RffiHESTER SfiTIAL CENTERS
AND civic CLUBS
STORY OF
THE FIRST
TWO YEARS
r
t
I
^
"Sing of 'The Little Old Red Schoolhouse On the Hill' and in
everybody's heart a chord trembles in unison. As we hear it's witch-
ing strains, we are all lodge brethren, from Maine to California and
far across the Western Sea ; we are all lodge brethren, and the air is
'Auld Lang Syne, and we are clasping hands across, knitted together
into one living solidarity. It is the true democracy which batters
down the walls that separate us from each other the walls of caste
distinction, and color prejudice, and national hatred, and religious
contempt, all the petty, anti-social meanesses that quarrel with
UNION OF HEARTS.'
We are all of one blood, one bounden duty; all these anti-social
prejudices are just as shameful as illiteracy, and they must disappear
as soon as ever we shall come to know each other well." Eugene
Wood in "Back Home."
"I am more interested in -what you are doing, and -what it
stands for, than in anything else in the world. * * * You
are buttressing the foundations of Democracy."
Governor Charles E. Hughes,
at J^o. 14 Social Center, Mpril 8, I9O9.
ROCHESTER SOCIAL CENTERS
AMD Civic CLUBS
STORY OF
THE FIRST
TWO YEARS
t
I
PUBLISHED BY
THE LEAGUE OF CIVIC CLUBS
1909
T
DEDICATION
O Governor Hughes, and the rest of jis, who recognize the spirit
of the Social Centers and Civic Clubs because we remember
how, back home, the folks used to get together in the school-
house, evenings, for spell downs, singing schools and festivals, where
there wasn't any difference between the postmaster's wife and the
hired girl, because the women took their hats off; and how the men
folks got together there, evenings, and decided things, by free, hon-
est discussion to us this little book is dedicated.
And to us who don't recognize the spirit of the Social Centers
and Civic Clubs as that which we knew back home, since we have
always lived in the city, but who like Social Centers and Civic Clubs
just the same, because they are big and human and common sense,
because they give us a chance to get acquainted with our fellows and
to express our interest in the common good to us this little book is
dedicated.
And to us who haven't yet visited the Social Centers or become
acquainted with our neighbors in the Civic Club meetings and who
don't approve of Social Centers and Civic Clubs because, because,
b e c a u s e to us, most of all, this little book is dedicated.
These three groups include all of us folks here in Rochester and
that's who this book should be dedicated to, for it contains a story of
something that belongs to All of us.
CONTENTS
I. THE PRELIMINARY MOVEMENT,
1. Organization of the School Extension Committee.
2. Board of Education Requested to Administer Funds.
3. An Appropriation of $5,000 Secured.
4. Other Cities Visited.
II. PLAN OF THE WORK,
1. The Spirit That of the Social Activities of the "Little
Red School House Back Home."
2. Decision to Concentrate in One District.
3. Xo. 14 School Building Chosen.
4. Equipment of the Building.
5. Division of Time.
6. Appointment of Directors.
III. BEGINNING OF SOCIAL CENTER ACTIVITIES,
1. The Opening Evening.
2. Organization of Clubs,
A. In the Social Center.
B. In Other School Buildings.
IV. THE FIRST YEAR'S RECORD,
1. Clubs,
A. Boys' and Girls' Clubs.
B. Adult Clubs.
2. Gymnasium.
3. Library.
4. General Evenings.
5. Attendance.
6. Cost.
V. INDICATIONS OF THE SUCCESS OF THE FIRST YEAR'S EXPERI-
MENT.
VI. PLANS FOR CONTINUANCE AND EXTENSION THE SECOND YEAR.
i. Changes in Policy,
A. Exclusion of School Children.
B. Single Large Clubs instead of Many Small Ones.
C. Opening Social Centers on Sunday.
1122090
CONTENTS Continued
2. New Equipment,
A. At No. 14.
B. At West High.
C. At No. 9.
D. At Xo. 20.
3. Division of Time.
4. Appointment of Directors,
A. At Xo. 14.
B. At West High.
C. At Xo. 9.
D. At Xo. 12, Xo. 20 and X'o. 36.
VII. BEGINNING OF ACTIVITIES THE SECOND SEASON,
1. Civic Clubs Assemble Before Centers Open.
2. Opening of Social Centers.
3. Organization of Clubs,
A. In the Social Centers.
B. In other School Buildings,
a. Supervised.
b. Unsupervised.
4. Formation of the League of Civic Clubs.
YIII. THE SECOND YEAR'S RECORD.
1. Clubs,
A. Boys' Clubs.
B. Girls' Clubs.
C. \Vomen's Clubs.
D. Men's Clubs.
E. Italian Men's Clubs.
F. League of Civic Clubs.
G. Special Clubs.
2. Gymnasium.
3. Library.
4. General Evenings.
5. Attendance.
6. Cost.
IX. INDICATIONS OF THE SUCCESS OF THE EXPERIMENT THROUGH
THE SECOND YEAR.
Rochester Social Centers
and Civic Clubs
It is impossible to find an exact date for the earliest beginnings
of the movement which culminated in the opening of the school
buildings as Social Centers in Rochester. Ever since the days of the
Little Red School House there has been in this city, as elsewhere, a
desire for such a common meeting place as that fine traditional insti-
tution afforded. For a number of years past the question had been
discussed in the meetings of various organizations, the success and
service of Parent-Teachers' Associations, meeting in school build-
ings, cited, and the sentiment in favor of Social Centers, expressed in
various ways, had increased.
i. ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL EXTENSION COMMITTEE.
Finally, on February I5th, 1907, delegates from eleven organiza-
tions in the city the Central Trades and Labor Council, the Chil-
dren's Playground League, the College Women's Club, the Daugh-
ters of the American Revolution, the Humane Society, the Labor
Lyceum, the Local Council of Women, the Officers' Association of
Mothers' Clubs, the Political Equality Club, the Social Settlement
Association and the Women's Educational and Industrial Union,
met in the Chamber of Commerce and formed themselves into an
association to be known as the "School Extension Committee."
More than 50,000 citizens of Rochester were represented by the
members of this Committee. In each of the organizations repre-
sented, the question of opening the school buildings as Social Cen-
ters had been discussed and these delegates were empowered to act
for their organizations in seeking to get an appropriation which
would make it possible to begin the work. It is significant of the
spirit of the Social Centers that their beginning was not the result
of the activity of any one person or group of persons. The School
Extension Committee, which did not go out of existence with the ac-
complishment of its prime object, but, with the addition of delegates
from several other organizations, has continued as the present Civic
Betterment Committee, was perhaps one of the most widely repre-
sentative organizations ever yet brought together in Rochester for
any public movement.
2. BOARD or EDUCATION REQUESTED TO ADMINISTER FUNDS.
The meeting of the School Extension Committee on Februarv
1 5th was unanimous in the desire for the week to be started and the
time of that first meeting was devoted to a discussion of the ways
and means of accomplishing the object of the association. The re-
sult of this discussion, as stated in the minutes of that meeting, was,
"The appointment of a committee to ask the Board of Education if
it would be willing to undertake the superintendence of this social
work in the schools provided an appropriation of city funds could
be obtained. The same committee was empowered to make any plans
necessary to promote the committee's work." This subcommittee
laid the matter before the Board of Education and secured the con-
sent of that body to administer the funds which might be appropriated.
Thursday "General Evening" Audience at West High Social Center.
3. AN APPROPRIATION OF $5,000 SECURED.
Between the I5th of February and the ist of March much work
was done by the School Extension Committee through it's subcom-
mittee. The result of that work, as given in the minutes of the sec-
ond meeting of the School Extension Committee, on March ist. was
as follows : "The first business was a report by Mrs. Porter Farley
detailing the visits of her committee to the City Comptroller, to City
Engineer Fisher, to Mayor Cutler and to the Board of Education.
All visits were cordially received and resulted in the insertion in the
forth-coming tax levy of an extraordinary item of $5,000 to begin
School Extension work experimentally.'-'
At this meeting the matter of the administration of the work
was again taken up and a motion was passed, to quote from the min-
utes, "That it is the sentiment of this organization that the School
Board should have charge of the school extension work inclusive of
adjoining playgrounds." It was also suggested at this meeting that
the committee, with others who were interested in the Social Center
movement, should attend the meeting of the Common Council at
which the finance committee should make its report on the tax levy,
in order to show that body that there were many people in favor
of the appropriation. This suggestion was carried out and the Com-
mon Council endorsed the recommendation of the Finance Commit-
tee and appropriated the $5,000, which was asked, for the beginning
of this work.
4. OTHER CITIES VISITED.
The money having been appropriated and the Board of Educa-
tion put in control of its administration, the next step was the selec-
tion of a supervisor of the work. It had- been decided that the fund
of $5,000 should cover not only the expenses of the equipment and
maintenance of the Social Center work for the first year, but should
also cover the cost of completing the equipment of the playground
at No. 14 School and that at Xo. 36, and maintaining these two
grounds through the season, also the cost of the out of door Grammar
School Athletics and the expense of maintaining one Vacation School
chrough the summer. It was decided that all of this work, excepting
the direct charge of the Vacation School should be placed under the
supervision of one man. It was necessary that this man should not
only have had experience in playground and athletic work, but should
also have practical acquaintance with the experience of other cities in
the development of Social Centers. In June a supervisor was chosen.
He was experienced in playground and athletic work and in order to
become acquainted with the Social Center work in other cities, he vis-
ited Chicago and there made a careful investigation of the great South
Park system with its playgrounds arid municipal centers on which the
city of Chicago spent $6,000,000 in two years. Later in the season
9
Wrestling Has Been Popular in Each of the Centers.
he spent a week in visiting the Recreation Centers and studying the
great Public Lecture system in New York City and the other exten-
sions of Public School activity, which cost that city more than $200,-
ooo a year. He came back from the investigation of the work done
elsewhere firmly convinced that the City of Rochester should not fol-
low the lines of the work done in either New York or Chicago, but
should profit by the experience of both of those cities, mark out a new
path for itself, and that so it might make a real contribution to the
progress of municipal development.
"I must stand with any-
body that stands right; stand
with him while he is right
and part with him when he
goes wrong."
Lincoln.
10
II
PLAN OF THE WORK
The Social Center Movement, being in its nature absolutely
democratic, has been free to develop in actual realization whatever
phases the needs, desires and good sense of the community might
choose. And some of its greatest features, such, for instance, as the
independent Civic Club development, have been quite spontaneous and
not at all prearranged. Yet in the great essentials of plan and policy
there has been no change from the beginning.
i. THE SPIRIT THAT OF THE SOCIAL ACTIVITIES OF THE "LITTLE
RED SCHOOL HOUSE BACK HOME."
On July 5th, 1907, a joint meeting of the Board of Education
and the School Extension Committee was held. At this meeting the
whole matter of the policy of the Social Centers was thoroughly dis-
cussed and the plans of the work were definitely laid. In that meeting
it was decided that the spirit which should be striven for in the So-
cial Centers should be the democratic, friendly spirit of broad
acquaintanceship, which made ''The Little Red School House" in the
country the fine community gathering-place that it was. About this
time there appeared in one of the magazines an article upon the even-
ing uses of the school house in a village community. In that article
the kindly neighborhood spirit w T hich was developed in these school
house meetings, social and political, was described. In connection
with this description the author asserted that there is no such spirit
of community interest, no such neighborly feeling, no such democracy
as the village had, in any American city, and that there never can be
such a spirit of community interest, such a neighborly spirit, such
democracy, until some institution is developed in the midst of our
complex city life in which people of all races, classes and parties shall
find a common gathering place, a common means of acquaintance, an
opportunity to learn to think in terms of the city as a whole until
there is developed an institution which shall serve the people in the
city as the Little Red School House served the folks back home.
The author of that article had apparently no knowledge of the
Social Center movement projected in Rochester, and no member of
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either the JJoard of Education or the School Extension Committee
had read that article, and yet it was an exact expression of the spirit
of the Social Center as it was planned in that meeting on July 5th,
1907.
Social Evening at No. 14 Center Men's and Women's Clubs Together.
The Social Center was not to take the place of any existing insti-
tution, it was not to be a charitable medium for the service particularly
of the poor : it was not to be a new kind of evening school ; it was not
to take the place of any church or other institution of moral uplift ;
it was not to serve simply as an "Improvement Association" by which
the people in one community should seek only the welfare of their
district ; it was not to be a "Civic Reform" organization, pledged to
some change in city or state or national administration ; it was just
to be the restoration to it's true place in social life of that most Amer-
ican of all institutions, the Public School Center, in order that through
this extended use of the school building, might be developed, in the
midst of our complex life, the community interest, the neighborly
spirit, the democracy that we knew before we came to the city.
It was decided at that meeting that the Social Center should pro-
vide opportunities for physical activity by means of gymnasium equip-
ment and direction, baths, etc. : opportunities for recreation, in addition
to those which the gymnasium would offer, by the provision of various
innocent table games ; opportunities for intellectual activity by the pro-
12
vision of a library and reading room and by the giving of a lecture or
entertainment at least once each week. While the essentially demo-
cratic, intimately social service of the Centers should be gained
through the opportunities offered for the organization of self-govern-
ing clubs of men, of women, of boys and of girls.
The use of the Social Centers for free, untrammeled discussion
Monday Evening Meeting of the West High Center Men's Civic Club.
of public questions was carefully considered and the fact was cited
that the School Extension Committee had already gone over this mat-
ter and had passed a motion that "The committee should insist upon
the free use of the school buildings chosen, for neighborhood meetings,
even politics and religion not being tabooed." And this was decided
as the rule that should maintain because such freedom was, of course,
essential to the development of an institution which shall serve the
people in the city as the Little Red School House served the folks back
home.
2. DECIDED TO CONCENTRATE IN ONE DISTRICT.
The School Extension Committee had planned that the work
should be carried on in several school buildings during the first year.
When, however, it was decided that the money appropriated for this
13
work should cover the expense of Playgrounds, Vacation Schools and
Grammar School Athletics and that only a part of it should be devoted
to Social Centers, it was seen that it would be impossible to com-
pletely equip more than one building' and the question was up for deci-
sion as to whether the plan should be tried out in one Center com-
pletely equipped and open every night in the week or whether the work
should be partially begun in several school buildings. After consider-
ing the various phases of the question, it was decided, in the meeting
of July 5th, to concentrate in one building and at the same time to
make tentative beginnings of club work, without special equipment,
perhaps one night each week in a couple of other buildings.
3. Xo. 14 SCHOOL BUILDING CHOSEN.
To prevent the Social Center being regarded at its beginning as
either a "kid glove'' or a charitable institution, or anything less than
a return to the country Schoolhouse idea of a common gathering place
for all sorts of people, it was decided that the first building to be
chosen should be in as representative a district as possible, one in
which neither the wealthy nor the poverty stricken predominated, one
No. 14 School Building, the First To Be Opened as a Social Center in Rochester.
14
in which there were both native and foreign born Americans, one in
which the wide diversity of city life was well illustrated. With this
idea in mind No. 14 School building was selected. Perhaps more
than any other school building in Rochester, this one is located, geog-
raphically and socially, in midground of city life. It stands about half
way between East Avenue and Davis Street. There are in its neigh-
borhood many of the early residents of Rochester and there are also
many newly arrived citizens from foreign shores; many races, most
of the religious, political and social groups in the city are here repre-
sented. To quote from the first published statement regarding the So-
cial Centers printed in the bulletin issued November /th, 1907, "The
first Social Center is established here in a representative district,
neither over rich nor poor, but where people live who are self respect-
ing and capable, comfortably well-to-do, the kind of people who make
the real strength and brain of our American life."
4. EQUIPMENT OF THE BUILDING.
The parts of the building which it was decided should be used
for the Social Center were the assembly hall on the third floor
which was to serve five nights each week as a gymnasium and one
night for an auditorium ; the kindergarten room on the ground floor,
which was to be used as a reading and quiet game room, and the art
and physics rooms of the Normal School, which were to serve for
club meetings. The first step in the equipping of the building \vas the
installation of iron gates shutting oft" the parts of the building which
were not to be used for the Social Center. The next was the equip-
ping of the gymnasium. One side of the assembly hall was to be
used for a basketball court ; on the other side a horizontal bar, parallel
bars, horse, ladder, flying and traveling rings, climbing ropes and
poles, and mats for tumbling and wrestling were installed. In addi-
tion to this equipment, dumb bells, Indian clubs, wands and boxing
gloves were procured. It would have been most desirable to have in-
stalled shower baths in connection with the gymnasium and on the
same floor. As it was impossible to do this, they were installed in a
room on the ground floor in connection with the cloak room of the
kindergarten, which was to be used as a dressing room. This com-
pleted the equipment for physical exercise. For the recreational activ-
ities, outside of the gymnasium, sixty chairs, a dozen tables and a
15
Shower Baths at No. 9 Each of the Centers Is Equipped with Bathing Facilities.
dozen table games, such as chess and checkers, were procured. For
the intellectual activities of the Center a stereopticon lantern was
secured to be used in connection with lectures, a library of five hun-
dred volumes was borrowed from Albany, and subscriptions were
taken for a dozen periodicals. For the social activities a set of cheap
dishes was procured which could be used by the various clubs in the
Social Center in serving the refreshments, which these clubs might
provide.
