requirements. The first one is intended to lay out many lines of community work from which each club is asked to choose what best suits the needs of her own locality. Every second club meeting may be given to the study of the various problems presented by the town, and remedies may first be suggested and then resolved upon. Coöperation with other clubs is also urged, and also the need of working with, rather than against, the city fathers.

Alternating with meetings on these practical and helpful lines clubs are invited to study some one of the subjects which follow this first comprehensive program. Whatever appeals most to club members, music or history, literature or travel, may be selected. References to books are offered to assist in preparation of club papers.

It will be found that, on the whole, it is seldom best for a club to choose a miscellaneous program for an entire year's work. Too often such a choice means a grotesque range from Life in Early Egypt to the Waverley Novels, and from the Panama Canal to Spring Flowers. When one wishes to have a year of work with a different subject for each meeting it is at least possible to choose those which have some relation, and vary the program by having musical meetings also.

A word may be added as to the personal side of club life. A president, above all her other duties, should see to it that the atmosphere of the club is warm and friendly. If in other ways it is successful, if the study gives intellectual stimulus, and practical work is carried on effectively, still it is a failure if the members are either snobbish or unsympathetic. All the members of a club must be in harmony and work together in a spirit of comradeship if it is ever to reach its highest possibilities.

Last of all, should not a club extend its membership to as many as possible, rather than have a waiting list? Whatever prestige may accrue to it through that, will it not be of the greater good in the long run if its doors are always open to take in any woman who has something fresh to give to its life, or has a need that the club can gratify?

CHAPTER II

Community Improvement

One of the up-to-date subjects for clubs is what is sometimes called "The Larger Housekeeping." It is the study of the economic conditions of one's own neighborhood with the determination to find ways to make the place more hygienic, more sanitary, moral and beautiful. It is the development of the idea of social betterment.

A woman's club is an ideal social center from which this work may grow. It is an excellent plan to enlist all the clubs in town, if that is possible. They may carry on other work besides, but each club may also have some particular line of study on the common theme, and at monthly meetings all the women may meet and discuss the one topic of community improvement. The men of the place may be invited later to join these public meetings; their coöperation, and that of the city officials especially, should be secured from the beginning. 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.

Then, when once the club knows its own town (and here the first pamphlet mentioned at the close of this article should be read), each item on the list may be taken up and really mastered in its every detail; committees should be appointed for each.

I—SUBJECTS TO INVESTIGATE

The question of roads and pavements may come first. What is their condition?

The yards of the place may come next. Are they in good order? Are the alleys clean? Is the garbage well taken care of? Does the town need a "clean-up" day? Is the sewerage system in good order? Is the town water pure? Discuss the milk supply. A committee should inspect the dairies.

Parks and playgrounds are subjects which will bring up many questions. Are they well cared for and attractive? Are there any playgrounds for children? Have they swings, parallel bars and the like? Is there a supervisor?

Next the town schools; members should be appointed to visit each school and carefully go over it. Are there vines, flowers and grass around the building?

Are there cheap theaters in town? Are the shows clean? Do children patronize them? Is the theater building sanitary? Have a committee unannounced attend some performance.

Is there a hotel in town? Is it a clean, well-kept place? Are there saloons, and, if so, do they in any way evade the law? Are they loafing places?

Is the railroad station attractive? Is there any one in charge of the waiting-room? Is the town jail sanitary? How is the poorhouse managed?

Are there tenements? Are they sanitary? How many churches are there and in what financial condition? Is there a town library? Is it up-to-date? Is there any town nuisance, such as soft coal smoke or malodorous factories? Are advertisements painted on rocks or put up in fields?

These are only suggestions as to lines of investigation. When finally the needs and shortcomings of the town are known to all, practical work to improve conditions may be undertaken.

The best plan is to get a few of the many books on town betterment and read them before any reform is undertaken. In addition to readings from these, and papers showing what has been done in other towns on similar lines specialists should be asked to speak to the club, and the public invited to hear them. For instance, a professor from the nearest agricultural college may lecture on pure milk; on water supply the town engineer may speak; on the question of bettering the public schools the state superintendent may be invited. It is better to spend a whole club year in study and accomplish only one practical work for the town betterment, than enthusiastically to begin on a dozen lines and yet really gain nothing substantial in the end.

II—THE BEGINNING OF SOCIAL SERVICE

When at last, the town is clean and sanitary, and the improvements made which have been outlined, then, and not till then, some of the interesting new lines of social service may be studied and put in practice.

And first, a charity organization should be founded, no matter how small the town may be. All the churches and every individual should work in coöperation with it.

After this, if there are mills in the place these may be visited, and with the consent of the owners night schools and recreation centers of all kinds for the employees may be established.

Another committee may get new books for the town library.

Medical and dental inspection of school children will also be of value, and the town doctors will aid in it.

Pure food should certainly be studied, with investigations and recommendations of clean markets and groceries.

Child welfare is a most important subject. Fresh air funds, children's summer camps, the prevention of infant mortality, children's clinics and the like will grow out of its study.

Child labor comes in this