Genesis of the Business Women's Club
(Copyright, 1903, by Anna R. Hatletlne.)
mHK LUNCH hour is directly ratpgo.
I I Bible for the existence of clubs
lor uusidpu women.
"The object shall be to pro
Tide means of communication be
tweon business women; to secure the bene
Bta resulting from organised effort; to open,
club rooms and a restaurant for the com
fort and conTenience of business women;
to relieve sick and disabled members, and
to hare an employment exchange for com
petent business women."
So runs a clause in the constitution of
certain club for business women, but the
all-important phrase Is that which deals
with the opening of a restaurant.
When a young woman takes a position
"downtown." lunching at the restaurants
frequented by her brother and other girls'
brothers, possesses a singular fascination.
She feels that at least sho is launched
upon a business career. But in due lime
he wearies of the clatter of heavy crock
ery and the noisy calls of scurrying wait
ers. She resents the fact that she is ex
pected to swallow her meal whole In order
to make way for other hungry mortals. Im
patiently standing in line. It she meets
a friend with whom she would diBcuss tha
plays she has seen of late, the books she
is reading, or the new silk waist she is
about to purchase, the head-waiter glares
at her for keeping another patron waiting,
and. tinder the Influence of that glare, shn
sallies forth and joins a club, and ii teon
no more in the noon-d'.ty haunts of men.
Directly a club is organized, It collects
dues and hires a room in the heart of the
commercial district. Here it installs simo
tables and chairs and a chef, a rubbrr
plant and whlie curtains. The last two
are essential. Then it is ready for busi
ness. And business comes. The lunch
room flourishes like the proverbial bay
tree. These clubs for business women ap
proach more closely the men's clubs than
do any other organisations In which women
are interested. They are broad, liberal
and democratic. Dresa dees not count. A
new member may make acquaintances or
not aa she pleases. She la free to avail
herself of the physical conveniences placed
at her disposal without Indulging in social
Intercourse, or she may meet other mem
bers on the common level of good fellow
ship. The fact that her name passed the
membership committee is all the social
backing that she needs.
' She may entertain her friends at lunch
eon or dinner, having a special table set
aside for their use. She may spend her
noon hour In the reading room, or curled
up In a cosy corner of a dressing roam.
She may never see the Inside of the club
rooms save during the luncheon hour, or
he may rcme back after her office Is closed,
dress for the theatre and dine at the club
before Joining her friends at the theatre.
In fact, she has most of the privileges
of club men, at considerable less expense.
Woman's passion for bargains and cut
prices does not desert her even in club
dom. The largest club of this sort flourishes
la Chicago, and is known as the Chicago
Business Woman's club. It had Its origin
in the National Association of Women
Stenographers, which was organized at the
suggestion of Mrs. Potter Palmer in 1892.
Its first president was Miss Elizabeth
Merrill, now Mrs. George Bass, at that time
official reporter of the board of lady man
agers of the Columbian Exposition. But
as successful women in other branches of
business life clamored for admission, in
1899 the National Association was reor
ganized as the National Association of
Business Women, and its sphere of use ful
ness was enlarged accordingly, with active
clubs in New York, Minneapolis, Buffalo
and Detroit.
Barring the religious element, the Chi
cago club is conducted on lines similar to
those followed by the Young Women's
Christian association. Its members take
active part in classes for the study of
Spanish, French, physical culture, correct
English, current topics, stenographic speed,
domestic science, the use of a chafing dish,
china painting and nature-study.
Miss Matae B. Cleveland, president of
the national association. Is an active worker
In the Chicago branch. She is also man
ager of the local Business Woman's ex
change, which acts as Intermediary be
tween employers and those seeking posi
tions, and members of the club are entitled
to Its services without moaey and without
price. This is but one of the many prac
tical features supplied for the Inexperienced
women enrolled under the club's protect
ing banner.
The club Is run successfully and with
out the ahadow of debt on annual duea of
$4, with meals furnished at reasonable fig
ures. The number of women availing
themselves of its privileges is close to half
a thousand, and the cosy club rooms In the
heart of Chicago's business district will
oon be too cramped. Even now the offi
cers are talking of a clubhouse commensur
ate with the organization's growth and
built by the club members.
While there are rest rooms, dressing
rooms, writing rooms and a library, to say
nothing of innumerable cosy corners for
heart-to-heart chats, the interest or the
outsider centers la the brilliantly lighted
dining room. At noon it is crowded with
trimly gowned business women, and in the
k .- . i v : i t
v v- r
MISS LIZZIE WOODBURY LOW, SECOND PRESIDENT
NEW YORK COUNCIL BUSINESS WOMAN'S ASSOCIATION.
evening these same women are transformed
into charming hostesses in frocks that sug
gest anything but the work-a-day world.
