WORKING GIRLS' CLUB

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 840, 11 June 1910, Page 11

WORKING GIRLS' CLUB

Club life for working girls is beginning to have a history says an English writer. To look back upon them in their infancy, many years ago, and compare them with their counterparts to-day, wo might well exclaim with Bui'ko, "What a revolution!" and wondur if the original, pioneers of the club movement in . the past had any prophetic idea as to the extent to which their earl.v happenings would develop. In- London to-day there, is a club in every well-worked parish. There are besides the evening play centres, and the clubs for factory girls, which are irrespective of any special crced, with several, of the larger places of business provide their girls with recreation rooms. There is a g'reat deal to be said for the accomplishments which are acquired in these evenings at the club. .U.iny can show excellent paintings from Nature, ribbon-work, embroidery,. bobbin-lace, baskets, or knitting, which 'they have learnt round the lire of their club-room during the' winter months. But to look upon the club as a school of. arts and crafts is to miss its meaning for the girls just as much as for the small army of helpers, who give up their evenings to planning lessons and amusements, and probably their days as well to all the work of organisation which a large membership entails. The club is. essentially a builder of character. Perhaps nothing is .more revolutionary '.hau the dilfcrcnec in the manners ot tire rougher gii-ls a short time after i.hey have joined. The particularly hoarse and discordant laugh and the loud voice which show the lack of refinement vanish very soon. So to a great extent do the 'extravagance of bead necklets and sham jewellery. Happily for her in many ways, the London girl is a born mimic, and probably unconsciously takes her tone from the colouring of her .surroundings. What is true regarding the influence in manners is eijually true in a deeper sense. In these days,, when thcro is little enough, religious teaching or religious feeling, the club —the best kind of club —is a missioner with a preponderating amount of influence. Most organisations require attendance at church and at Bible classes, while in many' of them the older girls teach the younger ones in the Sunday-schools, and give up: one evening a week to sewing for the hospitals or for_ the really poor. ' - '