Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 227, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 September 1916 — Work of Clubs Is Chiefly Responsible for Awakening Amohg Women of Country [ARTICLE]

Work of Clubs Is Chiefly Responsible for Awakening Amohg Women of Country

By MRS. GRACE JULIAN CLARKE

of Indianapolia

Clubs are largely responsible for the wonderful awakening among women all over the land. Through clubs women have come to a realization of themselves and of other women, also of the conditions of life around them. They see many ways in which they could help to bring about wholesome changes but for The “sex distinction,” which the granting of equal suffrage will go far toward wiping out. The time will doubtless come when there will be no longer any need of women’s clubs, and they will then cease to exist. But I very much doubt if the millennium is near. Women must go forward at their own gait—not just as men, or any set of men, prescribe. They have many things to learn, things that men cannot teach them, and it seems to me they must work out some problems by themselves, in clubs and federations. T heir long journey along a road beset with every conceivable difficulty and discouragement has sharpened their wits and made them peculiarly apt in some directions. Gradually they will take their places alongside of men in all departments of life, but for some time to come there will be plenty of work for clubs of women. When equal suffrage is an accomplished fact all over the country there will still be ample opportunity for usefulness on the part of clubs and federations. In clubs women learn the value of art, music and literature in community life; they study about conservation, civil service reform, city problems, all that relates to children, and the care of the sick, insane and criminal. It is very important that the citizen-mothers of the future have such training schools as clubs afford for the consideration of all questions that women must help to solve.