Sorosis facts for kids

Rules of the Sorosis Club in 1869

Sorosis was the very first professional club for women in the United States. It started in March 1868 in New York City. Jane Cunningham Croly founded the club.

What Does "Sorosis" Mean?

The name "Sorosis" comes from a Latin word meaning 'a group' or 'collection'. It's based on the Greek word sōros, which means ‘heap’. The club's goal was to help women grow in education and social activities. They wanted to bring together talented women in art, literature, science, and similar fields.

Jane Croly picked the name "Sorosis" after looking through many dictionaries. She loved its meaning, its unique sound, and how well it fit the club. Briefly, one of the first 14 members, Kate Field, wanted to change the name to "Women's League." But after thinking it over, they voted again, and "Sorosis" was chosen as the final name. Because of this, Kate Field and some others left the club. The meeting ended with Alice Cary giving her first speech. The next week, Alice resigned as president because the disagreements had made her unwell.

How Sorosis Started

In March 1868, a group of women were not allowed to buy tickets to a dinner. This dinner was hosted by the all-male New York Press Club for author Charles Dickens at a restaurant called Delmonico's. Because they were excluded, the women decided to form Sorosis.

On April 20, 1868, Sorosis held its first lunch meeting at the same restaurant. They invited Charles Dickens, but he did not come. At this meeting, the 14 founding members of Sorosis were:

• Alice Cary
• Jane Cunningham Croly (also known as "Jennie June")
• Kate Field
• Phoebe Cary
• Ella Dietz Clymer
• Celia M. Burleigh
• Josephine Pollard
• Ellen Louise Demorest
• Charlotte Beebe Wilbour
• Anne Botta
• "Fanny Fern" Parton
• Henry M. Field
• Lucy Gibbons
• James T. Field

In January 1869, Sorosis became a legal organization. Within one year, it had 83 members. Sorosis, along with the New England Women's Club in Boston (also started in 1868), inspired many other women's clubs to form across the country.

The Sorosis ... was organized ... to promote "mental activity and pleasant social intercourse," and in spite of a severe fire of hostile criticism and misrepresentation, it has evinced a sturdy vitality, and really demonstrated its right to exist by a large amount of beneficent work. ... These ladies pledged themselves to work for the release of women from the disabilities which debar them from a due participation in the rewards of industrial and professional labour ... I believe it has been the stepping-stone to useful public careers, and the source of inspiration to many ladies.

—Emily Faithfull, 1884

Early members of Sorosis were involved in many different jobs and social movements. These included ending slavery, women's right to vote, prison reform, and peace efforts. In the early 1900s, Sorosis grew to have local groups outside New York City. These groups helped with war relief during both World War I and World War II.

During peacetime, they focused on helping others. This included supporting places like the MacDowell Colony and creating scholarship funds. They also worked on social reforms, such as teaching immigrant women to read and write. In later years, Sorosis focused on local projects. They raised money to help other women's clubs, funded scholarships for women, and supported local rescue missions.

In 1890, Sorosis invited other women's clubs to a meeting in New York City. Sixty-three clubs attended and together they formed the General Federation of Women's Clubs. These women's clubs worked together to push for social and political changes at local, state, and national levels.

The University of Texas at San Antonio keeps records of the San Antonio chapter of Sorosis. These records are from 1923 to 1991. They show information about the club's members and activities through meeting notes, photos, scrapbooks, and yearbooks.

How the Club Worked

Every month, except for a summer break, Sorosis held discussions on different topics. These topics included literature, science, philosophy, art, drama, and education. Members of Sorosis formed committees that researched these topics. Each committee had one day a year to share their work. The club also held business meetings two weeks after each monthly discussion.

What Sorosis Believed

Sorosis had more traditional views compared to some other women's groups at the time. Even though many members supported women's right to vote, the group did not actively work for it. Sorosis was known for supporting movements to end slavery, the temperance movement (reducing alcohol use), women's education, and rights for working women.

In general, Sorosis accepted traditional ideas about differences between men and women. This included the idea that men and women naturally have different personalities. They also believed that serving others was more important for women than focusing on themselves. Sorosis and other women's clubs thought that these natural differences, like women's higher morality and caring nature, meant women should play active roles in improving society.

Achievements of Members

Scientific Achievements

• Jennie de la Montagnie Lozier was a doctor for 12 years. As a Sorosis member, she led the science committee and later became president. In 1889, she went to a medical conference in Paris. There, she presented her paper on women's medical education in French.
• Phoebe Jane Babcock Wait was a doctor and led the obstetrics department at the New York Medical College and Hospital for Women. In 1883, she became the head of staff at that hospital. Later, she was chosen as the dean of the college. She was also a member of other groups, including one that helped people with mental illness.
• Anna Manning Comfort was a doctor. She was in the first class at the New York Medical College for Women. After graduating, she became the first woman to practice medicine in Connecticut. Dr. Comfort wrote "Woman's Education and Woman's Health" in 1874. This was her response to a paper that criticized higher education for women.

Literary and Journalistic Achievements

• Ella Maria Dietz Clymer was a poet and worked in theater. In 1881, she adapted a version of Faust for the English stage and acted in it. After leaving theater, she published many poems. These included "The Triumph of Love" (1877), "The Triumph of Time" (1884), and "The Triumph of Life" (1885). She also served as president of Sorosis for two years.
• Eliza Putnam Heaton was a journalist and editor. She graduated at the top of her class from Boston University. She then became an associate editor for the Brooklyn Daily Times. In 1891, she started the first daily news column specifically about women's movements.

Business Achievements

• Alice Houghton was a broker. In 1888, she started her own company for real estate, insurance, and investments called Mrs. Alice Houghton & Co. She also helped prepare displays for the Columbian Exposition. Within Sorosis, she was president of the Spokane branch.

Notable Members of Sorosis

See Also

• New England Women's Club
• Pi Beta Phi, originally founded in 1867 as I. C. Sorosis, but not connected to this Sorosis club.