Lawyers, doctors, bookkeepers, confiden
tial secretaries, stenographers, importers,
manufacturers, editors, heads of depart
ments petticoated every one of . them
gather here In the most democratic of fash
ion. Here, too, they entertain friends and
buaineas acquaintances. The businesa
woman is aa important factor In the com
mercial life of Chicago, and under the
shade of some sheltering rubber plant,
many a "deal" is pushed to completion.
In glancing over the annual reports of
the Chicago club, it is Interesting to note
that despite pedestrian skirts, square-toed
boots and "the same salaries that men re
ceive," the eternal feminine will not down
ven in a club for successful business
women.
One report tells of the opening of the
winter season by a progressive dinner at
S3 cents a plate. There were speeches
by this officer and that, outlines for class
work, and other cut-and-drled features In
evitable with aa organisation banquet,
after which the recorder adds: "The deco
rations for this affair were ia yellow,
golden rod being nsed in quantities about
the rooms and on the tables."
The menu for this dinner was truly re
markable, and no chef save one employed
by a woman's club could have evolved It.
To a real business woman and her chef all
things are possible.
Another dinner was marked by the ap
pearand of a brilliant jurist, the only
Adam in this bevy of Eves, and for this
occasion everything was In brilliant crim
son, from lamp shades to roses, a subtle
compliment to the guest of honor, insin
uating that his presence was a red-letter
occasion for the club. A third event was
notable for the appearance of Jane Addams,
famed for her Hull House work, and ap
propriately for this most op'lmlstic of
workers for women, the color scherno was
rose-colored.
Let the pessimistic borrowers of troublo
concerning the unsexing of women through
contact with the businesa world ponder on
those few excerpts from reports. So long
as women permit their thoughts to wander
in the direction of lampshades and rose
bowls, the domestic instinct Is not dead,
but flourishing.
The Chicago clubrooms are most hap
pily located, not only for the midday con
venience of members, but for theater go
ing. A considerable source of income Is
the dinner giving in the evening. In this
one privilege alone, the members feel that
they stand on a level with their men friends
who are addicted to club life, and they take
solid comfort in this mode of entertaining.
The oast of dinners I regulated by the
wishes of the individual hostess, who has
her rooji or table set aside, her decorations
arranged and her menu served quite Inde
pendently of other diners.
The New York council of thJ National
Association of Business Women is a close
second to the Chicago club. It has rooms
on the top floor of a big office building at
108 Fulton street, close to the financial
district ia whloh moat of its members are
employed or independently engaged In busi
ness. When Miss Cleora E. Swift, a successful
and ambitious business woman, started tho
movement ia 1900, New York women were
not as ready to accept the suggestion aa
their more optimistic sisters in Chicago.
But Miss Swift was not to be discouraged,
and she Interested in her work two most
efficient helpers, Mlas Virginia Potter and
Miss Grace H. Dodge, whose philanthropy
MISS CLEORA
PIONEER IN
AND FIRST
and vital Interest In women's work were
well known throughout the business dis
trict. With a charter membership of nine
teen, the workers furnished simply but
comfortably the quarters they had selected,
and opened the lunch room, which instantly
proved to be an efficient missionary. Today
the membership is nearly 300, the debt la
paid and the club Is entirely r-lf -supporting.
The Initiation fee ia S3, with due of' 60
cents monthly. With this income and the
moneys derived from the sale of luncbeens
aad occasional dinners, the executive com
mittee meets every expense. The only
alarled officer la the cashier, and the work
ing force in dining room and kitchen is
composed entirely of wrmen. Members are
served a table d'hote lunch for 20 cents,
but a slight premium is charged non mem
bers who frequently find their way to the
rooms. An a la carte service has also been
established, and the entire menu Is aim
pie and homelike.
The dining room ia exceedingly simple.
Its chief chsrm being Its outlook. On all
aides it is lined with great windows, over
looking the North and East rivers aad the
hay. A day must be gloomy, indeed, when
it sheds no light in this room.
The reading' room is more pretentious,
being decorated in dull green, rose and
Flemish oak. The piano stands Invitingly
open. There Is a falr-aized library, in
cluding ail the current periodical"! , and a
desk supplied with club stationery.
But perhaps the feature which appeals
most strongly to many of the members is
tho convenience and comfort of the small
rest or dressing rooms, each supplied with
a couch and pillows a-plenty, toilet arti
cles of all sorts and a medicine chest con
taining all the simpler remedies. These
rooms, furnished daintily in delft blue and
white, with immaculate curtains and down
pillows, are a veritable boon to women
employed in office buildings where practic
ally no conveniences or comforts are sup--plied
for women clerks.
