Unanimously Jane was put into the chair. Without preface, she asked Eleanor to present her proposition, the organization of a literary club called the Scribblers’ Club. “Please tell how it is to differ from a society like the Owls or the Addisons,” Jane requested.
“There are similar clubs in different schools,” said Eleanor, “and it was because I heard about one of them that I wanted one for us. The idea is that only people especially interested shall belong and that each one shall present some good piece of writing, passed on by a committee or the officers of the club, to make her eligible for membership. It may be something written for class or not. Many of us have little time to write outside of what we do for English, so I thought that it would be fair to accept anything original that is considered worthy. It should at least draw a B from Bunny!”
The girls laughed at that. “I’m not so sure,” said Jane. “I presented a gem of literature to Bunny, in my sophomore year, that carries a C, and I know that she begrudged that. Suppose that we leave acceptance to the officers of the society, irrespective of what the teachers think?”
“That is what I say,” said Katherine, “verses, for instance. Any verse handed in to Bunny would be graded according to the standard of Tennyson or Browning,——”
“Oh, no, Kit,” said Aline. “Browning never would get by Bunny. She could find flaws in any of ’em!”
This conclusion seemed to be unanimous, laughingly conceded by the present or former pupils of Miss Bunn, the unpopular English teacher.
Eleanor went on to explain that it would be best, in all probability, to have most of the officers from the two upper classes and that after this, sophomores could only enter after the first semester, when it would be supposed that they could produce something worthy of admitting them. They were to be encouraged to apply.
After some discussion, following a motion to organize, Eleanor, with the two seniors and the two juniors, were appointed as a committee to draw up a constitution and select a list of officers to be presented at the next meeting. When these girls asked for instructions, it was generally agreed that a senior should be president and that the committee to pass on members should be composed of juniors and seniors. “And sorority or society matters are never to be considered!” added Ann.
“We can make that clear in the constitution,” said Eleanor, “that nothing but merit and interest counts.”