In some respects Xo. 14 School Building was well fitted for use as
a Social Center. Its large kindergarten room and its tw r o class rooms,
which were used for club meetings, were unusually pleasant. On the
other hand, the fact that the assembly hall was on the top floor made
it difficult for the older people in the community to attend the lectures
and entertainments ; the fact that the shower baths were away from
the gymnasium and that the entrance which was to be used for the
Social Center was in the rear of the building, these things helped to
16
make, this a good building to try out the idea from the point of view
of adaptation of the building. If success could be won in such a build-
ing, it could be attained almost anywhere.
5. DIVISION OF TIME.
It was decided that the Social Center should be open from 7:30
to 10:00 o'clock every evening in the week except Sunday. One
evening was set apart for a general gathering of the men and women,
boys and girls of the Center. On this evening it was proposed that a
lecture or entertainment, somewhat after the pattern of those which
are provided in New York City, should be given. The School Board
should assume complete responsibility for the character of these enter-
tainments. Like the lectures given in New York City, these general
lectures were to cost not more than $10.00 a piece in addition to the
expenses of the speakers. Unlike the lectures given in New York,
these were to be provided without expense to the city whenever they
Saturday Evenings Frequently Find the Auditorium at No. 9 Too Small It Has Seats for
Only a Thousand.
could be secured without imposition. It was decided that Friday
evening should be used as the evening for the general lecture or enter-
tainment at No. 14. The other five evenings of the week to be divided
17
between the men and boys, who should have three, and the women
and girls, who should have the other two. Tuesday, Thursday and
Saturday were set apart for the use of the men and boys, Monday
and Wednesday for the women and girls.
6. APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTORS.
More important than the equipping of the building or the arrang-
ing of the time schedule was the one step which remained to be taken
before the Social Center work could be begun. This was the appoint-
ment of directors for the various departments of the work. The first
position in the Social Center was naturally that of the director of the
Center, who should occupy a position relative to that of the principal
of the school, overseeing all of the various activities of the Center and
being present whenever the building was open. This position was to
be occupied during the first year by the supervisor of the Centers.
Next in importance to the director, was the assistant, a woman
to take charge of the women's and girls' activities of the Center and
serve as their club director. It was especially fortunate for the trying
out of the experiment at No. 14 that the woman who was appointed
to this position not only had such a spirit of social interest that she
made over five hundred calls in the neighborhood, in which, by the
way, she found not a single family in which the idea of the establish-
ment of a Social Center in the community was not heartily welcomed,
but she also possessed ability for musical leadership so that even be-
fore the Social Center was formally opened she had gathered an or-
chestra from the neighborhood which furnished music on the general
evenings throughout the year.
The third position to be filled was that of director of boys' clubs.
This man was to be present three evenings each week, was to prepare
the programs for the meetings of the boys' organizations, to help the
debaters and other speakers from among the boys themselves in their
work of preparation and to guide them in the orderly conduct of their
club meetings. The qualifications for this position are high and we
were fortunate in securing a man in whom they were unusually well
combined. The pay for this service was to be at the same rate as the
pay of an evening school teacher, $25.00 a month, though the club di-
rector was to give a half hour more each night than is given by the
evening school teacher.
18
The charge of the books and magazines and of the game room
required the appointment of a librarian. It was necessary that this
person should give five nights each week to the work, being present
The Beautiful Library at West High Is An Attractive Place on Sunday Afternoons During
the Winter.
whenever the Center was open, except on the general evening. For
this position it was necessary to have some one who was not only fa-
miliar enough with books to advise in their selection and to help in
finding material for debates, etc., but also a person who could teach
chess and other table games and could prevent disorder without pre-
venting enjoyment. The salary affixed to this position was $30.00
per month.
The. gymnasium work required the appointment of, first, a direc-
tor of gymnasium work among the men and boys, who should be pres-
ent on their three evenings and who should be equipped to lead drills
and classes in apparatus work as well as in the supervision of basket-
ball and other gymnasium games. This position, like that of the club
director, was to pay the Evening School rate of $25.00 per month ; and
second, a woman gymnasium director. On account of the fact that
the women's gymnasium work was to consist largely of drills and folk
19
dances, requiring- the accompaniment of a piano, an assistant was also
appointed who should serve as pianist. Because of the exceptional
qualifications of the woman who was appointed to take charge of the
women's gvmnasium work, the salary for this position was made the
same as that of the man gymnasium director, in spite of the fact that
she was to serve only two evenings each week. The assistant's salary
was fixed at $15.00.
Wand Drill at No. 14 The Women and Girls Have the Gymnasium Two Nights Each Week.
Iii addition to these positions it was found necessary to appoint
a door and hall keeper; first, to prevent running and disorder at the
entrance and in the halls ; second, to exclude the children, who on ac-
count of their age, were ineligible to the Social Center ; and third, to
serve as an information bureau and guide to strangers who might
visit the Center.
In order to prepare the building for the use of the Social Center
I to put it in order for the day school use, it was necessary that an
istant to the regular janitor of the building be employed. This
20
man was to be responsible to the day school janitor, who was to see
that he did the required work in a proper manner. The salary at-
tached to this position, which required a man's presence six nights
each week, was $50.00 per month.
"It is not blessedness to know
That thou, thyself art blessed.
True joy was never yet by one,
Nor yet by two, possessed.
Not to the many is it given,
But only to the all;
The joy that leaves one heart unblessed
Would be for mine too small.
And he who holds this faith will strive,
With firm and ardent soul,
And work out his own proper good
In working for the whole."
Wisdom of the Brahmans.
21
Ill
BEGINNING OF SOCIAL CENTER
ACTIVITIES
With the plan of the work definitely laid out, the building
equipped, the schedule of the division of time arranged and the direc-
tors appointed, the preparations were complete for the actual beginning
of the work.
i. THE OPENING EVENING.
Friday evening, November 1st, 1907, was the date set for the
opening of the first Social Center. In spite of the fact that very many
people in the neighborhood knew nothing, or at best had an erroneous
idea, of the project, there were 314 people present. The evening was
opened with music by the orchestra, which had been gathered by
the assistant director, and the singing of a solo by one of the men in
the neighborhood. This was followed by an address in which the
1 'resident of the Board of Education spoke on the Social Center Idea.
He said that this gathering might, without conceit, be regarded as
helping to make history in this country, and simple and informal
though it was. the influence of the success, which those interested in
the plan hoped for, would extend beyond the borders of this city and
this country and out through the civilized world. He spoke of the
two opposing forms of government, the paternal and the fraternal, the
one in which the people have things done for them and the other in
which the people do things for themselves. He spoke of the various
departments of our municipal service as means by which the people
co-operate to secure common benefits Police and Eire Departments,
the I 'arks and Playgrounds and the Public School System. Then
speaking of the Social Center work, he said:
"There is a field largely untouched, an interest almost wholly un-
satisfied, by these provisions, and this rests upon one of the most in-
grained instincts in human nature, an instinct, upon the satisfaction of
which our well-being and happiness depend. I mean the social in-
stinct. This instinct imperiously demands the presence, the sympathy
and the co-operation of others, as necessary to our success. The
things we have and the things \ve do are of little value, unless shared
22
by others. Solitary confinement is the most cruel and unbearable form
of punishment. In young people, this instinct for sympathy, for
friendship, for intercourse with others is so imperious that, if checked
or thwarted, it will break all bounds and drive men and women to al-
most any expedient or any sacrifice to secure the companionship which
they crave. It is the desire to satisfy this instinct, rather than any
inherent vicious tendency, that causes the places of evil to flourish in
our cities. It is because there is no legitimate nor wholesome means
of satisfying the cravings for companionship.
Flags Exchanged by the Women's Club
and the Italian Men's Club Picture
Drawn by An Italian and Present-
ed to the Women's Club at
No. 14 Center.
''In young people it takes the form of a craving for the fellowship
of those who have the same experience and the same interests as them-
selves. They demand the opportunity to interchange thought and
feeling and to act together in the satisfaction of their natural interests,
and to all classes the refreshment and inspiration of healthful social
opportunity is incalculable. If this instinct is not satisfied in whole-
some and uplifting ways, if people of all classes are compelled to find
companionship when and where they can ; if those who would profit
by it are permitted to make their appeal, in evil ways, and with mercen-
ary promptings, then we have the harvest of crime, insanity and moral
disintegration and shipwreck which is so terrible a characteristic of
existing society.
23
'The individual home cannot solve this problem. The city with
its rapid shifting of population and its inclusion of all classes of the
community develops suspicion and distrust, and so we cannot secure
the simple neighborliness and free intercourse of the rural community.
In the city there is isolation from our nearest neighbors. It is simply
impossible for the individual home to provide the means for the activi-
ties which young people crave. They crave physical activity with its
competition, its zest, its exhilaration. They crave the quiet games of
skill. They crave books suitable to age and taste and education.
They crave entertainment which shall give healthful stimulation to
their emotional life. They crave the closer associations of those of
like age and interest, which makes the gang, the group and the club.
In short, people of all ages crave the opportunity of interchange of
thought and sympathy, and the inspiration of contact with other lives.
"The Social Center idea is simply the idea that the community as
a whole should make provision for these fundamental social needs.
That this social instinct should not be left to satisfy itself at hap-haz-
ard ; that the community, appreciating the tremendous significance of
this instinct for the health and prosperity of society, should work out a
method of satisfying it in a wholesome and uplifting way.
"\Ye the people of the city of Rochester, have decided to try to ap-
ply this idea in a practical way. Through our representatives in the
government of the city provision has been made for a beginning. The
idea was suggested by the fact that we have buildings belonging to the
people, situated in various quarters of the city, and capable of serving
this purpose without interfering with their use as public schools. It is,
therefore, a method by which the people are enabled to get the utmost
value out of the buildings.
"We are not first to apply this idea. It has been tried particularly
in Xew York City, but certain principles upon which this work has
been planned are new, and we hope in this way to make a real contribu-
tion to the successful working out of the idea, and to have the work of
this winter form a significant part of the history of the movement in
this country, for already there are abundant signs of a widespread
national interest in the work we are undertaking.
o
'Let me close these remarks with an appeal for your hearty co-
operation. In a sense, the eyes of the whole city will be upon us here,
and let us all co-operate in making the most of the opportunities of-
24
ferecl. Especially, let us come here, not merely to get, but to give ; not
merely to receive inspiration and entertainment, but to give all these
as well. Let the community spirit; the fraternal spirit, the spirit of
genuine democracy prevade the work. This will be manifested in the
orderliness, the courtesy, the spirit of mutual consideration with which
all is done."
Following the address by Prof. Forbes and another number by
the orchestra, the Principal of the Normal Training School spoke.
She said that all of the teachers of the school were heartily in sym-
pathy with the Center and would be glad to unite with the people in
making it a success. She then spoke of the value of learning respect
for common property and the aesthetic benefit that would come from
keeping the rooms and building beautiful and making them more at-
tractive.
After a talk by the director of the Social Center, in which he
outlined the plans for the winter, the people went downstairs to the
reading and game room where they were served with refreshments
by the members of the School Faculty. This hospitality, shown by
West High Lunch Room Where a Thousand People Can Lunch Together.
25
the day school teachers on the opening evening. \vas an indication
of the heart v spirit of co-operation, which was to do much toward
the success of the ("enter. But the real reason for the success of
the Social Center in Xo. 14. through its first year, was not primarily
in anv inspiration that came from the Board of Education, nor in hos-
pitality on the part of the day school teachers, great helps, as both
of these were; it was primarily in the broad, joyous, hearty spirit
of "co-operation and good fellowship, which the people of the com-
munity began to show on that opening evening. There was present,
as the first bulletin said, "a feeling that a great new opportunity and
means of acquaintanceship and enjoyment had come into our neigh-
borhood life." The immediate perception of the true spirit of the
Social Centers was shown by one of the men of the community, who,
as lie left the building, remarked to the director, "It just means for
the people to get their money's worth out of their own property."
2. ORGANIZATION OF CLUBS.
At the opening of the Center, the fundamental importance of
club organization had been explained and it had been announced
that the boys between 14 and 17 would have an opportunity to or-
ganize, on the following evening, a club which should hold meetings
on each successive Saturday evening. The gymnasium, baths, li-
brary, etc.. were to be open for the men and older boys, while the
small boys were having their meeting. The young men between 17
and 21 were invited to form a club to meet on Tuesday evening, the
while the men and younger boys, to have the use of the other parts
of the Social Center equipment. Thursday evening was set apart for
the club meeting of men, if such a club were formed, the boys having
the gymnasium and the rest of the equipment on that evening. The
women were invited to form their club to meet on Monday evening
and the girls and younger women to use Wednesday evenings, each
group to have the use of the gymnasium, etc., during the time when
its members were not holding their meeting.
In one respect all of these organizations were to be alike. They
were all to bear the expenses which their meetings and programs in-
curred, except the expense of heating, lighting and janitor service
and. in the case of the clubs of young people, the salary of the club
director; which expenses should be paid out of the Social Center
fund. I<: ac h club was to be free and dependent upon itself for the
26
selection of officers, arrangement of programs, etc. The adult clubs
would have no supervisor, though they might of course call upon
any of the Social Center force for .help. The younger clubs would
be guided in their organization by a director, who would be present
at each of their meetings, to help in the orderly conduct of business
and to advise concerning programs, etc.
It was further announced that the general lectures and enter-
tainments and the uses of the rest of the equipment, would be open
to all men and women but to only those young people who were mem-
bers in good standing of one of the clubs. This requirement was not
placed upon adults because it was expected, (and the event fulfilled
the expectation), that for them the club meetings would be the most
important part of Social Center activity anyway.
A. IN THE SOCIAL CENTER.
On Saturday evening about twenty-eight boys, between 14 and
17, met and effected an organization. A constitution was drawn up
with the aid of the director and adopted. The preamble of that consti-
tution was as follows :
"Whereas, the world needs men and women, who can think
clearly and express their thoughts w r ell ; and, whereas, each of us has
v* T ^ ^
1 f '***
- ^
Some of the Members of the Coming Civic Club of No. 14 Center.
27
powers of clear thinking and good expression which need only prac-
tice for development: and. whereas, by combination of effort the best
results may be obtained, we whose names are hereunto annexed, do
form a society whose object shall be the cultivation of the powers of
clear thinking and good expression by means of debates, essays, ora-
tions, public readings and discussions."
The following Tuesday evening thirty-four boys, between 17 and
21, came together and formed an organization similiar to that which
the younger boys had formed on Saturday evening, adopting a Con-
stitution similar to that of the younger club.
The Men's Club, for which Thursday evening was reserved,
did not materialize until a month later.
On Monday evening some forty women formed an organization
to hold weekly meetings, drew up a constitution and elected officers.
The girls under 21 formed their club, on the same lines as those
followed by the boys' organization, on Wednesday evening.
In the younger clubs it was voted that the programs should
consist of two debates, one address by an outside speaker, and one
miscellaneous program each month. The women's club decided to
have two addresses, one debate or other special program and one social
evening each month.
In each of these clubs it was voted that a small sum of money
should be required as dues, which should go into a club-fund for pro-
viding refreshments on social evenings or to bear any other expenses
which the club might incur.
In each of these clubs, at the beginning, the membership was re-
stricted to those whom the club elected in by vote, the theory being
that new clubs of boys and girls or women might be formed at any
time by those who, for any reason, did not become members of the
already existing clubs. Following out this idea there were formed,
within a month after the organization of the first clubs, two other
clubs of boys between 17 and 21, one other club of boys between
14 and 17 and a second women's club; so that by the middle of the
first year in Xo. 14 there were five boys' clubs, two women's clubs
and one young women's club.
On December 5th, 1907, twelve men came together in the Social
Center and organized the first Men's Civic Club. The aim of this
organization was expressed in the Preamble of its constitution as fol-
lows :
28
"Whereas, the welfare of society demands that those whose duty
it is to exercise the franchise be well informed upon the economic,
industrial and political questions of to-day ; and whereas, by combina-
tion of effort the best results may be obtained ; and whereas, the public
school building is the best available place for such combination of
effort : therefore, we, whose names are hereunto annexed, do form a
society to hold, in the public school building, meetings whose object
shall be the gaining of information upon public questions by listening
to public speakers and by public readings and discussions."
