THE COURIER.
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h'-
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Barrett and Robert Browning and other
writers who have been identified with
Florence.
Mrs. J. P. Say lor gave a talk illus
trated by charts, on the "Formative In
fluence of Early Roman Character."
A piano duet, Weber's "Invitation to
the Dance," was played by Mrs. A. R.
Mitchell and Mrs. J. W. Winger. Mrs.
I. N. Baker gave the result of her in
vestigations of the life of the "American
Artists in Rome." She had found diffi
culty in collecting material forthie topic
which had been assigned her, but there
was much of interest in her short paper.
Mrs. G. W. Noble sang Gunner's "Stac
cato Polka" most sweetly, and later gave
"Heart-throbs."
At the close of the program refresh
ments were served. The merubara of
the Century club endeavor to entertain
their friends from other clubs at least
once each year at an open meeting, and
this one proved fully as enjoyable as
usual.
With a Woman's club at every little
hamlet and four corners in the country,
and club women cemented into a net
work of organization that can fairly sup
port the world, it is difficult to create
the atmosphere that made of club life a
martyrdom; yet such was the atmos
phere in which that pioneer of women's
clubs, Sorosis, now 6trong and famous
and with a thirty years' splendid retord
behind it, drew its first breath. Ridi
cule, open and pronounced, and hostility
thinly veiled, from the prominent citi
zens of the community, men and women
whose good opioion it is difficult to for
feit, misunderstood on all sides amid
such trying Eurroundings did Sorosis
begin.
"It took courage of no mean order,"
says Mrs. Croly, "to admit one's mem
bership in the club" a change indeed
from today, when Sorosis is recognized
as the light that shone to guide the feet
of women along the many present paths
of club life.
The history of Sorosis' founding
though well known, is always interest
ing. The incident of the famous Dick
ens dinner in March, 3808, which pur
ported to be a compliment to the author,
tendered by the loading journalists of
New York, and the refusal of thomanag
era to admit representative pen-women
who wished to be present, has been re
garded as the prompting impulse of the
club. It is true that this vivified and
touched into life the woman's club im
pulse, but it is also true that the idea
was something more than an indignant
resenting of an unnecessary slight.
Following the free discussion of the
dinner matter at tho next Sunday re
ception of the Misses Alice and Phiube
Cary, Mrs Croly met during the suc
ceeding week Miss Kate Field, and pro
posed to her, in the course of their talk,
the idea of a woman's club. At this en
counter really was Sorosis born. Miss
Field liked the idea, and asked the privi
lege of discussing it with Mrs. Henry M.
Field, while Mrs. Croly undertook to se
cure the co-operation of Mrs. Botta. The
friendliness, too, of Mrs. Charlotte B
Wilbour, an intimate friend of the Cary
sisters and the wife of a prominent New
York editor, was counted upon, and on
the next Monday, at the meeting or con
sultation at Mrs. Croly 's house, these
five ladies were present. Nothing def.
jnite had been decided upon except tho
want, as Mrs. Croly expressed it, of unity
and secular organization among women.
"Many women," she said, "were hungry
for the society of other women whoso
deeper natures had been aroused to
activity, who were interested in the
thought and progress of the day and in
what other women were thinking and
doing."
There was no definite plan of work, no
special basis of organization suggested
beyond this cry for communion among
earnest and thinking women. It was
agreed that an invitation should be sent
out to a few women who it was thought
would be interested, and the second
meeting was appointed at the same place
one week from the date of tho drat.
Between tho two Mondays, however,
some serious happenings took place.
Mrs. Field withdrew from the project on
tho ground of an early and indefinite
trip abroad, and Mrs. Botta also retired,
because her husband opposed her con
nection with the Echeme. Miss Field
had been summoned to Boston, and only
Mrs. Wilbour and Mrs. Croly were left.
At Mrs. Wiibour's residence the Sun
day afternoon preceding the second
meeting these two ladies prepared a plat
form anc brief constitution to oiler such
ladiep as might appear tho next day. As
a refutation of one of the bitterist ob
stacles with which Sorosis in its early
days had to contend tho idea that it
was pledged to woman suffrage a part
of its first constitution is worth quoting:
"Tho object of this association is to pro
mote agreeable and useful relations
among women of literary and artistic
tastes. It is entirely it-deptndenf of
Eectionalism or partisanship. It recog
nizes women of thought, culture and
humanity everywhere, particularly when
these qualities have found'expression in
outward life and work. It aims to
establish a kind of freemasonry among
women of smilar pursuits, to render
them helpful to each other, and bridge
over the barrier which custom and social
etiquette place in the way of friendly in
tercourse. It affords an opportunity for
tho discussion among women of 7new
facts and principles, the results of which
promise to exert an important influence
on tho future of women and tho welfare
of society."
