Bloomington was home to many many clubs that sought to improve life in Bloomington by educating its citizens, feeding the poor, controlling the young or for other worthwhile goals. The rules of the Mosaic Club were presented in the Pantagraph on this date 100 years ago and were decidedly harsh and strict rules.
The name of the club was chosen because the members did not want to be limited in any way as to the business of their club. They decided that the entire Mosaic of life should be their subject, as reflected in a poem by Gussie Packard DuBois.
The rules of the club were very strict as to attendance of meetings. If any member should miss two meetings in sequence, they would be ejected from the circle. If any member missed a total of five meetings in a year, they would be ejected. Membership was held to the small number of just 25. Lectures at this club could not be read, but must be delivered extemporaneously. Each member was expected to be very well versed in her subjects and to be interested in any number of subjects. If a member were caught looking at notes, the other members were to look away from her to signal their displeasure. If a speaker made any error, other members were free, or required, to call this error to the attention of the others at the next meeting.
The matter before the club on the date of the meeting on this date one hundred years ago today was one of local concern. The circle was alarmed that a young woman who came to Bloomington to find employment, who went to a policeman for assistance was not helped due to the ignorance of the policeman. The young woman wanted to know where there was a YWCA in Bloomington and was told by the policeman that he had no idea if there was such a place. She then asked about the YMCA and was told that there was such a place but the policeman did not know where it was. The young woman had to resort to asking a cab driver to take her to a respectable boarding house.
This was a matter of the greatest importance. If a young lady could not rely on a police officer for information as to a safe refuge for a stranger in town, what could happen next? The Circle meant to meet with the police chief and point out this circumstance so that all police officers could be properly informed and know their duty to strangers in Bloomington.