At this first meeting of the club Dr. J. L. Roseboom was elected
president. In his inaugural address was expressed the true spirit of
the Social Center as the restoration to the school in the city of the
democratic social activities, which were connected with the uses of the
schoolhouse "back home." In that address he said that he had been
brought up, as a boy, in a farming community where the individual's
interest in and responsibility for public matters find expression in
meetings in the schoolhouse. He had watched the development of
the Social Center and had noticed a similarity to the social uses of the
schoolhouse there. He felt that the institution would not be com-
plete unless, like it's prototype, it included meetings of the men in
the community, for the open presentation and free discussion of public
questions.
The representative character of this organization was shown in
the fact that among the first set of officers elected, two were members
of the "well-to-do" class, one a banker, the other a physician, while the
others were men who labored with their hands.
The enthusiasm with which the organization of this Men's Civic
Club was received was such that at the second meeting of the club
the membership roll increased to fifty. At that meeting Alderman
Frank Ward, \vho had been invited to address the Club on "The Duties
of an Alderman," made a memorable statement as to the value of such
an organization. At the close of his address he responded to the -vote
of thanks, tendered him by the club, by saying: "You have given me
a vote of thanks. I feel that I want to give you a vote of thanks for
the privilege of speaking to you and hearing your frank discussion
of my words. If you have been benefited by my coming here, I have
been benefited more. If every member of the Common Council and
every other public servant had, frequently, such opportunities as this
29
to discuss public matters with those to whom he owes his appointment
it would mean that we would have much better, more intelligent rep-
resentation of the people's interests and a cleaner government."
In addition to these clubs, the only other one formed was the
orchestra, which has already been mentioned and which, while it had
no regular written constitution or form of business in meetings, vir-
tually constituted a club. There were ten members of the orchestra,
both men and women. They met for practice, under the leadership
of the assistant director of the Center every Tuesday evening and
then played at the general Friday evening lecture or entertainment.
The part that this organization had in making the Social Center at-
tractive and successful was very great.
B. In Other School Buildings.
On September 24th, 1907, a boys' club was organized at Xo. 12.
\\adsworth School, under the volunteer direction of the principal.
To mark the fact that it was the first clnb of the kind to organize in
Rochester, the boys chose the name "Wadsvvorth Pioneers." Its pro-
gram included, in addition to a business session at each meeting,
athletics, lectures, games and one club supper.
They'll Do Something in Music Better Than This Someday but They Do This Well.
Later a girls' club with a membership of about twenty was formed
to meet on the same evening as the boys club, in another part of the
building. The girls activities, in addition to their business meetings,
were athletics, games, cooking and sewing.
\Yithout expense to the city, the boys at Xo. 12 procured a few
pieces of gymnasium apparatus and table games.
In spite of the fact that school Xo. 20 was not equipped with
apparatus and had not even a place for basketball, a c(ub of twenty-
five boys was organized in Xovember, to meet in that building, one
evening each week. The principal of the school gave his services as
director of this club.
During the season the fame of the Men's Civic Club, meeting
in Xo. 14 Social Center, spread over the city and there were frequent
visitors from other neighborhoods. Among these were several men
in the Tenth Ward. These men called together a meeting and asked
permission of the Board of Education to use Xo. 7 School Building
for the holding of meetings similar to those which the men were hold-
ing in Xo. 14. On the i/th of April, they organized The Lake View
Men's Civic Club. Its object was the presentation and free discussion
of public questions in the interest of the community welfare. The
club decided to hold meetings once each month.
On the 1 5th of May, the men in the Eighteenth Ward, following
the example of those in the Tenth, organized a Men's Civic Club to
hold meetings in Xo. 33 School Building in the public interest.
"The wonder is, always, and
always, how there can be a
mean man."
Whitman.
31
IV
THE FIRST YEAR'S RECORD
Of course, the beginnings of the various activities in the Social
Center which have already been dealt with, form the principle part of
the record of the first year in Xo. 14, but if it were nothing more than
a series of beginnings, the experiment which was tried out there could
not have been counted successful. It may be well therefore, to cover
as briefly as possible the developments in the various departments of
Social Center activitv through the vear.
i. CLUBS.
Each of the clubs continued to hold meetings from the time of its
organization and each of them continued to grow steadily in interest
as well as in membership.
A. Boys' and Girls' Clubs.
From the "formatory" point of view the clubs of young people,
especially of boys, were the most important. A month after the
opening, a merchant, whose place of busi-
ness is near the Center, stopped the di-
rector on the street to say, "The Social
Center has accomplished what I had re-
garded as impossible. I have been here
nine years and during that time there has
always been a gang of toughs around these
corners which has been a continual nuis-
This winter the gang has disap-
ance.
The Old Club.
peared." "They aren't a gang any more," answered the director,
"they are a debating club." The value to
these young fellows, among whom there
were not only several college students and
a number of High School boys, but also an
interesting group of young fellows of the
"agin the government" type, of having a
wholesome gathering place where they were
offered inducements to develop their latent
The New Club.
32
powers of self-government as well as opportunities for wholesome phy-
sical exercise, in the words of one of the visitors to the Center, "by
itself more than justified all the expenditure which the maintenance of
the Social Center entailed."
The manner in which the only case of discipline, which came up
during the year, was handled, is an illustration of the service of these
clubs. About a month after the Social Center was opened, a plaster
statue standing in one of the halls, was maliciously injured. When
the boys learned of this they appointed three members of each of the
clubs to act as a House Committee to prevent further vandalism, and
while the culprit was not discovered, the boys in an indignation meet-
ing expressed their sentiments, which clearly showed that injury to
Social Center property would make the fellow responsible for it a
very unpopular citizen. The members of these clubs also furnished
ushering service in the general meetings of the center.
In addition to the programs of debates and addresses as planned
at the organization of these clubs, each of them held, during the year,
a club banquet paid for by the members of the club, at which toasts
were given by the club members. Each of the boys' clubs also enter-
tained the girls once during the year, and the girls club entertained
the boys in return. The one large enterprise which the boys under-
took and carried through successfully was the giving, on February
7th, of a Minstrel Show. Much hard work was done in preparation
for this, under the training of the assistant director of the Center and
the director of the gymnasium.
B. Adult Clubs.
While the value of the boys' and girls' clubs was not excelled
by that of any other branch of the Social Center development, the
growth and success of the adult organizations was more unusual.
The interest which these bodies developed was such that although
the gymnasium, the library and the other departments of the Social
Center were closed at the end of April, these adult clubs continued
to hold meetings regularly until the middle of May, and more or less
irregularly throughout the summer.
Perhaps the most interesting meeting held by any of the clubs
during the year was the Men's Club banquet at Xo. 14, which took
place on April 2nd, at which the use of the School Buildings for
political discussions was considered.
33
This question was particularly interesting in view of such deci-
sions as that given by the State Superintendent of Education to the
people of the town of \Yaterloo. X. Y., in the following October. A
dispatch from Waterloo, dated October 2Oth, says that "Bills were
posted here yesterday announcing a mass meeting to be addressed by
Governor Hughes. It was hoped that the meeting could be held at
the High School's Assembly Hall and application was made to the
Board of Education for permission. The Board of Education sent a
telegram to the State Superintendent asking permission for each
political party to hold one mass meeting in the Assembly Hall. In
response to this Air. Draper telegraphed that the law does not permit
the use of school houses for political meetings."
On April ist. 1908, the i6th \Yard Republican Club sent a petition
to the Board of Education asking permission to use Xo. 14 school
building for committee meetings.
The following night this question was made the topic of discus-
sion at the Men's Club banquet, held in Xo. 14 Social Center and
served by the members of the Women's Civic Club. The speakers of
the evening were Ex-Mayor James G. Cutler, Prof. Greorge M.
Forbes, President of the Board of Education, Supt. Clarence F. Carroll
and Howard T. Mosher, Chairman of the Democratic County Commit-
tee. The almost unanimous spirit of the evening was expressed in the
words of Mr. Mosher, "The Schoolhouses are the real places for politi-
cal meetings. I do not mean that they should be opened to any one
political party, but to all. Why should I be compelled to go into a
barroom to address a political meeting, where the bartender is using
me to advertise his beer? Why should I be compelled to go into
smoke-filled rooms to talk on political issues when we have buildings
like this, where those things can be taken up?" Prof. Forbes stated
the position of the Board of Education as follows: He said that
there was one consideration which must always be kept in mind, that
the prime purpose of the school buildings was for educational uses
and that nothing must be done which should interfere with their orig-
inal object. At the same time, he reminded his listeners, the dis-
trict schools of the country were open for such purposes as political
discussion and this use did not interfere with, but rather increased,
the use of the school house as an educational institution for the children
Phis movement,' said he, "is in line with the larger educational idea.
It would be a logical addition to the schools as a means of training
34
in citizenship." Having said this, he drew the line sharply on the
matter of exclusive partisan uses of the school building saying that
the ISoard of Education had refused the use of a school building for
exclusive purposes in the case of a church in the neighborhood which
had desired to use the assembly hall for an entertainment. "If the
people wish to use the School Buildings, the Board of Education stands
ready to carry out the wish of the people," said he. At the same time
he showed that the policy of the Board of Education was not to make
the Social Centers like the Field Houses in Chicago, places where suc-
cessive exclusive groups gathered, but rather to make them places
where all men came together on a common ground in a free non-parti-
san organization, to discuss questions in which all were interested.
Two things were definitely settled as a result of this meeting,
( )ne was that there should be entire freedom in the use of the Social
Centers for gatherings to discuss all sorts of topics. The second was
that these gatherings should not be exclusive groups, but should be
open to all and under the auspices of the free non-partisan organiza-
tions of men and women known as "Civic Clubs."
With these restrictions the petition of the i6th Ward Republican
Club was granted.
While this banquet on April 2nd was an unusually interesting
occasion there was not a meeting held by any of these adult organiza-
tions which was not alive with interest.
The Men's Civic Club at No. 14 The Pioneer Club.
"To talk about the things that ought to be talked about."
In the Men's Civic Club meeting's the order usually followed was:
First, the business meeting", then the address of the evening, and then
a free discussion in which any person present was given five minutes
to ask questions or to state his views on the topic presented by the
speaker. At the close of the discussion the speaker of the evening
was given opportunity to reply to questions, and to sum up the matter
discussed. A list of speakers and topics for the first year will give an
idea of the character of these meetings.
Dec. 5, 1907 Organization.
Dec. 12, 1907 -Aid. Frank Ward "Duties of an Alderman"
Dec. 19, 1907 B. 1>. Cunningham "The New Charter"
Dec. 26, 1907 Com. Isaac Adler "Public School Extension"
[an. 2, 1908 The only time a speaker has failed to appear
"The Telephone Question"
Jan. 9, 1908 Health Officer G. W. Goler and Dr. Roby
"Rochester's Milk"
Jan. 16, 1908 Prof. G. M. Forbes "The Panic"
Jan. 23, 1908 Prof. Win. Morey "Trusts"
Jan. 30. 1908 Supt. C. V. Lodge "The Poor"
Feb. 6, 1908 Xelson Spencer "Idealism in Municipal Politics"
Feb. 13, 1908 Hon. T. M. Osborne "Municipal Government"
Feb. 20. 1908 Prof. G. M. Forbes "The Panic" (continued)
Feb. 27, 1908 11 C. Little "Rochester's Water Supply"
Mar. 5, 1908 Com. J. P. B. Duffy "Tax Levy"
Mar. 12, 1908 -Mass Meeting, on Playgrounds
Addresses by H. T. Mosher, B. Chase and others.
Mar. 19, 1908 Rev. E. A. Rumball "Newfoundland Fishermen"
Mar. 26, 1908 Rev. Bela Basso "The Immigrant"
Apr. 2, 1908 Banquet Hon. J. G. Cutler, C. F. Carroll,
G. M. Forbes, H. T. Mosher and others.
Apr. 9, 1908 Rev. John Lamar "Problems of this Community"
Apr. 16, 1908 Prof. Louis J. Vannucini "Italian Question"
Apr. 23, 1908 W. G. Ehler of Cleveland
"Municipal Situation at Cleveland"
Apr. 30, 19081-1. T. Mosher "Democratic Policies"
May 7, 1908 Richard Kitchelt "Socialist Policies"
May 14, 1908 Wm. Schalber "Prohibition Policies"
36
Women's Club Meeting at No. 14 Center This Club later combined with the Other
Women's Club and Added the Word Civic to Its Name.
As had been planned when the Center was first opened, none of
these speakers nor any of the expenses of the meetings was paid out
of public funds.
The Women's
Clubs, of which there
came to be two, followed
much the same lines as
did the Men's Club,
discussing at length such
questions as "Child La-
bor", which suggested
the cartoon reproduced
on this page. They
added to the activities,
which the men took up,
a social affair once each
month in which they en-
tertained the Men's
Club. The expenses in-
curred on these occa-
i The Question of Child Labor Is One That the Women's
sions, as a rule, were ciubs Have Faced.
37
borne bv the men, while the women contributed the work of decorat-
ing the room, providing the entertainment and serving the re-
freshments.
2. GYMNASIUM.
While there was of course some difficulty in interesting the
young fellows in debating and other parliamentary club activities
there was no difficulty in arousing their interest in gymnasium work.
Three Evenings Each Week the Men and Boys Use the Gymnasium The Evening Begins
With a Class Drill.
This consisted each evening, for the boys, of a drill with dumb bells,
Indian clubs or wands, followed by class work on the apparatus and
then a basketball game. This last, of course, was the most popular
of all of the gymnasium activities. Each of the clubs had a first
and a second team and one of them a third team. A basketball
league was formed and a series of games, not only among the Social
Center teams but with teams from outside, was played. The motto
"lietter lose than cheat'' was suggested by one of the fellows and
placed upon a wall in the gymnasium. The opportunity for develop-
ing group enthusiam in a wholesome friendly environment meant much
to these young fellows.
38
The First Social Center Basket Ball Team Was a Winner.
At a meeting held this year to consider the matter of extending
the Social Centers one of the men who has frequented No. 14 from
its beginning made this statement, 'The second time that I was in
the gymnasium I heard one of the boys in a basketball game swear.
I have attended nearly every important game that has been played
since that time and have been in the gymnasium on other occasions
frequently ; I have never heard another Social Center fellow use im-
39
proper language in the gymnasium. Throughout the year, although
all sorts of boys gathered there, there was never developed a serious
bit of bad feeling and the effect of this gymnasium work in inspiring
clean habits among the boys was. in two or three instances, strikingly
apparent.
The girls and women used the gymnasium two evenings each
week. Their activities consisted principally in floor work, folk dances
and games with musical accompaniment. The best drill work was
done by an organization calling itself after the name of the woman
director of the gymnasium "The Xewton Club." The accompanying
illustration shows this bodv in a drill.
"Newton" Club Special Gymnasium Class at 14 Center.
The most remarkable thing about the gymnasium work in the
Center was its popularity among the elderly women, there being some
thirty of these who took advantage of its opportunities. Unfortun-
ately the gymnasium was not very popular among the men in the
community. This may have been due to the fact that by the admis-
sion of school boys this part of the work came to be regarded as espe-
cially intended for young fellows.
It would be a great addition to the equipment for physicial exer-
cise of the Social Center to install Bowling Alleys. The desire for
these was frequently expressed during the year and a movement was
set on foot to secure them by private subscription among the men
40
and women. It was found, however, that there was no place fitted
for their installation in connection with Xo. 14 and the movement
for securing' them was temporarily abandoned.
3. LIBRARY.
Considering the fact that the traveling library, which was bor-
rowed from the Albany State Library, included only five hundred
volumes, the use that was made of these books by the people of the
community was more than enough to justify the slight expense which
Reading Room at No. 14 Center.
this part of the Social Center equipment incurred. The use of the
magazines and daily papers, which latter, by the way, were donated
by the several publishers in the city, was large. The table games,
whose use was under the supervision of the librarian, were of course
not so popular as the gymnasium activities, but when any group of
young people was excluded from the gymnasium by the schedule which
gave the several groups special training there, they were made the sub-
.stitute for more vigorous recreation.
41
4. GKXKKAL EVENINGS.
The one occasion of the coming together of all of the people in
the Social Center each week was the lecture or entertainment which
was given on Friday evening. The attendance
at these meetings was limited to adults and mem-
bers of the younger clubs. Even with this limi-
tation and in spite of the fact that the Assembly
Hall, in which these meetings were held, was on
the top floor of the building, it __
was frequently necessary to sup-^4
plement the seats there provided,
with chairs brought up from downstairs and
several times people were turned away on account of lack of space.