At the meeting tho next day' tho so
ciety was organized, under the name of
Sorosis, with twelve membors. Miss
Alice Cary, to whom was offered the
presidency of the new society, at first de
clined it, but was finally induced to ac
cept it. Tho first l;st of officers of
Sorosis is an interesting one: President,
Alice Cary; vice president, Jennie C.
Croly; corresponding secretary, Kate
Field; committee, Plniibe Cary, Ella
Cljmer, Celia 11. Burleigh, Josephine
Pollard, Lucy Gibbons and Ellen Louise
Demorest; Charlotte B. Wil hour, record
ing secretary and treasurer. The first
meeting of the club, as a club, took place
at Delmonico's, then at Fourteenth
6treet and Fifth Avenue, on Monday,
April 20, 1SGS. The routine of proceed
ings, as it exists today, was there begun.
A luncheon at one o'clock preceded the
other exercises. No papers were pre
sented at the first meeting, but a lively
discussion was had over tho choice of a
name. Sorosis had already been sug
gested and accepted unofficially at the
preliminary meetings, but it was now as
sailed, and the decision of the ballot was
in favor of the other name proposed, that
of tho "Woman's League." During the
month intervening before the next
meeting, in May, a number of those who
had voted for the name chosen, decided
that they had been hasty, and one, Mrs.
Cljmer, brought into the May meetinga
resolution of reconsideration. This gave
an opportunity for a second ballot, and
Sorosis was restored by a large majority
vote. It is interesting, as showing how
tentative the whole project was, that
this action cost tho club tho co-operation
of three prominent women, Miss
Field, Mrs. Gildersleere and Mrs. Gib
bous, who resigned at once.
At this May meeting the president,
Miss Cary, presided for tho first and
only time, her health rendering it im
possible for her to continue. Ssrosis
was thriving, however, notwithstanding
theso various handicaps, and by the
June meeting the original dozen had
been increased t i fifty, and the club was
fairly started. After Miss Cary's resig
nation tho club was without a president
during its first year e plan being
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i
adopted to elect a chairman at each reggio, whose power lay in creating the
meeting. Experience showed that this most beautiful forms full of tender
method could be bettered, and in March, ness and expression.
1SC9, Mrs. Croly was made president by The Round Table discussion was upon
acclamation, and the influential growth the difference in style of these respective
artists, and the American art topics of
our present time.
Last Friday afternoon the Fortnightly
club of Lincoln met with Mrs. Lambert-
son. Mrs. Ricketts, as chairman of the
program committee, read an exhaustive
synopsis of a course on Russia. After
listening the club decided that the
course would require two years acd eo
voted. The committee was also in
structed to have a year book published
paragement to the rest to say that the for next year. It was further instructed
contralto solo by Mrs. Minnie Peck, to prepare a larger number of topics to
Heaven Hath Shed a Tear," with violin study than there are members in the
and piano obligate (Miss Houghton and club, in order that each member may
Misa Clark,) was most superb and inspir- have several subjects to select from,
ing. For a number of years past widely Mrs. Lambert son then read papers on
known in musical circles in Boston and Holland Delft, Lace and Tapestry,
the east, both in concert and oratorio. Adjourned to meet with Miss Harris
of the club began. Harper's Bazir.
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The open concert and reception of the
Tuesday Musical club of Denver, was an
especially enjoyable and artistic affair.
Jt was given to a large audience of as
sociate members and friends at the club
rooms on Glenarm street. The after
noon was devoted to modern German
compo3ers.and the programme included
selections from a number of those most
noted. While all did well, it is no dis-
Denver is at present most fortunate in
claiming her as one of it brightest musi
cal attractions. About 400 were present.
The Art Department of the Lincoln
on March 4.
m
Mrs. S. B. Pound, state regent of the
Daughters of the American Revolution
has been presented with a handsome
gold brooch, with the correct number of
Woman's club met Tuesday afternoon bare anu a "t ot resolutions expressing
n the Matinee Musical room and lis- the appreciation of the chapter for her
tened to an instructive and highly pre
pared paper by Dr. Rnth M. Wood upon
the life and works of Giovanni Bellini,
the Giotto of Venetian painting; Gior
gione, another pioneer of the sixteenth
century, who excelled in the broad
effects of light and shpde; Leonardo de
Vinci, author of that world renowned
picture, the "Last Supper," executed
while at the Court of Milan, and Cor-
work in it. It is largely due to Mrs.
Pound's enthusiasm that the chapter
here is in such flourishing condition, and
the members desired to express their
appreciation.
a
The meeting of the State Household
Economic asEociation in Omaha laet
Thursday was little more than a form.
Continued on Page 8.
