Caroline French Benton

“ A charming study, not only for a musical club but also for any other, is that of songs. The field is practically limitless, but by careful selection of a program which covers only a part much may be learned and enjoyed. It is essential that the life and times of each composer should be studied, and some of his songs sung. Later on, various periods, or certain themes, may be illustrated by the songs of different composers. ”

“ Study the singular mingling of the races which has produced an entirely new type of nationality and patriotism.
The subject of ranches and the life there may be the topic of one paper; another may take up the life in the capital, Buenos Ayres, with its contrasts between great poverty and greater wealth, for the ports are filled with steamers from all parts of the world, and the docks crowded with the very poorest Italian immigrants. The wide boulevards, theaters, opera house, clubs, newspaper offices, and public buildings are on a scale of unusual magnificence. ”

“ There has never been an opportunity for community work like that offered to-day, offered especially to those women who have been made capable by their training in their own little study clubs to cope with questions of hygiene, of tenement house wrongs and immigrants' problems; they have the widest scope for their energies. If they are wise, they will accept the opportunity of using the woman's club and make it a center of social service. ”

“ To-day that club is made up of many well-read women of all ages who have acquired what may truly be called a liberal education, and the whole neighborhood has been raised and enlightened by what they have done for it in a hundred ways. ”

“ One meeting should be on women's colleges, taking them in the order of their establishment, and showing how they have developed. Have descriptions of each and tell of its special aims. Discuss the value of a college training for women, and its faults. Speak of coeducational colleges and State Universities; have they advantages over the rest? Does a college woman lose interest in her home? Does she marry early, or does she drift into a career?
Have some college woman address the club on work done in the line of higher education of women, and its results. ”

“ Clubs may also help the town celebrate fête days: Arbor Day, the Fourth of July, Harvest Home, and the birthdays of local celebrities or of Washington and Lincoln. The schoolhouse may be used for such meetings.
The motto of every rural club should be: Coöperation. As one kind of work is taken up after another it will soon be seen how much women can do if they work together for the good of all. The little club nucleus may draw to itself the men of the community, the young people, and even the children, and together they may build up something fine, something of substantial value. ”

“ Among the many topics which will suggest themselves for discussion are these: What can be said of education in Latin America? What is the percentage of those who can read and write, and why is it so low? What of higher education? What is the relation between church and state and what has the church done for education? What can be said of the morals of the Latin Americans? What is the position of woman? How is she educated and trained? What is her home efficiency? Compare South American cities with those of France, England and America and point out the great differences. ”

“ The club to which they wish to belong must offer them an opportunity for self-development, one in which they will obtain the culture which comes from the study of art and music and literature; one where their hungry minds will be fed. [Pg 2]
But the group of young women,—perhaps college graduates,—have no sympathy with this desire; they have had enough of books! They demand that all the energies of the club shall be devoted to the good of the community, to the "larger housekeeping," to preparation for citizenship. Who can stop to write dull papers on Italian Art in this day of efficiency? ”

“ The waste of time may be the title of the next paper, illustrated especially in the kitchen in making fancy dishes or those which require hours of preparation; the waste of time in doing unnecessary fancy-work and elaborate sewing. Note how all this waste of time means to many women the loss of hours to read.
The waste of woman's strength in doing work too heavy for her—lifting, drawing water, and performing other tasks should be especially spoken of in the next paper, and the value of labor-saving devices, of rest and recreation, and of having some help in housework should be made clear. ”

“ The problems of a professional woman may be made the subject of several meetings. Present the lives of the doctor, the nurse, the lawyer, the professor, the school teacher, the writer, the artist, the musician, and discuss in each case the difficulties she has to contend with.
Such questions as these may follow: Should professional women marry? Are their home lives well developed? Are they fitted for the career of the law? Do writers and artists tend to become bohemians? What are the relations of men and women in the same profession? ”

“ Are open-air schools needed? Cannot music and art be better taught? Is there any place in town which affects good morals?
Is it possible to establish a rest room for farmers' wives who come to town? Are coffee rooms needed to supplant the saloon?
Remember that children are always delighted to help in community improvement, and will investigate conditions as to alleys, playgrounds, or help clean up the town.
Much legislation on many of the topics will come up. A lawyer may be asked to come into the club and talk about the state laws, child labor, or any of the other subjects under discussion. ”

“ CHAPTER XIV Women's Problems of Work—Continued I—TO-DAY
Clubs may begin this study with the problems of the woman in the tenement. There is the home itself. She is hampered by a small, crowded space in which to bring up the family; there is insufficient light and air, it is too cold in winter and too hot in summer; there are few conveniences for washing or cooking; beds are generally uncomfortable, the walls are cumbered with clothing, there is no space for the children to play and no privacy. ”

“ The subject of Child Labor is one of the vital questions of to-day, and every woman should study and know the conditions, particularly in her own State. Begin with an introductory paper on child labor in the mills of England in the nineteenth century. Read from Mrs. Browning's "Cry of the Children."
Study the present conditions in America; the mining, canning, glass-blowing, and factory work occupations, particularly in the South; the tenement-house trades, such as nut-shelling and the making of artificial flowers. ”