In March the experiment was tried of using the East High School
Assembly Hall instead of that at No. 14. The people, however, had
gotten into the habit of using the latter and although the Assembly
Hall in East High is a much more attractive room than that at No.
14, yet it lacked the home atmosphere of the Social Center and after
a month's use the experiment was given up.
Friday "General Evening" at No. 14 Center The Cost for Lectures and Entertainments
Was Less Than Seven Mills per Attendance the First Year.
42
The programs on these evenings during the year were as follows :
Xov. i, 1907 Opening Evening.
Xov. 8, 1907 Joseph K. Griffis. "My Life as an Indian''
Xov. 15, 1907 Prof. Woodland "Experiments
in Wireless Telegraphy and Liquid Air".
Xov. 22, 1907 Prof. Chas. W. Dodge "Bacteriology" illustrated
Xov. 29, 1907 Thanksgiving Festival.
6, 1907 Dr. C. A. Barbour "Bay of Naples" illustrated
13, 1907 Col. Moulthrop "Remains of
of the First Residents of this District" illustrated
Dec. 20, 1907 Mrs. W. A. Montgomery "The Christmas Spirit"
Dec. 26, 1907 Drama, "The Cricket on the Hearth.'
Jan. 3, 1908 Italian night, music furnished by an Italian Orchestra.
Jan. ID, 1908 Raymond Arnot "Xew Zealand" illustrated
Jan. 17, 1908 Prof. Herman Fairchild "Monroe County
One Hundred Thousand Years Ago" illustrated.
24, 1908 Rev. J. A. Black of Buffalo "Ireland" illustrated
31, 1908 Physical Exhibition by the Turn Verein.
7, 1908 Minstrel Show.
14, 1908 Dr. G. W. Goler. . . ."The Face of a Child" illustrated
21, 1908 Rev. A. S. Crapsey, D. D
"What did Washington and Lincoln Fight For?"
Feb. 28, 1908 Rev. Burnside Steen "The Dutch and the Dykes"
Mar. 6, 1908 Scotch Evening. Bag pipe, singing and recitations.
Mar. 13, 1908 C. F. Thorns "Egypt" illustrated
Mar. 20, 1908 F. W. Deane, Piano Rectial.
Mar. 27, 1908 Rev. P. M. Strayer "Life Among the Cow Boys"
Apr. 3, 1908 Dr. G. W. Goler "Tuberculosis" illustrated
Apr. 10, 1908 Frank C. Dawley "Bird Neighbors" illustrated
Apr. 29, 1908 'Play, "The Union Station" by Social Center people.
The total attendance at these general evenings was 9,334, an
average attendance each evening of 373. Of these twenty-five
programs, all, except two, were furnished without compensation. Of
the two speakers who were paid, one received a fee of $10.00, the
other a fee of $5.00 for his services. Traveling expenses for three
of the speakers, and cost of material used in two of the entertainments
given amounted to $50.00, making a total cost, aside from the neces-
43
sary expenses for heating, lighting, janitor service and supervision,
of Sn^.oo. making the cost for special entertainment of these general
evenings less than seven mills per attendance.
The generous co-operation shown, not only by those speakers
who gave their services freely but also by those who accepted a merely
nominal fee for their services, should be appreciated, as should also
the excellent service of the orchestra which played for each of the
meetings without compensation. Of course it is probable that the
Rochester movement will come to the policy which has been adopted
from the beginning in the great lecture system in Xew York Citv,
of paying a fixed fee for this public service. But it is a satisfaction
to know that while it was not, and should not be regarded in any sense
as, a charity institution, yet in its first year it had this proof of the
good will of the people of special talent for platform expression.
The Women and Girls Have Appreciated the Center Gymnasiums from the Beginning.
44
5. ATTENDANCE.
Xot counting the attendance of the outside clubs, which met
during the year in Xo. 12 and Xo. 20 School Buildings, the Social Cen-
ter attendance during the first year, from Xovember ist, 1907 to May
i^th, 1908, was 25,022. The attendance by months was as follows:
Xovember,
1907,
3787,
an
average
attendance
nightly
of
146
December,
1907,
3.550,
an
average
attendance
nightly
of
142
January,
1908,
4,004,
an
average
atendance
nightly
of
153
February,
1908,
4-032,
an
average
attendance
nightly
of
162
March,
1908,
4.762,
an
average
attendance
nightly
of
177
April,
1908,
4,189,
an
average
attendance
nightly
of
161
May,
1908,
698,
an
average
attendance
nightly
of
87
25,022
Of this attendance 9,334 was for the general evenings or enter-
tainments, the remainder including the attendance in clubs, gymnasium,
library, etc. The attendance during the month of May was that of
only the men and women in the club meetings, the regular Social Cen-
ter activities being suspended at the end of April.
A Saturday Evening Group at No. 14.
45
The receipts and disbursements for Playgrounds, Vacation
Schools and Social Center work for 1907 was as follows:
Receipts.
From City 85.000 OO
Disbursements.
i 'laygrounds $2,857 IO
Vacation Schools 770 39
Social Center \York i .372 5 1
Total 5,000 oo
This figure of 81,372.51 covers the cost of equipping Xo.
14 Social Center and maintaining it during two months, November
and December of 1907. The cost for the maintenance of the Center
during the remainder of this first season was 81,995.72, making a
total cost for No. 14 Social Center of 83.368.23. Dividing the total
expenditure by the attendance we find that the cost per attendance,
including the use of the gymnasium, baths, library, reading and game
rooms as well as lectures and entertainments, was a little over 12 cents.
This cost was. of course, somewhat higher than it would be in suc-
ceeding years on account of the expenditure for permanent equip-
ment.
"But there is neither East nor
West,
Border nor breed nor birth,
When two strong men stand
face to face;
Though they come from the
ends of the earth."
Kipling.
46
V
INDICATIONS OF THE SUCCESS OF THE
FIRST YEAR'S EXPERIMENT
On March 5th, Com. J. P. B. Duffy, speaking before the Men's
Civic Club at Xo. 14 made this statement: "From what I have seen
in this building to-night, the Social Center has been carried on and
appreciated in such a way as to take it outside the limits of an experi-
ment. If the good that has resulted from the Center in this community
is made known to other communities, I am sure that within a few years
we will find all the public buildings in the city used for this purpose."
At the time when the question of extending Social Center work
the second year was pending, the following letter, signed by
some seventy-five men who frequented the Center, was sent to the
Mayor and Common Council :
To the Honorable, the Mayor and Common Council of the City of
Rochester :
Knowing that the question of extending the Social Center work
of the Public Schools is now before you and believing that the judg-
ment of the men who have frequented the Social Center at No. 14
School may be of value in this matter, we, the undersigned voters,
residing in the neighborhood of Xo. 14 School, and members of the
Men's Civic Club of the Social Center, declare that, in our judgment,
the opening of the Public Schools in the evening for recreation, read-
ing and club meetings, so far as it has been tried at Xo. 14 School, is
an unqualified success.
Xot only does it give opportunity for wholesome athletic exer-
cise, literary culture, and training in good citizenship to the older boys
and girls and young men and women of the community and, in its
free lectures afford opportunities for entertainment and instruction to
all the people, but especially in its clubs for men and women it is of
great value as a place for the discussion and understanding of civic
questions and N the development of a good community spirit.
In our opinion there could be no more wise and economical in-
vestment of the city's money than in the extension of the Social Cen-
ter movement, and we do most heartily endorse the recommendation
of the Board of Education in this matter.
From outside of Rochester the first indication that the Social
Center movement, as here established, was to attract the interest of
47
other cities was shown in the use which was made of the experience
of Rochester by the "School Extension Society" of the City of
Columbus, Ohio. In a publication of that organization dated Alarch
31. 1908, the work done in the Rochester Social Centers is spoken of
as worthy of imitation by that city.
The official endorsement of the Social Center experiment, tried
out in Xo. 14, was contained in the decision of the Board of Educa-
tion to extend the movement to include at least three -Social Centers
during the following year.
The proof of the success of this first Social Center, however,
did not find its strongest expression in any formal statement of the men
in the Center or in the expressions of appreciation from those out-
side, the best evidence of its success was given in the informal ex-
pressions of the people who were responsible for that success, the
folks of the neighborhood.
Not only in words was their appreciation expressed. They con-
tinued to meet not only through the Social Center season, but on into
the summer. Each of the women's clubs enjoyed a club outing. On
July 25th, at Genesee Valley Park a Social Center picnic took place.
Two hundred, fifty people sat down to dinner together at one-thirty
on that day and afterward enjoyed a concert by the Park Band and a
series of games, in which not only the members of the younger
clubs, but men and women took part. The occasion was unmarred
by any accident and was a fine expression of the spirit of the Social
Center. To quote from the account given by one of the newspapers,
"If there was ever the slightest doubt that the Social Center brings
people together into one great happy family, it was dispelled yester-
day, when at Genesee Valley Park, two hundred fifty people gathered
at the picnic of the Center, which has been maintained at No. 14
School during the past year."
This was a fitting postscript to the interesting chapter which No.
14 Social Center wrote in its first year, a chapter which contained the
demonstration of the fact that not only poor people, who have no other
clean, pleasant place, but that those also who are eligible to the most
exclusive circles, need, and will co-operate to make successful a re-
creational and social institution, which is free from every sectarian,
partisan and class limitation, such as is offered in the Public School
Social Center.
48
VI
PLANS FOR CONTINUANCE AND EXTEN-
SION THE SECOND YEAR
No. 14 Social Center during the year, whose record is given
elsewhere, was regarded as a successful experiment. However, the
Board of Education decided to make only a conservative extension
during the second year. It was planned to continue No. 14 on practi-
cally the same lines and to open two other school buildings as com-
plete Social Centers, at the same time making provision for club
meetings in other school buildings where the communities showed a
desire for such club organization.
The Board of Education had asked for an appropriation of
$24,581, the greater part of which to be used for Playgrounds, Vaca-
tion Schools and Grammar School Athletics, the remainder to cover
the expense of the maintenance and extension of Social Centers. The
amount approved by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment and
appropriated by the Common Council was $10,391. Of this sum
$1,995.72 had been used to maintain the Social Center and the expenses
of the clubs, which met after the close of the Social Center, at No. 14,
from January ist until May i5th. $4,811.19 was required for the
Playgrounds and Vacation Schools during the summer. This left
$3,591.09 for the equipment and maintenance till January ist, 1909,
of the Social Centers which were to be opened in the fall.
The two buildings which were selected for this extension were
those of West High and No. 9 Schools. The choice of these two
buildings was made primarily because their location would follow out
the original idea of the Social Center as being not designed for the
people of any one section of the city, but for all sections. As No. 14
had been chosen for the first Social Center, primarily because it is
located, socially and geographically, in the center of the city's life, so
it. was planned that the two new buildings to be opened the second
year should be in widely separated sections of the city, one of them in
the midst of a largely native population of well-to-do citizens, the
other in a congested district where many foreign born Americans have
their homes. The opening of West High and No. 9 School Buildings
would give an opportunity for trying out still further the idea of the
Social Center as an institution for the whole city.
49
West High The Second Building To Be Opened as a Social Center in Rochester.
In view of the limited appropriation three lines of restriction
were decided upon and three special circumstances made it possible
to follow the plan of opening Xo. 14, West High and No. 9. These
three circumstances were, first, Xo. 14 Building had already been
equipped during the previous year so that little money would be re-
quired for this ; second, Xo. 9 School, being occupied three evenings
in the week by Evening School, could be run only on half time and
this building was already well equipped with shower baths ; third,
West High School Building had a complete gymnasium and bath
equipment, as well as a supply of dishes, steropticon lantern and refer-
ence library with tables and chairs.
It was decided to cut down expenses as follows: first. The
Social Centers should not be opened on October I5th, as originally
planned, but on November ist, thus saving a half month's expenses in
each Center ; second, the positions of director of the Social Centers at
West High and at Xo. 14 and the position of man club director at
West High should be occupied by the supervisor of the work, thus
50
saving the amount of these three salaries ; third, the equipment already
provided should be made, wherever possible, to serve for the newly
opened Centers. For instance, it was decided not to buy a stereopticon
lantern for Xo. 9 Social Center but to use at both Xo. 9 and Xo. 14
the lantern which had been provided for Xo. 14.
i. CHANGES IN POLICY.
The great fundamental principal of the Social Center, community
co-operation in the spirit of "The Little Red School House back
home" with free discussion and full liberty for spontaneous develop-
ments, was to be adhered to. Three minor changes in policy, how-
ever, were found expedient.
A. Exclusion of School Children.
During the first year the rule had been to admit all persons over
fourteen years of age to the Social Center. It was decided, at the
opening of the second year, to exclude all children who attend the
Public or Parochial Schools, both Grammar and High. The reasons
for this limitation were three. First, The opportunities for gym-
One of the Two Gymnasiums at West High Center Is Used for Apparatus Work.
51
nasiuni work, etc., which the Social Center offers, being limited,
it was felt that those who had not the chance to use the building dur-
ing- the day should not be crowded out by the day school pupils.
Second, There was objection on the part of the School Principals and
Teachers to the scholars having- an excuse for being out at night, on
the ground that this caused their school work to suffer. Third, It
was felt that the large attendance of children prevented the quiet en-
joyment of adults in their attendance at the general lectures and enter-
tainments in the Social Centers.
B. Single Large Clubs Instead of Many Small Ones.
During the first year the club membership, especially in the clubs
of boys and girls, had been limited to those who were voted into mem-
bership and there had developed several clubs of boys of the same age.
The women also, at No. 14, had been divided into two organizations.
For several reasons it was decided by the clubs themselves, to remove
all restrictions as to membership, counting every one eligible who did
not prove himself unworthy, and combining the several small clubs,
made up of women or of boys, into single large clubs. These reasons
were : First, The larger audience which a single club would afford
would make it possible to secure better speakers and arrange more in-
teresting programs. Second, It was felt, by the clubs themselves,
that the broader acquaintanceship of single large clubs would be a
greater advantage than the more frequent opportunities for debating,
etc., connected with small organizations. Third, It was decided that co-
operation would be a more powerful incentive for activity than group
competition.
C. Opening Social Centers on Sunday.
During the first year the Social Centers had been open each even-
ing of the week excepting Sunday and the School Buildings had been
closed on that day. The first suggestion of opening the Social Cen-
ters on Sunday afternoon came from one of the merchants in the
neighborhood of No. 14 about a month after that building was opened
as a Social Center. He said that the older boys, who used to stand
about the street corners, were now being taken care of in the evening
by the Social Centers, but they were on the corners on Sunday after-
noons. Why not let them come into the School Buildings at that time ?
The second suggestion came from the mother of one of these boys,
52
who told the director of No. 14 that the worst time in the week for
her son was Sunday afternoon, which was regularly used by "the
gang" for "crap-shooting" in a neighboring alley. The third sugges-
At the Same Time the Other One Is Used for Games.
tion, and the one upon which the Board of Education acted, was in
the form of a recommendation from the Ministers' Associations that
the Social Centers be opened on Sunday. The policy of opening the
Playgrounds on Sunday for the use of the people, as the parks are
open on that day, had been tried at No. 9 with the result that the
police in the neighborhood testified unanimously to the good effect upon
the community of providing a place where the young people could
spend their time in a wholesome environment under friendly super-
vision. In view of these things, the Board of Education decided that
the Social Centers should be opened from 2 130 to 6 :oo o'clock on Sun-
day afternoons.
2. NEW EQUIPMENT.
A. At No. 14.
During the preceding year the room on the top floor of the build-
ing had been used both as a gymnasium and as an assembly hall. It
was decided that during the second year the large kindergarten room
on the ground floor in the rear of the building should be used for lec-
53
tures and entertainments, as \vell as for the large club meetings, leav-
ing the room upstairs free for use as a gymnasium. This required the
purchasing of a number of chairs. This room had been used during
the preceding year, as also a reading room. It was decided to place
the library, which should be borrowed from Albany, in the small
room connected with the kindergarten room and to use this smaller
room for reading. The books borrowed from Albany the preceding
year having been returned ; a new set of five hundred was secured and
subscriptions were taken for a number of magazines and newspapers.
In the middle of the year electric lighting was substituted for the un-
satisfactory gas lighting in the lecture room and the walk from the
street to the Social Center entrance was provided with lights. In the
gymnasium a new wrestling mat was installed. Xo other equip-
ment was provided at No. 14.
B. At West High.
As has been said above, West High School Building was already
well equipped with two gymnasiums, each of them with shower baths,
Everybody Sings at No. 14 Social Center.
54
one for the use of boys and one for girls in connection with the day
school. It also had a well equipped lunch room, and a good reference
library with chairs and tables, and a stereopticon lantern. It was
only necessary to install wire gates which should shut off the parts
of the building not to be used by the Social Center, to add to the library
the five hundred volumes borrowed from Albany for circulation, to
subscribe for a dozen periodicals and to purchase a half dozen table
games in order to render this building completely equipped.
