own
library advantages. The federation hooks
aio In clmigo of Mrs. 0. M. Lambortson
of Lincoln. They numbered at the begin
ning of the year Ii71 volumes.
The olllcers Just elected ut York to nerve
for the years 18'JO mid 1900 arm President ,
Mrs. Anna L. Apporson of Tocumsohj vice
presldi'iit. Mrs. Hlnlr of Wayne ; recording
secretary. Miss Mary Hills of York ; corru-
spondlng secretary , Mrs Virginia Arnup of
Tucumpuhj treasurer , Mrs. H. F. Doane ,
Crete. FRANCES F , FORD.
