Clubs work for women’s rights

Press, Issue 32535, 19 February 1971, Page 6

Clubs work for women’s rights

The Business and Professional Women’s Clubs in the United States did not support militant women’s liberation movements, according to three members of the Pueblo (Colorado) club, who were in Christchurch yesterday.

However, the aim of the clubs was to improve the status of women. In Colorado, the clubs were instrumental in getting legislation granting women the vote, and later, equal pay for comparable work, said Mrs Eva Traeder. The women of Colorado won the right to vote in the late 19205. The state was advanced in granting equal pay in the 19405.

“One of our present projects in Colorado clubs is to supply a grant to two university women who are making a study of the equal pay for equal work programme. From this, we hope to find out what the loopholes are. Generally it seems to work fairly well,” said Mrs Traeder. HOME FOR GIRLS The Colorado clubs were also supporting a residential home for girls. “Correction schools in Denver receive girls from out of the state," said Mrs Traeder. “So that they do not have to return to homes which are unsuitable, we run a home where they can live until they finish school, or get suitable work.”

The home takes from six to 10 girls, and the project is entitled Project K. (K. stands for kindness). The clubs hope the state will take over the home, but in the meantime

members anticipate further fund-raising effortsMrs Traeder is touring with Mrs Ora Belle Hoffman and Mrs Florence Nix. All are retired, but are “so busy now they wonder how they had time to work.” CYCLING HOBBY

Mrs Hoffman was an elementary school teacher whose I chief hobby now is cycling. I Five hundred miles a year is her target, and she finds riding round the city’s parks and gardens a fine way or making friends with youngsters.

“The kids are such fun,” she said. “When you are rid-1 ing a bicycle they think of you as just like themselves.” Handwork and knitting are Mrs Nix’s favourite hobbies, which she has time for since she sold the family ranch four years ago. For three years after her husband’s death she managed the property, raising beef and growing crops. She is also a voluntary hospital worker. A keen gardener, Mrs Traeder also does volunteer hospital work, and is a member of the Red Cross Society. Before her retirement, she was an office manager in the United States Department of Agriculture.