C. At No. 9.
At Xo. 9 it was found to be possible to keep all of the gymnasium
activities below the second floor and wire gates were provided, shutting
off the parts of the building not to be used by the Social Center. It
was decided to use the assembly hall for the gymnasium as well as
for the auditorium ; and a removable horizontal bar, parallel bars, a
horse, traveling and flying rings, climbing ropes, ladders and poles
were installed in this room. The kindergarten room was chosen for
the meetings of the clubs and a number of chairs were purchased to
fit it for this purpose. For a reading and game room the class room
next to the kindergarten room was chosen, tables and chairs being
Measurements and Strength Tests Are Carefully Made.
55
installed, the circulating library borrowed from Albany and maga-
zines and newspapers also being placed in this room. In connection
witli the bath room in which showers were already installed, a room
was cleared and fitted with clothes-racks for use as a dressing room.
To the front of the building a bulletin board, on which the various
programs could be announced, was affixed, and Xo. 9 was fitted for its
use as a Social Center, except that, as mentioned above, it was neces-
sary to borrow the steropticon lantern from Xo. 14.
D. At Xo. 20.
The boys' club, which had been organized in Xo. 20 under the
supervision of the Principal, had maintained itself without any gym-
nasium apparatus through the preceding season. Basketball goals
were installed but there was no monev for any further equipment.
Through the kindness of the Turn Yerein a somewhat worn pair of
parallel bars and a gymnasium horse were secured for this building,
without expense to the citv.
3. DIVISION or TIME.
The schedule, which was established at the opening of No. 14
Social Center, giving Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings each
week to the men and boys, Monday and Wednesday evenings to the
women and girls and leaving Friday evening for the general lecture
or entertainment, was kept, Sunday afternoon being added to the
time for men and boys.
At West High the same general plan was followed, giving Mon-
day, Wednesday and Saturday evenings to the men and boys, Tuesday
and Friday to the women and girls, Sunday afternoon to the men
and boys until the Sunday afternoon choral singing should begin,
for which women also were to be admitted, and leaving Thursday
evening for the general lecture or entertainment.
At Xo. 9. the building beuig used for three evenings of the week
for Evening School, the Social Center activities were to be crowded
into the other three evenings and Sunday afternoon. Wednesday
and Friday were to be used by the men and boys, Sunday afternoon
by the women and girls, while Saturday evening was to be the time for
the general lecture or entertainment.
56
4. APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTORS.
Considering the fact that the Social Center in Rochester is a
pioneer institution in many ways, so that it was of course impossible
to get people with special training for this work, it is a remarkable
proof of the strength of its fine democratic spirit, that in no case has
there appeared the dictatorial or condescending attitude which has
been criticised in the directors of Public School Extension work in
other cities. Such an attitude seems to be developed where the
motive of Public School Extension is primarily the service of some
one section of the population, but where, as in Rochester's Social Cen-
ters it is not for one section, but for all, not a matter of service, but of
Excellent Work Is Done in the Gymnasium at No. 9 Center.
co-operation and exchange, where it is simply "the people's getting
their money's worth out of their own property," in the fine social
spirit of the little Country School House, such an attitude would not
be tolerated for a minute. The directors of the Social Centers are
regarded and regard themselves as servants of the people, substewards
under the Board of Education. The position of the director not only is
not that of assumed superiority ; it is also not that of assumed inferiority,
but a delightful comradeship in the work of the Social Centers. The
directors, in many instances, came to be members of the clubs and in
all cases were to be fellows with the others in the Social Centers.
57
The only difference being, that they, as publicly paid servants, were
to be responsible for the care of the property and the orderly conduct
of the Social Centers.
Practically the same number of directors as at No. 14 during the
first year, was kept in each Center with the extension of the work this
second year.
A. At No. 14.
It would have been most desirable to have had a man appointed
especially for the position of director of No. 14 Social Center, because
this position, in order to be properly administered, would require the
constant attendance of one person, as has been mentioned above. It
was continued, on account of the lack of funds and the difficulty of
finding a man fit for the work, as during the first year, in the hands
of the supervisor. The direction of the boys' club work was placed
in the hands of a man who had shown himself remarkably well adapted
for work with boys by his service as playground director during the
summer. The club work for girls was placed in charge of a woman
who had shown her fitness by exceptionally fine playground service,
in which she had not only directed the girls' and childrens' playground
activities during the regular hours, but in which she had shown devotion
and inventive power by carrying through successfully three entertain-
ments by the playground children, using in preparation for them, the
school building after playground hours. The position of Librarian and
Quiet Game Director was rendered more difficult this year by the neces-
sity of her supervising two rooms, but a competent woman was found
for this place. The gymnasium work of the men and boys was con-
tinued in the hands of the man who had had charge of it during the first
year. The gymnasium work of the women and girls was placed in
charge of a competent director. A man, who had charge of the play-
ground work at No. 14 during the summer, was placed in charge of
the doors and halls, and the janitor of the school appointed a man to
take care of the building at night.
B. At West High.
The position of director of West High Social Center was left
vacant, the work to be done, as well as time would allow, by the
supervisor. The reasons for this failure to appoint a director at West
58
High \vere, first, the lack of money to pay a competent man, and
second, failure to find a man fitted for the work, who was free to
devote his time there.
Especially by the Women.
The position of director of boys' clubs was also assumed by the
supervisor on account of failure to find a person fitted for this work
who was free to undertake it. The club work for girls was placed in
the hands of a woman who teaches school during the day. The
spirit of enthusiastic co-operation, which the Social Center tends to
develop, was shown in the case of this woman, who began at once to
give twice as much time as she was paid for, to the Center, not only
because of her interest but also because of her enjoyment of the activi-
ties there. The gymnasium work of the Center, both for men and
boys and for women and girls, was placed in the competent hands of
the people who have charge of the gymnasium work of the day
school. The director, in each case, was given an assistant because
both of the gymnasiums in this building were to be used each evening
in Social Center work. In the case of the women's work, the assistant,
was to serve also as pianist. Wherever it was possible it seemed desir-
able to put the supervision of the different departments of the Center
in the hands of the persons who have charge of the corresponding
59
The Fencing Master at West High Is a Scotchman, Who Says That the Social Center
Realizes His Boyhood Dream of "The People's Palace."
work in the clay school. This policy was followed in the selection of
the secretary of the Principal of West High School as librarian in
West High Center. The important position of the director of halls
and entrances, in whose hands would be the care for the order here
whenever the Social Center was in use, was assumed by one of the
High School teachers. On account of the fact that the lockers in
connection with the gymnasium could easily be opened it was necessary
to have a man present in that room to prevent the boys of the Social
Center from borrowing gymnasium shoes, etc., which belonged to the
day school pupils. The engineer of the school was placed in this posi-
tion. As at No. 14, the day school janitor selected his assistant, who
should have charge of the evening work.
C. At. No. 9.
The directorship of the Social Center at No. 9 was placed in the
hands of a member of the faculty of the University of Rochester.
Long and successful experience in connection with the "Boys' Evening
Home" and in other social work had shown him well equipped for this
position. His appointment was a guarantee of the popularity of this
60
Social Center. The boys' club work was put in charge of a man who
had well served as club director at No. 14 the preceding year. The
charge of the girls' club work was assumed by a young woman who
in Vacation School and Playground work had shown herself competent.
The position of librarian and game room keeper was given to a woman
who knew books and games as well as people. The gymnasium work
was placed in charge of a member of the team which carried the name
of the Rochester Turners to victory in the recent gymnastic competi-
tion at Frankfort, Germany. On account of the fact that the bath and
dressing room are on another floor from the gymnasium, it was neces-
sary to appoint an assistant to take charge of these. The women's
gymnasium work was placed in the competent hands of a woman mem-
ber of the Turn Verein with an assistant to act as pianist. The care of
the halls and entrances at No. 9 was put in charge of a student of the
University ; and, as at the other Centers, the janitor selected his as-
sistant for the extra work connected with the Social Center. The
pay for all these positions was at the same rate as that established in
No. 14 during the preceding year.
D. At No. 12, No. 20 and No. 36.
The supervision of clubs of boys and girls under 21, organized in
schools outside of the complete Social Centers, had been secured with-
out charge to the city during the first year. In this second year, the
policy was adopted of paying these club directors at the rate of $10.00
per month for giving one night each week to the supervision of these
clubs. For this supervision of outside clubs, in every case, the persons
chosen have been those who occupied similar positions, on other even-
ings, in the fully equipped Social Centers. For instance, the woman
who had charge of the club work in No. 14 was placed in charge of
the club work for girls in No. 12 and No. 20 and later in No. 36.
"Men exist for the sake of
one another."
Marcus Aurelius.
61
VII
BEGINNING OF ACTIVITIES THE
SECOND SEASON
i. Civic CLUBS ASSEMBLE BEFORE CENTERS OPEN.
The dates set for the opening of the Social
Centers in West High, No. 14 and No. 9 were
November 5th, 6th and 7th, but the Civic Clubs
did not wait for the formal opening before
they began their season. The first club to re-
assemble was that in the Tenth Ward which
uses No. 7 School Building. On the i8th of
September this club held a meeting which, by
its attendance and enthusiasm, showed that the
movement, began the preceding year, was not
only to continue, but to grow, this year.
On October ist the Men's Civic Club of
No. 14 held its first meeting of the second season. It had been decided
in the spring that the month before election should be devoted to the
presentation of the several party platforms by a representative of each
of them. Beginning with an address on "Why Vote for Taft?" by
Congressman J. Breck Perkins, this program was carried through. The
interest in these club meetings was not less, but as at No. 7, greater than
that which had been shown during the preceding season.
During this month of October, the club at No. 33 also began to
hold its meetings. This club had started with the policy of meeting
once each month, had later changed to two meetings each month and
soon after the opening of this second season decided to meet each
week.
On the evening of November 2nd, three nights before the Social
Center in West High was to be opened, sixty-two men of the district
came together in that building for the organization of a Civic Club.
This number was five times as large as that which had organized the
first men's club and nearly twice as large as the initial gathering of
any other club hitherto formed. The spirit of this organization and
the enthusiasm with which it started gave good assurance of the desire
on the part of the people in that district to use their school building
as a Social Center.
62
Men's Civic Club at No. 9 Center.
Two nights later, on the 4th of November, the men in the neigh-
borhood of Xo. 9 School gathered there for the organization of the
fifth Men's Civic Club. As at West High, so at No. 9, this gathering
of the men in the community before the Social Center was formally
opened placed the stamp of the community's approval upon the deci-
sion of the Board of Education.
2. OPENING OF SOCIAL CENTERS.
On Thursday Evening, November 5th, West High School Build-
ing was formally opened as a Social Center. As at the opening of No.
14 the year before, the president of the Board of Education was the
principal speaker, and as on that occasion, so now, his words were
memorable because of the definiteness of their statement of the Social
Center spirit. "It is a simple thought and idea, the Social Center, but
all great ideas are simple and this is one of the greatest for the com-
mon good. It brings men of all classes and occupations together to
labor for the good of the whole. The Civic Club is of the essence of
democracy. It is the people themselves working out their problems."
Among the other speakers were officers of the Men's Civic Clubs,
which had already been formed, whose words were in the same tenor
as those of Prof. Forbes, An indication of the cordial relations be-
tween the Social Center and the day school activities, similar to that
which had been given in the co-operation of the teachers at the opening
of No. 14 the preceding year, was the address of welcome given by the
principal of the High School. In that address he said, "On the experi-
ence of three years, I feel safe in pledging the West High neighbor-
63
hood to the largest co-operation for the success of this first Social
Center to be established in a High School Building." In addition to
the addresses, announcements were made in regard to the division of
time, the opportunities for the organization of clubs, the use of the
gymnasium, library, general evenings, programs, etc.
As at the opening of No. 14 a year before, the spirit of the move-
ment had been summed up in the epigram of one of the citizens present
on that occasion, "It just means for the people to get their money's
worth out of their own property" ; so on this first night at the West
High Center, a citizen of that neighborhood said it all in a sentence:
"This is a great discovery, to find that we have a beautiful club house,
built and paid for, belonging to all of us, and already for use."
On the following night, Friday, November 6th, 1908, No. 14
Social Center was formally reopened. The women's club which had
been holding meetings irregularly throughout the summer, served re-
freshments on this occasion and the orchestra, which had been gathered
again after the summer vacation, furnished music. There were a
number of speakers, officers of the various clubs and others, but the
words of the Superintendent of Education are best worth preserving.
Speaking of the Social Center he said, "It resembles the neighborhood
life in the New England rural community of former days. There
every man knew his neighbor. These individual communities were
powerful units in a great democracy. An open forum, the absence
of political jealousy, the co-operative spirit that prevails here, all give
an opportunity for careful deliberation and help to the formation of
right judgments. Recommendations from such a source are valued
and are sure to be more and more sought by all those who are work-
ing for the public good."
Many people in the community had expressed an almost impatient
desire for the Social Center to reopen and the evening had the cor-
diality of a great family reunion, a sort of "Old Home Night."
On Saturday evening, November 7th, No. 9 School Building was
formally opened to the people of its community as a Social Center.
Any one, who was present on that evening, would have endorsed the
statement of the newspaper that "The sincerity of the interest of the
people was everywhere evident." The president of the Alumni Asso-
ciation of the school, who had done much to accomplish the opening
64
of this building, the Principal of the school and the president of
the Jewish Young Men's Association, were among the speakers.
Commissioner Isaac Adler used in -his address, -a sentence which, as
expressing the ideal of social exchange in the Centers, might be taken
as a motto, "To be happy, give: to be successful, take: to be happy
and successful, give and take." The final speaker of this evening was
the man who was to serve as director. His reception on that first
night was a pledge of success.
No. 9 School Building, Joseph Avenue and Baden Street, the Third To Be Opened as a
Social Center.
3. ORGANIZATION OF CLUBS.
A. In the Social Centers.
Under the head "Changes in Policy" the combining of the two
women's clubs at Xo. 14 into one club and the combining of the sev-
eral boys' clubs of the same age into one were spoken of. At the be-
ginning of this second year, the women's clubs decided to add the
word "Civic" to their name and so to proclaim their similarity in spirit
to the men's organizations. One of these Women's Civic Clubs was
formed in each of the new Social Centers.
65
West High Social Center Coming Civic Club Meeting.
The club of boys between 17 and 21. which organized in each of
the Centers, took the name "Coming Civic Club" the significance of
which is the idea that the citizenship of the adult Civic Club is the
center of the Centers to which the younger ones are coming.
The club of boys between 14 and 17 in each of the Centers took
the name ''Future Civic Club'', which name has the same significance.
Within a week after the opening of the Centers all of these clubs,
as well as organizations of young women, were beginning their season's
activities.
In addition to the supervised clubs and the Civic Clubs there
was also formed in Xo. 14 at the beginning of the year a new organiza-
tion calling itself "the Spontaneous Art Club." It was made up of
a number of young men and women under the leadership of Mr. Alex-
ander Jacubowitz, an artist of the neighborhood, for co-operation
in artistic expression. This club was to be open to any one who
cared to join it and to hold weekly meetings at the Center.
B. In Other School Buildings,
a Supervised.
The clubs which had been formed to meet in School Buildings
Xo. 12 and Xo. 20 were reassembled at the opening of the second sea-
son. Within two months, however, the wisdom of the exclusion of
school children was shown by the fact that while the club at No. 20,
in which this rule maintained, continued to thrive, the two clubs in Xo.
66
12, which were made up largely of Grammar and High School pupils,
were abandoned as unsuccessful after continuing for two months.
In December, in addition to the 'boys' club at No. 20, a girls' club
was formed and at the same time another club for girls at No. 36
was organized. Each of these clubs was placed in charge of a director
and adopted the policy of holding weekly meetings.
b Unsupervised.
The same spontaneous development of independent Men's Civic
Clubs, which had marked the Social Center movement during the first
year as essentially democratic, was present to an even more remark-
able degree in this second year.
In one district after another the men in the communities came
together to take advantage of the opportunities for using their school
buildings as places for the dissemination of knowledge on public ques-
tions and the development of intelligent public spirit. The great fact
about the organization of these Civic Clubs which stamps the approval
of the city upon the idea of the Social Center not being a sectional insti-
tution, but a means of acquaintance for the whole city is the fact that
they came to be formed in no one district, but in every section of
Rochester.
On November I3th in No. 18 School Building the sixth Men's
Civic Club was organized with the same objects as those of the clubs
already in existence and with the plan of holding weekly meetings.
On November 27th, the men in the neighborhood of No. 6 School
came together to use that building for meetings in the public interest.