“ Persons unfamiliar with club methods sometimes are puzzled as to ways of voting. There are several. The simplest is for the President to put a motion by saying "Will those in favor of the motion say aye," and later, "Will those opposed say no." Then she judges which of the two classes is most numerous. If she cannot decide, she may ask to have the vote repeated by raising the hand or by rising, in which case she puts the motion as before, asking those who favor the motion to raise the right hand or to rise. ”

“ If the year's work on domestic economy is to be a success, it should have some practical outcome; perhaps a study class may be organized to develop the ideas of home efficiency, or there may be a reading club to present new ideas in books and magazines and discuss them, or, as has been suggested, there may be a cooking class formed. ”

“ The club may clean it up, plant shade trees and shrubbery, freshen up the paint of the railroad station and make its driveway attractive, take charge of the cemetery lots which are neglected, make a common in the middle of the town if possible, and have flowers and trees there, and, most important of all, create a sentiment among the people which will lead to abolishing the loafing places about town. ”

“ This is a fascinating subject and the first paper opens up a wide field; it is on Home as a Business Enterprise. This will show that a [Pg 64] home may be merely a school of economics, with all the thought centered on that side of its life; or it may be merely a savings bank, with the idea of laying aside money back of everything. Or it may be an industrial institution with every one working all the time and no recreation or amusement permitted. ”

“ The Laplander has his reindeer songs; the Alpine peasant, his songs of the mountains, with the yodel; the Russian has songs of the steppes; the negro, his plantation melodies; the sailor, his chanty; the soldier, his songs of battle and prison. Hunting songs, love songs, funeral dirges, songs of nature, of childhood, of home, of country, all have a literature of their own.
One meeting may take up the subject of the first art songs—which originated about the time of the first operas and were part of them. ”

“ There is no difficulty in starting a club; any group of women who are interested in the same things may form themselves into a simple organization. But the great question will surely arise: What shall we study? And here club members are certain to divide into three distinct classes. ”

“ Letters have come from the Far West, from Nova Scotia, from remote districts in the South, and from ranches in Canada asking much the same question: "Is it possible to carry on a women's club when we are far away from any public library and have few books, if any, in the community?" ”

“ Are standards of character higher than in the public schools? Is the training in athletics valuable? Do boys go from them to college better prepared to meet [Pg 205] the life there than from the high school? Is there a lack of democracy about them? Do they send a yearly clique to college?
The paper next to this would be on the finishing school for girls, and will raise the questions: Are the standards of education sufficiently high? Is a mere smattering given? Is too much attention paid to social preparation? What advantages has the finishing school? ”

“ CHAPTER XIX Special Programs on Great Men and Women
Often a club finds it best to break into its ordinary routine of work by having a special program. The birthday of a great writer, artist or musician offers a good subject for such a meeting, and the following programs are arranged to suggest such names with a brief outline of work on each.
Some clubs may like to select from the names given two or more for each month and so arrange a program for an entire year. In this case it is a good plan to take alternate writers, musicians and artists, giving a day to each one. ”

“ Then have again a brief discussion: Is the Montessori system adapted to American children? Is it a benefit to them? Is it wise to develop the mind of a young child rapidly? What is the effect in its later education? Compare the system with that of the kindergarten. See: "Dr. Montessori's Own Method," by herself (Stokes) , and "A Guide to the Montessori Method," Ellen Yale Stevens. (Stokes.)
Close this meeting with a talk by a trained kindergarten teacher, if possible, who can set before the club members the advantages of her work. ”

“ From this point factory work, as we know it, will open before the club. Study it especially in relation to cigar and cigarette and candy making, and in clothing industries of all sorts. Describe conditions as factory inspection has discovered them; notice the unsafe buildings, the long hours, heavy fines, and low pay. Discuss what should be done to remedy such evils. Have some of these questions taken up: Should Women Enter Trade Unions, or Is Organization Unnecessary? Do Strikes Pay? Should Women Insist on Compensation for Injuries and Old-Age Pensions? ”

“ From this point study each little republic by itself, beginning with Guatemala, the farthest north, adjoining Mexico, and resembling it in many ways.
Here the feature of prime importance is the natural forests of rare woods; the soil is also unusually fertile and can be made to produce remarkable crops under cultivation. The cities are modern; Guatemala City has tree-planted avenues, a beautiful plaza, electric lights, schools and churches. Manufactures and trades are interesting, especially the wood-carving and embroidery work. ”

“ The one essential of success is "team work."
The first thing is to understand the actual conditions which exist in the town. The club should first learn who the town officials are, and what are their duties.
Next, find out what the town assets are: if there is a good courthouse and railroad station, good schools, a park, attractive streets, and so on. In contrast to these there should be a complete list of what the town lacks; better paving and lighting, better sewerage and water, a new milk supply, or sanitary groceries, and so on. Study and discussion make this list a long one. ”

“ A chapter in the Report will be of inestimable value next, for it points out the need of a redirected education, one which will give the child of the farm some study of nature, of agriculture, health, sanitation, domestic science and similar subjects which fit his life. It suggests that the school-teacher and district superintendent should be called to conferences on this subject and asked to help in carrying out plans for the betterment of the school.
The next thing for the club to do is to make a social center of the schoolhouse. The crying need of farmers' families is for social life. ”

“ What should be the attitude of the church toward divorce?
What is the effect of divorce on children in the home? Has the child a right to one father and one mother even though their attitude toward each other is strained? ”