Owing to the fact that the club
rooms are located far from the resldenco
and theater districts, the rooms are open
at night only on atated occasions, such as
club dinners, receptions and entertainments
of a more or less formal nature. On these
occasions dinner Is served for a nominal
sura, ao that members may not be obliged
to hurry home ro dress for tho evening func
tion. The rooms are always open late
enough for a suburban member to change
her frock and enjoy a little rest should
she plan on remaining in town for the
theater.
Ia other words, a representative business
woman's club Is formed and managed solely
for the comfort and convenience of its
members. It does not aim to ride a lit
erary hobby or raise the intellectual stand
ard of Its members. It has no "mission."
If It has classes on its calendar, it is be
cause the members demand classes. It does
not pose as an employment agency, though
i It promulgate the doctrine of "hanging to
gether." It does not even force sociability
upon Its members. They eome and go as
tbey like, and barring the weed and the
bottle, it is a clever Imitation of its proto
type, the man's club.
In both the New York slab and the Chi
cago club stenographers predominate on
the membership rolL This Is not true,
however, of the club movement In Minneap
olis, Detroit and Buffalo, where doctors,
dentists and other professional women are
In the majority. In New York the olub
rooms are the- favorite gathering plaae tor
the-Insurance women, who write seme ' of
the heaviest policies taken out.
..-
E. SWIFT. WHO WAS THE NEW YORK
FORMING A BUSINESS WOMEN'S CLUH
PRESIDENT OK THE ASSOCIATION.
Those who have s'udied the situation an1
visited many cities say that the New York
women are the moat businesslike in their
club life, availing temaelvea of its con
veniences, but not entering very heartily
into the spirit of camaraderie. Oa the
other hand, while Chicago buaineas women
fully appreciate the privileges and comforts
of the rooms, they exhibit a keener inter
eat In the social life, aa shown in the In
formal evening gatherings.
He Will Not Smile Again
Nine-year-old Bobby Irwin, son of Mr.
and Mrs. William Irwin of Anderson, lad.,
can never smile again, according to the
conclusion of physlciana and surgeons who
examined the boy's face and Una to ascer
tain why the expression of his face lias not
changed alnee he met with a recent acci
dent. The doctors found the muscles of
the. face partially paralysed, especially
these controlling the lips. Otherwise tho lad
has practically recovered from two frac
tures or the skull, to the amasemeot of the
pbyaiciasa and surgeons. Young Irwin fell
ten fret from a hay mow to a cement pave
ment and his forehead was crushed over
one eye and the base of the akull almost
shattered. For nearly a week there was
no hope of his recovery.
That was a month ago. The other day
the boy walked to his doctor's office and
was as bright as ever save for his Inability
to smile. He can enjoy anything funny
enough to create a smile or laughter, and
hla laughter can be heard, but there Is no
change of expression about the lips or
cheeks.
She Picked Wrong Man
An amusing story Is told by the New York
Press of the wearing of miniatures. A
newly rich woman, who bad seen her friends
exploiting great-grandmothers and grand
aunts on ivory, blossomed forth with an
amazing portrait, surrounded by emeralds
and pearls, and dangled her new found an
cestor at tht end of a costly chain. Mrs.
Suddendongh glibly informed her friends
that the man with the inspired eyes ami
the shock of glowing red hair was Iter
paternal great-gTeat-grandfather. Her
pretensions panned unchallenged. One day
she was -in a gathering in Boatoa aad ex
ultlngly displayed the portrait, telling the
old story. One bespectacled dame stared
and, after Mrs. Suddendongn's departure,
she of the glasses said, "What do you think
of that? It was Patrick Henry's portrait,
and ho was a bachelor!"
Cold Storage Art
The plans for the St. Louis World's Fair
Include a refrigerating "arts" building, to
cost, with the apparatus, $1,000, 000. Tt is
to be about 30 by 210 feet nnd 60 feet high,
and will furnish cold storage. Ice water,
cool air for the theaters and other build
ings, nnd lee for the largest ice skating
rink in the world. Within the building
will be exhibited each day real "old-fashioned"
snowstorms.
An Eviction
Caasldy Phwat are ye cllmbln' p them
fur, man altveT
Casey Ot'U tear down that hi rehouse
from me wall If OI break mo neck fun ft.
Caasldy Would ye rula the poor birds
bit av a hornet
Casey 8h! TIs nparraws thof te It,
an' lt'a jlst now Oi'na learnin' tbot they're
English. New York Time.