This club started with meetings held once a month, but soon decided
to hold meetings twice each month.
On the following day, November 28th, the first Italian Men's Civic
Club was formed in No. 14 School Building with the plan of holding
a meeting each Sunday afternoon.
On December i8th the ninth Men's Civic Club was formed to meet
once each month in No. 20 School Building.
On December 22nd Men's Civic Clubs were formed in school
buildings No. 36 and No. 26, the first to hold meetings on the first
and third Friday of each month, the second on the first Friday of each
month. Soon after its beginning, the club in No. 26 changed to the
plan of meeting bi-weekly.
67
On January I2th the second Italian Men's Civic Club was formed
to meet every Wednesday evening in Xo. 5 School Building.
On the 25th of January a Men's Civic Club was organized in Xo.
23 School with the plan of meeting on the first Monday of each month.
On February 5th the fourteenth Men's Civic Club, the seventeenth
Civic Club, was formed in Xo. 30 School Building, to meet twice a
month.
"If It Should Rain."
4. FORMATION OF THE LEAGUE OF Civic CLUBS.
On Tuesday evening, February 2nd, sixty delegates, representing
the Men's and Women's Civic Clubs then organized, which use the pub-
lic school buildings for their meetings, assembled in the Court Room in
the Municipal Building for the purpose of organizing "The League
of Civic Clubs/' The reasons for the organization of this body and
its purpose may be taken from the Preamble to its constitution :
PREAMBLE.
The steady growth of the Civic Club movement from its beginning
in December, 1907, when there was one club with twelve members, to
the present, when there are sixteen clubs with 1,500 members, seems to
justify the belief that there is a permanent, real need of non-partisan
organizations of adult citizens, meeting in the Public School Build-
ings for the purpose of developing intelligent public spirit by the open
presentation and free discussion of matters of common interest; and
that the Civic Clubs meet that need.
To increase the effectiveness of the Civic Clubs and to further
their purpose, especially in such matters as the securing and entertain-
ing of distinguished visitors to the city ; in giving unity to the expres-
sion, through the various Civic Clubs, of the people's will in the matter
of desired legislation, and in guiding the further extension of the Civic
Club movement with a view to the welfare of the city as a whole, it is
desirable to form a central league or federation of these Civic Clubs.
We, the chosen representatives and delegates of the several Civic
Cubs of the city of Rochester, do hereby form such a League or
Federation.
68
VIII
THE SECOND YEAR'S RECORD
It is taken for granted in giving the account of this second year's
activity that the story of the first year's record is familiar, and ex-
planations of the various developments, where they are similar to
those of the first year, are not repeated.
In taking up the various developments of the Social Center life,
the first to be considered is, of course,
i. CLUBS.
In "The First Year's Record" the club work is treated under two
divisions, clubs of boys and girls, and clubs of adults. Here, for con-
venience, the division is made more complete.
A. Boys' Clubs.
The selection of the names "Coming Civic
Club'' and "Future Civic Club", and their signifi-
cance, have been mentioned. The motto that was
chosen by one of these clubs "From the corners to
the Center" is also significant. The phrase sug-
gests the larger service of the Social Center as a
place where people of different groups, political,
religious and social, who occupy various corners of
our fragmentary life, may meet, become acquainted,
broaden their outlook and develop the ability to
think in terms of the whole city. But, while that is
the greater service of the Social Centers, the service
that is first suggested by this phrase "From the
corners to the Center", to the boys and young men
of the community, who would, without the Social Center, be spending
their time on street corners, is a great one.
On Sunday afternoon, December 2Oth, the most remarkable evi-
dence, that has appeared thus far, of the value of the Coming Civic
Clubs as a means of training boys and young men in self government,
was given at No. 14 Social Center. The director, coming from one of
the other Centers, arrived in the middle of the afternoon. When he
entered the building, not seeing any of the boys about, he asked the
69
doorkeeper where they were. "They are holding a meeting" in the
Art Room/' he answered. "Who is with them," asked the director.
"Nobody," was the response. "Don't you know that they should not
be in that room without a director present?" "I have been listening,"
replied the doorkeeper, "in the hall and they seem to be orderly."
The director went to the Art Room, and, opening the door, found be-
tween thirty and forty fellows, sitting in perfect order, the president
in his chair, the secretary beside him taking the minutes of the meeting,
and one of the youths on his feet presenting the claims of Air. Bryan
for the presidency. The director sat down to listen to the discussion.
After the speaker had used his allotted time, the floor was given to
a rival claimant ; and so an orderly triangular debate was carried
Coming Civic Club Emblem.
through. "When it was over, it was learned that a dispute had been
started in the hall over the relative merits of the Republican and
Democratic candidates, A year before, if these fellows had been in-
terested at all in such a question, a dispute would have led to loud con-
tradictions, possibly blows. In the midst of the discussion in the hall
it was suggested that in order to give all sides a fair show they should
hold a five sided debate, with two defendants of the claims of each
of the candidates. There being no Independence Leaguer nor Pro-
hibitionist present, it was finally decided to make it a triangular debate,
giving the one socialist youth in the crowd a chance to speak twice to
make up for the fact that there were two Republicans and two Demo-
crats present.
70
Here these fellows were, holding, on their own initiative, an or-
derly debate, these fellows who, a year before, had been willing to do
almost anything to get out of debating in the club meetings. None of
them was a school boy, and some of them were fellows of the "natur-
ally agin the government type."
The statement of the object of one of these Coming Civic Clubs
was that day shown to be more than empty words. "The object of
the club shall be to train its members for citizenship in the republic."
In addition to the opportunities which are offered by the regular
meetings of these clubs, for the demonstration of their service, there
have been two occasions when the public has had a chance to learn
what they mean to the young fellows. One of these was in the ad-
dress, called for and given without preparation, by the president of
the West High Coming Civic Club on the occasion of the visit of the
delegation which came from Buffalo to see the Social Centers, on the
1 4th of December. No one, who was present, could fail to be im-
pressed by the words of this young man, when he told how the fellows
of that neighborhood appreciated the opening of the Social Center.
The other was the address given by the President of the No. 14 Com-
ing Civic Club at the "People's Sunday Evening" in the National
Theater on February 7th. Here this young fellow gave the chal-
lenge ; "How do you expect boys to grow up into good citizens when
they have nothing but the training of the street corners?"
The same plan of activity,
which w-as established during the
first year, has been followed in
these clubs, the emphasis being
upon debating. The clubs have
had social affairs of various kinds.
That at No. 14 has given a second
minstrel show, which was quite as
successful as that of last year.
The club at West High entertained
the girls' club with a sleighride and
supper. But interest in the club life centers always about debating,
and the attention was focused upon the final triangular debate be-
tween teams from the three Centers, which met to compete for cham-
pionship in a triangular debate at West High on April I5th.
71
B. Girls' Clubs.
The activities to which the
girls' clubs have been devoted
through this year have been more
of a social character than those of
the boys' clubs. The girls' club at
No. 14 has continued on much the
same lines that it followed during
the first year. The club at West
High was organized primarily as a
Shakespeare study club. Portia,
however, soon came down from her
pedestal to play basket ball and
through most of the year gym-
nasium work has played a large
part in the life of the W r est High
club.
The strongest girls' club, in point of numbers, is that at No. 9
Center, which meets on Sunday afternoon. No one could visit a
meeting of this club without realizing the great value of such an or-
ganization of young women. It was one of the social meetings of this
club which, by being misunderstood and misrepresented, afforded
material for practically the only hostile criticism that has been made
of Social Center activities.
This social gathering took place on Sunday afternoon, January
i/th. On the preceding day, according to the usual custom, the pro-
gram for the week following had been submitted at the Saturday
morning conference of the Social Center directors. This program
included a social, with a few of the girls in fancy dress, at the regular
meeting of the No. 9 young women's club, which was to take place
on .Sunday afternoon. The program for the week was approved, in-
cluding this social affair of the young women's club. A week or so
later one of the newspapers published a story suggesting that the affair
had been of an unworthy character and had even included things that
were scandalous. L'nfortunately, the exact facts were not ascertained
and "The Masquerade" became a text for editorials, in which the di-
rector of No. 9 Social Center and the young women, who had partici-
pated, were more or less harshly criticised. These criticisms were in
72
both cases ill placed. The director of No. 9 Social Center was not in
the slightest degree responsible for the affair, for the responsibility
had been assumed, without full comprehension of what was proposed
to be sure, but nevertheless, entirely, by the supervisor. The young
women were not to blame for the affair. Mothers of many of them
were present in the building so that they were well chaperoned.
There were no men present to dance with the girls, or as spectators.
Of the seventy-five girls and young women, about half a dozen were
dressed in their brothers' clothes, which they wore to the Center un-
der their outer dresses, removing the latter after they arrived there.
Young Women's Civic Club Meeting on Sunday Afternoon at No. 9.
None of them was a school girl and they were all over fourteen years
of age. The use of Sunday was due, not to their choice of this day
for a social affair, but to the fact that this is the only day when the
women have the privilege of using this building for their meetings.
Only by an unusually high standard of ethical judgment, built upon
reverence for those things which others revere, a regard which they
have seldom seen maintained in the attitude of others toward their
race in this country, could the slightest blame be laid upon these young
women, for they were all Jewish people, to whom the day is not more
sacred than is Saturday to the Gentile. The young women of No. 9
Social Center did nothing which, from their point of view, which is
73
an exceptionally high and fine one, was worthy of criticism. \\ hat-
ever blame may be attached to the affair belongs entirely to the su-
pervisor.
Of the girls' clubs, which have been conducted this year outside
of the complete Social Centers, two of them, those in Xo. 20 and Xo.
36 Schools, were made up entirely of girls who were out of school,
the third, in Xo. 12, was largely made up of school girls. After two
months, comparison of the spirit shown and the work done in these
three clubs, confirmed the wisdom of the decision which the Board of
Education had made regarding the new clubs in excluding those who
attended day school, and the club at Xo. 12 was disbanded. The
other two clubs, however, have met each week since their formation.
In addition to the regular business meetings, each of these clubs has
presented a play for which much faithful rehearsing was done.
Each of them has successfully conducted a number of debates. Each
of them, in spite of the almost entire absence of equipment for gym-
nasium work, has made this a successful and profitable year.
In all of the girls' clubs the same tendency, which is shown by
the other clubs toward a fair balance between serious work and re-
creation, is apparent. Organized work in singing has been begun in
each of these clubs and it is probable that some excellent developments
of this kind may be expected during the coming year.
74
C. Women's Clubs.
The character of the Women's Civic Clubs may be shown by quot-
ing the preamble of the Constitution of the one which meets at West
High Social Center on Tuesday
evening, and giving the topics and
attendance at its meetings. This
Constitution and program are typi-
cal of all three of these clubs.
PREAMBLE.
Whereas, we as Twentieth
Century women have duties to
society, to our homes and to our-
selves which demand that we be
well informed upon public ques-
tions andthat we have broad sym-
pathy with our fellows :
And whereas, organization for
securing public speakers, for dis-
cussions, debates, entertainments
and all sorts of wholesome gather-
ings, is among the best means for
the attainment of these ends :
And whereas, the public school
building is the best available place
for such organization.
We, whose names are hereunto
annexed, do form ourselves into a
society, to hold meetings in the
Public School Building for listening
to public speakers, for discussions,
debates, entertainments and all sorts
of wholesome social gatherings, to
the end that we may gain for our-
selves, and for the community, in-
telligence upon public questions and
sympathetic acquaintance with our
fellows."
75
The programs of the meetings of this club and the attendance at
these meetings through the year, have been as follows :
Nov. 10, 1908 Organization. 51 present.
Nov. 17, 1908 Election of officers, address, ''Child Labor," Airs.
Elmer Bissell. 79 present.
Nov. 24.. 1008 Acquaintance Meeting. 120 present.
Dec. i, 1908 Address "Woman's Suffrage," Mrs. W. C. Gannett,
82 present.
Dec. 8, 1908 Preparation for entertaining Buffalo delegates. 92
present.
Dec. 22, 1908 Debate, "Capital Punishment Should be Abolished."
68 present.
Dec. 29, 1908 Address, "Social Purity,'' Rev. A. S. Crapsey, D. D.
74 present.
Jan. 5, 1909 Address, "Free Text Books," Mrs. Mabel Kennon.
68 present.
Jan. 12, 1909 Address, "New Station Plans," Com. J. P. B. Duffy.
54 present.
Jan. 19, 1909 Parliamentary Drill by Mrs. S. Lewis. 63 present.
Jan. 26, 1909 "Six O'clock Closing Movement." 256 present.
Feb. 2, 1909 Social and Musical Evening. 68 present.
Feb. 9, 1909 -Address, "Care of Delinquent Children," Supt. C. F.
Carroll. 40 present.
Feb. 1 6, 1909 Address, "Good Taste in Home Art," F. H. Carpenter.
34 present.
Feb. 23, \()O'.) Address, "The Emanuel Movement," Rev. J. B.
Thomas. 58 present.
Mar. 2, 1909 Address, "Public Health and Sanitation," Prof. C. W.
Dodge. 39 present.
Mar. 9, 1909 Social and Musical Evening. 40 present.
Mar. 1 6, 1909 Address, "The Shadow Hunter," Prof. K. P. Shedd,
and women's gymnasium meet. 126 present.
Mar. 23, 1909 Entertainment of No. 9 and No. 14 Women's Clubs.
200 present.
Mar. 30, 1909 'Hisiness Meeting. 54 present.
Apr. 5, 1909 Election of Officers. 63 present.
Apr. 12, 1909 "Review and Forecast." 78'present.
76
As may be seen by the photograph, given on page 103, of the pres-
ent officers of one of the \Yomen's Clubs, the same ideally representative
character, which has marked the Men's Club organization, and indeed
all of the Social Center developments, is illustrated in these Women's
Clubs. Meeting in the earnest consideration of common problems,
differences of race or creed only add to the interest of this acquaint-
anceship. In this broad, fine atmosphere, pettyness has never appeared.
The word "Civic" is no misnomer. The main business of these
clubs is the dissemination of intelligence on public questions. At the
same time a strong emphasis is laid upon social activities. A fine
illustration of this sort of program was the "Recipe Exchange" which
the Xo. 14 \Yomen's Civic Club held on Monday evening, March 22,
1909. Each of the members of the club brought a dish of her favorite
cooking and a recipe for preparing it. The various dishes were" placed
upon the table ; the recipes were written on the board and copied
by each of the members. The evening closed by the serving of the
favorite dishes, a sample of each for every member. These meetings
are not at all "dress" occasions, the women, as a rule, leaving their hats
in the cloak room and spending the hour without formality.
Xot only have these clubs served to bring together, upon a com-
mon ground of acquaintance the women of each community, but they
have also served to acquaint the women of the different sections of the
Acquaintance Evening No. 14 and West High Women's Civic Club at No. 14.
77
city with each other, each of the clubs having- entertained during the
year, the members of the Women's Clubs from the other Social Centers.
In addition to the social affairs carried on by the women among them-
selves, it has been the custom of the Women's Civic Clubs, particularly
of that in Xo. 14 Center, to entertain, about once a month, the Men's
Civic Clubs. On these occasions refreshments are served and a special
program of music is provided. The usual plan is for the Men's Club
to pay the expenses and the women to serve the refreshments and pro-
vide the program. All such affairs have been carried on without ex-
pense to the city.
The most notable of these occasions, and indeed one which marks
the peculiar service of the Social Center, took place at Xo. 14 on the
night of February 22nd, when the Women's Civic Club entertained the
Italian Men's Civic Club. This Women's Civic Club is made up, almost
entirely, of American born women. The majority of the Italian Men's
Civic Club are. more or less recent immigrants, who do not speak
English flucntlv. The whole evening was one of exceptionally fine
spirit, one woman remarking that never before had she realized that
"people who are so different are so much the same." "I never realized
before how interesting humanity is." she said. The climax of the even-
ing was in the presentation by the Women's Civic Club of a silk Italian
flag to the Italian Men's Civic Club, and the presentation in return by
the Italian Men's Civic Club to the women, of a handsome picture of
George Washington. Together they hang in the Social Center, the
emblem of the internationalism, the humanity that recognizes race dif-
ferences as lines, not for prejudice or hatred, but to be rejoiced in be-
cause they bring diversity and interest to the larger human unity.
Two weeks later the Italian men entertained the \Vomen's Civic Club
and presented to them a silk American flag.
It may be well to give here a brief account of the entertainment
of the delegation of thirty-one people, who came from Buffalo on
December I4th to visit the Social Centers, because the serving of the
refreshments on that occasion was in the hands of the Women's Civic
Club at West High, although the Men's Civic Club bore the expenses
of that entertainment.
Six of the party came on the I3th to see the Sunday activities in the
Centers and visited Xo. 14, Xo. 9 and West High. The remainder of the
party came on the afternoon of the I4th. They were served with supper
78
in the '\Yest High Lunch Room and then gathered with the crowd of be-
tween eight hundred and one thousand people in the Assembly Hall.
The chairman of this meeting \vas the president of the Men's Civic Club
at \Yest High. An address of welcome was given by Hon. Charles E.
Ogden. Secretary to the Mayor, who spoke for him, to quote from a
Rip's Awake; but Schneider
newspaper report "Of the inspiration the Civic Clubs give to the city
officials, and how, through these institutions, those who govern find out
the needs and desires of the governed." Mr. Albert L. Williams, who
headed the visiting delegation then asked the questions regarding the
Social Centers, which the visitors wanted answered. They embraced
all phases of the work. Prof. George M. Forbes, president of the
79
Hoard of Education, was called upon to answer these questions
Among- other things he said, "The fundamental principle in the Socia!
Center work is that it is work done for the community hy the people
themselves. A unifying force in the Social Center is the Civic Club
From these clubs goes forth a community spirit that concerns itselJ
not with anv narrow boundaries of ward or district, but with the bet-
terment of the whole city. It is the greatest advance that has yel
been made toward a fundamental democracy." Answering the ques-
tion as to the conditions which fostered the growth of the Social Cen-
ter idea Prof. Forbes said, "The Social Center is the result of a move-
ment which has been growing in Rochester for several years. It is
the movement toward a better civic spirit and had its inception in the
good government agitation, which a few years ago leavened the whole
city with its high standards and ideals of civic life." Answering
questions as to the freedom of discussion he said, "Xo one has a righi
to try to regulate what citizens shall talk about in their own building.'
Mrs. Helen Montgomery then spoke of the forces behind the Socia
("enter movement, and of what the Social Centers mean to the women
Rev. James M. Hutchinson spoke for the friendly attitude of the
churches toward the movement. The address of the president of the
XYest High Coming Civic Club on "What the Social Center Means tc
the Boys," has already been mentioned. Mr. Sidney R. Clark, Secretan
of the Chamber of Commerce, was the speaker on the cordial attitude
of business men toward the movement. Following him there were
brief addresses from officers representing the several clubs. Aftei
the addresses the people went to the lunch room below and were
there served by the Women's Civic Club of W r est High. There were
nearly a thousand present and yet there was no confusion and the even
ing was, from first to last, a successful presentation to the guests frorr
the neighboring city, of the spirit of the Social Center. The leader o:
the visiting party said as he left, "I do not know whether there is sticJt
a thing as social electricity, but I have never been in an atmosphere se
charged with it before."
D. Men's Clubs.
The Men's Civic Clubs, differing with the different communitie:
in which they have been organized, have all kept, throughout this year
the same character of broad civic interest and freedom which markee
those organized last year.
80
In the account of the organization of No. 14 Men's Civic Club is
given the statement of Aid. Frank A. Ward, regarding the value of
such an organization, which he made at the second meeting of this club.
A statement that may well be put with that of Aid. Ward was
made at the organization meeting of the Civic Club formed in No. 30
School Building on February 5th, when Aid. Wm. Buckley said, "The
value of a Civic Club from the point of view of the private citizen
has been stated. I want to say a word in regard to its value from the
point of view of the public servant. An alderman is elected to rep-
resent the people ; a good alderman wants to represent the people, but
how in the world can he represent the people unless he knows what the
First Anniversary Banquet of the Men's Civic Club at No. 14 Center.
people want? And how shall he know what the people want unless
they tell him? I welcome the Civic Club because it will give me an
opportunity to learn the will of the people in this neighborhood."
On December loth a banquet was given in celebration of the first
anniversary of the first Men's Civic Club in No. 14 Social Center. Over
two hundred men and women were present, among whom were repre-
sentatives of the nine other adult Civic Clubs which had been formed
within the year. Among the speakers was Prof. Charles Zeublin. He
said, "The only way to work out our problems is to discuss them freely
and in the open. Rochester is the home of free speech. Here you
can discuss anything you wish in your Public School Buildings, while
81
in many other American cities, the minute you open your month on a
public question a cordon of police appears, to stop you." He spoke
further of the Civic Club movement as a real factor in constructive
democracy. Among the other speakers were the president of the
Board of Education, Rev. A. S. Crapsey, D. D., and the former presi-
dents of the club. It was on this occasion that the first Social Center
songs were used. One of the newspapers had mentioned in an editorial
that, so far as the writer knew, free discussion was not permitted in
meetings held in Public School Buildings in other cities. This edi-
torial suggested the thought which is carried in the "Anniversary
Song." which was written for this occasion and sung with great gusto.
ANNIVERSARY SONG
Written for the Second Anniversary Banquet of the Men's Civic Club,
No. 14 Social Center, Dec. 10, 1908.
Air: ''When Johnny Comes Marching Home."
I.
'Twas not so very long ago.
Hurrah ! Hurrah !
The pioneers have told us so,
Hurrah ! Hurrah !
Twleve good men came to the Center,
And said : "If we are going to enter,
We'll talk about the things
We want to talk about.
Yes, we'll talk about the things
That ought to be talked about."
II.
And so these men did organize,
Hurrah ! Hurrah !
And other clubs began to rise,
Hurrah ! Hurrah !
82
And all the time \ve did not know
What it was that made us grow,
Twas talk-ing about the things
We wanted to talk about,
Yes, 'twas talk-ing about the things
That ought to be talked about.
III.
And now of other towns they say
Hurrah ! Hurrah !
And we are hearing it every day
Hurrah ! Hurrah !
That of the things that can't be done
In the school house this is one :
To talk about the things
Folks want to talk about,
Yes to talk about the things
That ought to be talked about.
IV.
And now they're coming from Buffalo,
Hurrah ! .Hurrah !
A place where we're considered slow,
Hurrah ! Hurrah !
To learn of the Social Center plan,
And how we make it that every man,
Can talk about the things
He wants to talk about,
Yes, Can talk about the things
That ought to be talked about.
Another song which was sung at this meeting for the first time
was the following. The form is doggerel, but the content, because it
expresses the real place of the Social Center in the community life,
made it almost immediately popular.
83
THE SOCIAL CENTER
Air : "Mr. Dooley."
I.
There are sev-ral parties here in our communitee.
Republican and Democrat and Socialist that's three.
They never get together just because they disagree;
But there's a place where all of them can talk things over free.
CHORUS:
Its at the Center.
The Social Center.
The place where everybody feels at home :
Forgets th' external
And gets fraternal ;
There's something doing there you'd better come.
II.
There are many churches here, all teaching brotherhood ;
Some of them are better and all of them are good.
But Catholic and Protestant and Jew are kept apart.
There's just one place where we all know that we are one in heart.
CHORUS:
III.
There are a lot of races here in our com-mun-itee ;
English French Italian Greek Dane Swede Hindoo Chinee
And sometimes they forget that we are all one familee;
But there's a place where this is just the fact that you will see.
CHORUS :
IV.
Xow there are some distinctions that are seen upon the street
For some folks ride in auto cars and some ride on their feet,
And worry about the price of clothes comes in and spoils the fun,
But there's a place where hats are off and rich and poor are one.
CHORUS :
V.
There are little social circles here, each with its coterie ;
Some in saloons, some pedro cliques some soaking up pink tea.
Hut everyone is glad there is a place where each one gets
A chance to be acquainted with the folks in other sets.
CHORUS :
84
The use of songs like these in Men's Club Meetings has been
limited entirely to social occasions, banquets, etc. The regular meet-
ings of the clubs are given over entirely to the presentation and dis-
cussion of public questions. In the programs of all of the clubs there
has been constantly evident a desire for the presentation of both sides
of any mooted question and in the success thus far gained, in having
a fair opportunity for both sides of questions to be presented, is indicat-
ed the exceptional service of the Civic Club. As an illustration of this
practice of listening to both sides, the treatment of the Saloon question
may be taken. At one meeting Mr. C. N. Howard, the noted Prohibi-
tionist, presented the arguments against the saloon. He was followed at
the next meeting of the club by the vice president of the Turn Verein,
who presented a carefully prepared paper upon the service of the saloon
as a social institution for men who can not afford private clubs. Men,
who sided with each of these speakers, attended both meetings and the
effect of such fair presentation was pointed out by the Prohibition
County Chairman, who said that, while he believed the saloon advo-
cate was wrong, yet this pair of addresses had left him with more
respect than he had ever had before for the men who differed from
him. The same broadening result naturally followed in the discus-
sions of the problems of the relation between labor and capital
For instance, the conviction of Gompers, Mitchell and Morrison was
presented upon one night by a prominent manufacturer, who believed
and gave his reasons for believing that the action of the court was
just. At the following meeting one of the recognized labor leaders
presented the arguments against this position. The question of the
value of newspapers was presented; first, by the editor of one of the
papers in the city, who spoke on their high service, and then by Sam-
uel Hopkins Adams, who, in a paper on "Under Currents of Journal-
ism" gave his views of the evil of the control of the Press by un-
scrupulous interests. The benefit of a free non-partisan platform in de-
veloping a courteous attitude, between those who differ radically upon
public questions, was well illustrated in the spirit shown in the pre-
sentation of the two sides of the free text book question in successive
meetings before one of the clubs. It was after one of these pairs of
discussions that a reporter of one of the papers said to the director
of the Center, "I have never expected to see an organization developed
in which such questions could be so warmly discussed without bit-
terness."
85
While there has never yet, in all of these discussions, developed
any discourtesy, their earnestness may be shown by a re-
markable incident. At one of the meetings a seasoned newspaper
reporter actually so far forgot his mission that he not only failed to
take notes of the discussion, but rose and took part in it. When the
city editor questioned him about it he answered, that if he, (the city
editor) had been there, he probably would have done the same thing.
While most of the meetings of these clubs have been devoted to
larger public questions, whenever local community problems have come
up for solution, these clubs have dealt with them. They have uni-
formly showed a conservative spirit in their actions regarding local or
municipal improvements. Only in a few cases have the clubs united
in definite requests ; in seeking the securing of playgrounds or parks,
in seeking to secure changes in the street railway service and otherwise
in improving the conditions of their neighborhoods.
An excellent statement of the service of the Civic Clubs in for-
warding such a movement as that for playgrounds is made by Profes-
sor George M. Forbes in Playground, the National Playground Maga-
zine, the January issue.
In order to show the character of these Men's Civic Club Meet-
ings, the list of speakers and subjects of the meetings of the Men's
Club at Xo. 14 Social Center, which is given in the first part of this re-
port is here continued through the second year.
86
Oct. i, 1908 -Congressman J. B. Perkins. . ."Why Vote for Taft?"
Oct. 8, 1908 County Chairman Wm. Schalber
, "Why Vote for Chafin?"
Oct. 15, 1908 Charles Swaiin "Why Vote for Debs?"
Oct. 22, 1908 -Attorney George P. Decker. ."Why Vote for Bryan?"
Oct. 29, 1908 Prof. Walter Ranschenbusch
"Non-Partisan Political Ideals"
Nov. 5, 1908 Commissioner F. G. Newell. "Parks and Playgrounds"
Nov. 12, 1908 Livy S. Richard "Social Value of Newspapers"
Nov. 19, 1908 Prof. John R. Slater "Social Value of Theater"
Dec. 3, 1908 Mrs. \V. C. Gannett "Woman Suffrage''
Dec. 10, 1908 Anniversary Supper. .Prof. Zeublin, Rev. A. S. Crap-
sey, D. D., Prof. George M. Forbes and others.
Dec. 17, 1908 Rev. C. A. Barbour, D. D
"Value of Fraternal Organizations"
Dec. 31, 1908 H. W. Clark
.... "The Gompers, Mitchell and Morrison Case"
Jan. 7, 1909 Michael O'Brien "Trade Unions"
Jan. 14, 1909 Com. J. P. B. Duffy "New Station"
Jan. 21, 1909 Edward J. Ward "Estimate for Play-
grounds, Vacation Schools and Social Centers"
Jan. 28, 1909 Isaac M. Brickner "The Peaceful Revolution"
Feb. 4, 1909 Howard T. Mosher "Lincoln"
Feb. n, 1909 Social and Patriotic Evening with the Women's Club.
Feb. 18, 1909 Max Lowenthal "The Duty of a Citizen To-day"
Feb. 25, 1909 Eugene C. Denton "Direct Primaries"
Mar. 4, 1909 Dr. J. F. Forbes "The Negro Problem"
Mar. 1 1, 1909 Wm. H. Burr "Credit Abuses"
Mar. 18, 1909 Jas. L. Brewer and Isaac M. Brickner, debate on "Di-
rect Primaries:"
Mar. 25, 1909 Alfred P. Fletcher "Industrial Training"
Apr. i, 1909 Rev. E. A. Rumball
.."Social Problems of Newfoundland" illustrated
Apr. 15, 1909 Plans for next year.
These programs have been furnished entirely without expense to
the city in every case. As has been stated above, even the large ex-
pense of entertaining the Buffalo delegation at the West High Social
Center, was borne entirely by one of the clubs.
87
There have been indications of the development of recreational
activities in connection with the clubs. For instance, one of them
lias taken steps this year toward securing bowling alleys and it is likely
that this club will carry the project through because the building in
which it meets will not offer the difficulties which stood in the way
of the club at Xo. 14 last year. But whatever recreational, or other,
features may be added to the Civic Club activities, it is probable that
its prime service will remain the development of intelligent public
spirit by the open presentation and free discussion of public questions.
E. Italian Men's Clubs.
The First Italian Men's Civic Club To Be Established in Rochester.
Special reference should be made to the service of the two Italian
Men's Civic Gubs which have been organized this year. These
have the same object as the other Men's Civic Clubs and in addition
to that object the members aim especially to serve their recently arrived
compatriots. Any one, who has studied at all the problem of immi-
gration, realizes the great advantage which can be gained from such
an organization. The new comer to this country is liable to all sorts
of tricks by which advantage is taken of his ignorance of the laws and
usages of his new home and of his rights as a citizen. Moreover, he
needs sympathetic guidance in order to a quick adjustment to his new
88
surroundings. It is for this double service of protecting the Italian
immigrants from the preying upon their ignorance, and to help them
in understanding their new citizenship that the two clubs, the one at
Xo. 14 Social Center and the other at Xo. 5 School Building, were
formed. One of these clubs has had the benefit of the direction of an
Italian, a court interpreter and a teacher in one of the High Schools.
The other has been in charge of an Italian speaking American citizen.
Both of these men have given their service without charge and each
of them has shown a remarkable devotion to the welfare of the immi-
grant. That these clubs have done the service for which they were
organized is shown by the words of one of the members of the club
at Xo. 14 who, at the close of the concert which that club gave on Dec-
ember 2oth said, ''Here, for the first time, I find realized the dream
of what America would be, which I dreamed when I was in Italy."
Imperare e Insegnare.
The spirit of these clubs, which is appreciated in such words as
the above, is expressed in the accompanying cartoon, drawn by one of
the members of the "Spontaneous Art Club." At one end the Italian
Coat of Arms, at the other the United States shield, each of them merg-
ing into the large brotherhood of the Social Center, signifying the idea
of "Social Exchange." The common attitude toward the foreigner
might be expressed by merging the Italian Coat of Arms into the
United States shield. This would signify that nothing is made of the
Italian's contribution to the common store ; he is regarded as simply a
learner coming to get something from the American. In the Social
Center, with this idea of exchange, it is recognized that the Italian has
something to get but he also has something to give ; he has much to
learn, but he also has much to teach. He is there not simply as a
recipient of the service or advice of the American, who says, "You
must become like me," rather he is there met by the American who
says, "Let us get together, you with your ideas and hopes and traditions
and we with ours, and so shall we both develop a larger understanding,
so shall we both be benefited." The response of the Italians to this
manner of meeting them as men and brothers, and its effect, is incli-
89
cated in the words of one of them who, speaking at the meeting of the
"People's Sunday Evening" in the National Theater, on February /th,
said, that never before had he known of any institution which so
strongly tended to develop the self respect and the manhood of the Ita-
lian. "When you meet the Italian half way," said he, "as you do in
the Social Center, recognizing that he, as an Italian, has something to
bring, something to contribute to the common store, then you teach
him to love and honor the American Flag and all that it stands for to
you, by showing some respect for his Flag, and all that that stands for
to him, then you make him feel friendly, you make him feel that he is
a man. you make him feel that he must be worthy of his larger citizen-
ship."
E. League of Civic Clubs.
The organization of the League of Civic Clubs has already been
spoken of. and the preamble to its constitution, stating the reasons for
its formation and its purpose, has been given. This body, made up of
delegates from each of the seventeen adult Civic Clubs with associate
delegates from each of the younger clubs, has held meetings monthly,
or oftener, since its formation. The service of such an organization
as this whose spirit is expressed in its motto, "For the City as a
Whole," and in which representatives of groups of people from every
section of the city unite in the common interest, is obvious. Already,
on two propositions for the common \velfare, the League has begun
action. One of the Civic Clubs in the League had taken up the
problem of the unsatisfactory division of the land in its community by
a real estate company. After careful investigation this club voted
to send a recommendation to the League of Civic Clubs that that body
take action looking toward the city's requiring any real estate corpora-
tion to submit complete plans and specifications of the proposed divi-
sion of any new section of the city land, in order that such division
might conform to a satisfactory plan for the city as a whole. This
recommendation, presented before the League, was referred to the
Legislative and Improvement Committee of the League. If this Com-
mittee reports favorably upon the proposition it wall then be submitted
with the endorsement of the Committee to each of the Clubs in the
League. The discussion upon the proposition will in this way become
general throughout the city, and the desire of the people will be
learned. The other single proposition upon which the Clubs have
90
united through the League, is in the action for the establishment of
public comfort stations. For this project an appropriation has been
secured.
However, the prime purpose of the League is not the accomplish-
ment of specific objects for the public welfare, but is simply to help
the clubs in their work of developing intelligent public spirit by
the dissemination of intelligence upon public questions.
The fundamental spirit of the Social Center and Civic Club move-
ment, as has been said, was not the spirit of revolt against existing
conditions nor of seeking something, but was the friendly get-together
spirit of the little old red school house. And in the organization of the
League of Civic Clubs that spirit has not been lost. The first united
action of the League was not a complaint about something nor a peti-
tion for something, but a cordial invitation to the Governor of the
State to come and dine with the members of the clubs.
At the opening of the Civic Club season the Supervisor of Social
Centers had carried an invitation to the Governor with the endorsement
of the Mayor, the President of the Board of Education and the Presi-
dent of the Chamber of Commerce, from the Civic Clubs which were
then organized, asking him to address the opening meeting of the
season. The Governor expressed his interest in the movement but
said that it would be impossible for him to accept the invitation at that
time.
Upon the formation of the League of Civic Clubs, the following
invitation was drawn up :
AN INVITATION TO THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK TO BE
PRESENT AND TO SPEAK AT THE CLOSING BANQUET OF THE LEAGUE
OF Civic CLUBS OF THE CITY OF ROCHESTER, TO BE HELD IN CONVEN-
TION HALL ON THE EVENING OF FRIDAY,, APRIL THE SIXTEENTH,
NINETEEN HUNDRED NINE.
Honorable Charles Evans Hughes, Albany, New York.
Dear Sir :
We, the undersigned, members of the Club
of the Social Center, meeting in Public School Building No
of the city of Rochester, desiring to mark the close of the second sea-
son of the Rochester Civic Club movement with a celebration worthy
of its unprecedented growth and the success which it has thus far at-
tained, have secured the use of Convention Hall for a banquet on the
91
evening- of April the sixteenth, have begun arrangements for a great
gathering and now most cordially and earnestly invite you to be present
and to speak on this occasion.
Letters sent you by the Mayor
of the City, the President of the
Board of Education and the Presi-
dent of the Chamber of Commerce,
endorsing the invitation which sev-
eral Civic Clubs extended to you
last fall, to be present at the open-
ing meeting of this season, carried
the information that these clubs are
non-partisan organizations, meeting
in the public school buildings in the
interest of the dissemination of
knowledge upon public questions
and the development of unbiased,
intelligent public spirit.
* f-*
- r *>
T' jt/t r *fc~k.^
.\'-*X'lf~~.f<~' <7 *--*-**--
\:u; 4^^^^
The majority of these Civic
Clubs are made up entirely of vot-
ers, of whom there are about a
thousand enrolled as members, dis-
tributed over every part of the city,
representing- every phase of opinion
and every class in society, and
bound together simply by our com-
mon interest in the public welfare
and the desire to become acquainted
with our fellows in the first atmos-
phere of the Public School Social
Center.
Earnestly we hope that you
will accept this imitation and our
hope is straightened by the knowl-
edge of your interest in every de-
velopment of the spirit of intelligent self-government on the part of
citizens, and our feeling that to a remarkable degree w^e are attaining
to the ideal expressed in your words of January 3ist, 1908, when you
92
~*^
Facsimile of the Invitation That Caused
the Governor to Take Back His Word.
said "There is no reason for any of us to fear any of the problems
which confront us in America to-day. Throughout all the States are
communities full of sentiment for. Social Improvement ; bodies study-
ing public questions ready to devote their energies to the common
good."
We appreciate the fact that there are very many demands upon
your time, but we make our appeal upon the exceptional character of
this occasion for there is not yet another city in America, so far as we
know, which can offer you an invitation to address so representative,
absolutely democratic and untrammeled an organisation as the League
of Civic Clubs of the city of Rochester.
Yours for Civic Intelligence and Righteousness,
This invitation, after being adopted by the assembled delegates of
the League of Civic Clubs, was presented to each of the clubs in the
League and the signatures of 1,270 members of the various clubs were
attached. The printed invitation was then bound together into a book,
which, on Marth i8th, was carried to Albany by a committee represent-
ing the League, and there presented to Governor Hughes.
His written response to the invitation contained the following
statement :
"Nothing has been more gratifying than the evidence afforded by
this invitation, signed by so many of the citizens of Rochester, of the
deep and wholesome interest that is taken in all questions relating to
civic and social betterment. I had not thought it possible to visit
Rochester again this spring, but I cannot bring myself to refuse an invi-
tation of such an unusual character.
With best regards, I am,
Very sincerely yours,
"(Signed) "CHARLES E. HUGHES,"
As is stated in the invitation, the plan had been to hold a great
banquet with the Governor as guest in Convention Hall, on the i6th
of April. On account of the fact that the Governor desired that the
date be changed from the i6th to the 8th of April, which date is in the
midst of the week when religious scruples forbid some of the mem-
bers of the Civic Club's eating at a general banquet, it was decided to
give up the original plan and, instead, to hold a meeting in Convention
Hall preceded by an informal dinner with the Governor at No. 14
Social Center.
93
The plans for the day included a visit to Xo. 9 Social Center where
the Governor would have an opportunity to see some of the activities
carried on there : then to \Yest High where an informal reception would
be tendered him : then to Xo. 14 Social Center where dinner would be
served ; then to Convention Hall for the general meeting. The plan
required the Governor's arrival in Rochester at 3:51 o'clock. It was
submitted to the Governor and received his immediate approval.
On Thursday, the 8th of April, the Executive Committee of the
League, headed by the President, Judge John B. M. Stephens, and ac-
companied by the Mayor, met the Governor and his aide at the Station.
Four automobiles had been secured and with these the party proceeded
quickly to Xo. 9 Social Center.
Of course, the Social Center is not usually open in the afternoon,
except on Sunday, so that there was no opportunity for the Governor to
see the plant in full operation. However, in order to give some idea of
the work carried on, a group of young men and another of young
women were gathered for gymnasium work, and the men and women
were assembled in their club meeting room. The Governor was taken
first to the gymnasium and there watched with interest the drills con-
ducted, first by the young men and then by the women. His remark, as
he watched them, showed the approval which he was to express later
in Convention Hall. "This is helping toward good citizenship," he said.
The Governor Heartily Approved of This.
94
While the Governor was in the gymnasium the men and women,
assembled in their club meeting room, had been singing, under the lead-
ership of the director. They did not stop immediately upon the en-
trance of the Governor and he apparently enjoyed the music. After
the officers of the club had been presented, the Governor made a brief
address in which he congratulated the people on the organization of
"such a get-together club." "What the city needs," said he, "is just
this sort of getting together. I believe in the helpful association of all
of the people of the community and this association can be accom-
plished only through such gatherings as this, in such places as this."
As the party proceeded to West High Social Center the Governor
asked many questions regarding the history of the movement and the
development of its various phases, questions which showed that he had
investigated carefully the general spirit and purpose of the Social Cen-
ter before accepting the invitation.
At West High Center the Women's Civic Club and the faculty
of the High School had decorated the library with ferns and palms.
There, after the arrival of the Governor and his party they served light
refreshments. After twenty minutes of informal conversation in which
the Governor mingled with the people most freely, the women escorted
the party about the building. The assembly hall, the lunch room, the
gymnasium, the baths and then the laboratories, chemical, biological and
physical, were visited.
As the party were proceeding through the various parts of the
building they heard the strains of music from the West High Band
which had gathered in the Hall, and which was greatly enjoyed by
Governor Hughes.
Several times during the tour through the building the Governor
expressed his interest, especially as the West High Athletic Field was
pointed out and the method by which it was procured was explained,
"That's fine spirit" he remarked. After leaving West High the Gov-
ernor and party were carried through Genesee Valley Park. The
wind was brisk, the air bracing and the Governor, as he said later, thor-
oughly enjoyed the trip.
At 6:15 o'clock Governor Hughes arrived at No. 14 Social Center.
One hundred thirty guests were gathered there, most of them officers
of the Civic Clubs in the League and all of them connected with the
Social Center movement. The room was handsomely decorated in
95
green and yellow with an abundance of daffodils on the tables. The
spirit of old fashioned hospitality was kept by the Women's Civic
Club, instead of hired waiters, acting as hostesses, and serving. The
menu cards had, embossed on the front, a picture of the Governor
and on the back the words which were quoted from his speech of
January 3 1st, 1908, in the invitation to him.
During the dinner the Orchestra played, and between courses
Social Center songs were sung, the Governor joining in them heartily.
At the conclusion of the dinner the toastmaster, Judge Stephens, in-
troduced Prof. Louis J. Yannuccini, the director of the Italian Men's
Civic Club at Xo. 14, who extended greetings to the Governor on
behalf of the Italian Colony of Rochester. Rev. C. A. Barbour, D.
D.. who had acted as the chairman of the organization meeting of the
League of Civic Clubs, was then called upon and gave a stirring ad-
dress of welcome in which he spoke of the non-partisan character of
the Civic Club movement and of the Social Center as a means of free
popular expression. "You are here," said he, "not as a guest of a
party or a clique, you are here, the guest of the people, meeting in
their own building, and as such, we welcome you." The Governor
then rose to respond, "I cannot express to you," said he, "how deeply
I appreciate the fact that you have permitted me to come to you to-
night, and the words of generous welcome that have been spoken here.
When Judge Stephens on February I2th, invited me to come to Roch-
ester I told him that it would be absolutely impossible ; that Rochester
was, of course, the most important city in the State, but that that fact
was not yet so generally recognized by the other communities of the
State : that I could not consistently come here twice in so short a time.
The Judge asked if you might come to see me and I told him you might,
although I thought at the time that it would be useless, and I think that
I can say that it is the first time that I have ever taken back what I
have said since I became Governor.
"When the delegation visited me with the invitation, signed by
some twelve hundred seventy people interested in this work, I ex-
pressed a thrill which it is the highest happiness of a man to enjoy,
that twelve hundred seventy people in Rochester, unselfishly interested
in such great work, should take such trouble to induce my coming
here to speak to them ; and that presented it in a light which made re-
fusal absolutely impossible.
96
"I regret very much that I could not come at the time which was
suggested to me by your committee, but I am very glad of the chance
to meet you less formally here, to see you more closely and to be able
to talk with you.
''Let me express my thanks for the greeting you have given and
for the uplift and the inspiration that you are giving. Later in the
evening I shall go more fully into my appreciation of the great work
that you are doing. I will say now, ho\vever, from what I have learned
of it, that I am more interested in what you are doing and what it
stands for, than in anything else in the world.
"We, at Albany, at times get a false perspective. It is in meet-
ings like these that we have the opportunity to get a true one, and I
would not have missed seeing what I have to-day and joining with you
to-night, for many of the ostentatious occasions which it is my lot, as
Governor, to take part in.
"You are buttressing the foundations of democracy, you are mak-
ing it more sure that our children will enjoy, even more richly, that
which we have cherished in our lives. Therefore, I honor you, I
honor your work, I have the highest appreciation for what you do, and
I thank you for allowing me to see it and to know more of it."
When the Governor finished speaking, in the midst of the ap-
plause, the orchestra struck up the National Anthem and the whole
body stood and sang together. There were a few minutes for greet-
ings, and congratulations to the executive committee upon the success-
ful carrying out of the arrangements thus far and to the Women's
Civic Club on the beauty of the decorations and the excellence of their
service. Then the whole party started for the hall.
Convention Hall had been decorated for the meeting. The body
of the hall was filled with members of the various Civic Clubs in the
League. The ushering was very satisfactorily done by committees ap-
pointed from each of the clubs. From 7 130 to 8 :oo o'clock the West
High Social Center Orchestra furnished music, which was greatly
appreciated. At 8:05 o'clock the party, which had dined with the
Governor, took seats on the stage. The newspapers remarked upon
the unusually representative character of this gathering and one, the
New York Post, spoke of it as "'unique."
All parties, every group, interest and class in the city, were there
represented. The character of the Social Center and Civic Club, as
97
an institution in which people meet without respect to external dif-
ferences, on a common ground of human interest, was there well illus-
trated.
At 8:10 o'clock the Governor entered. He was received with
hearty and prolonged applause. In introducing the Governor the
President of the League of Civic Clubs gave a brief statement of the
history and objects of the League, expressing the League's thanks to
those who had helped in making the movement successful and then
introduced the Governor as a man who had splendidly elevated the
high office which he held, a man whom the people of Rochester delight
to honor.
When the Governor rose to speak the audience greeted him again
with applause and cheers. His address was to deal with the question
of ''Direct Primaries" but before opening the discussion upon that sub-
ject he spoke as follows of the Rochester Social Center and Civic Club
movement.
"Mr. Mayor, Mr. Chairman, members of the League of Civic
Clubs, Ladies and Gentlemen : I thought that I held Rochetser in just
regard. I had an appreciation of its enterprise, its commercial expan-
sion, and of the thrift and intelligence of its citizens, but there are re-
sources of communities which are not reflected in statistics of com-
merce or industry, which cannot be expressed in amounts of money
representing invested or stored wealth. I have had the great privilege
of becoming acquainted, to-day, with the real resources of Rochester's
strength, and I would not have missed that opportunity. It is not in
the growth of wealth or of commerce, or in the expansion of industry,
that we find the true index of civilization. The question is whether,
with increasing opportunity, there still remains the generous senti-
ment; whether with growing wealth and new establishments of indus-
try and commerce there still remain the instincts of human brother-
hood. The question really is, while we are conserving individual op-
portunities are we growing more solicitous of the common good?
"You in Rochester are meeting one of the great tests of our demo-
cratic life ; you are proving that the virtues of humanity far exceed in
force the vices of humanity ; you are showing that it is health that is
really contagious, and that in a prosperous community the most intelli-
gent of the citizens of the community turn their attention to the
thought of mutual improvement and of enlarging the area of the real
99
opportunities of life, not in mere money getting but in enriching the
character, giving chance for expression of individuality, bringing home
the information and the stores of knowledge that are otherwise inac-
cessible to many who are burdened with the toils of the day. It is
in the Social Centers of Rochester that I should look for an answer to
the question, whether in a great democratic community you were realiz-
ing the purposes of society.
"I have enjoyed seeing the splendid provision that is made through
this movement for the promotion of physical well-being. How little
\ve realize that character must have its basis in self-respect, and it
takes a good deal of a saint to have self-respect when one is not well
and vigorous. I rejoice that boys and girls, and men and women, are
having a chance to lead a normal life, and to have the physical basis
upon which everything else in life so largely depends.
''And then you have gone beyond that, to give opportunity for in-
tellectual development. Wherever we may be born, in stately man-
sion, or in flat, or tenement, or under the humblest conditions, we are
pretty much alike, and it would be a rash man who would try to measure
brains by the cost of the nursery. Go anywhere you will, there is a
human soul demanding a fair chance, having the right to know what
has happened in the world, having the right to be enriched with the
stories and poetry of life, having the right to be inspired by the deeds
of men of force who have lived amid struggles in the past, having the
right to be shown the way upward to that wholesome life which is
absolutely independent of circumstances and which is strong and suc-
cessful because it is the life of a man or a woman doing a man's part
and a woman's part in a world which is fairly understood.
"I congratulate you upon the use that is made of the fine public
buildings that have been erected for educational purposes. I do not
think that I have seen any buildings of course, I except the Capitol at
Albany I do not think I have seen any public buildings so overworked,
or so fully worked, yielding such rich dividends upon the public invest-
ment through the promotion of the public good, as those school build-
ings that I visited to-day. We used to pass these stately edifices of
education, after school hours, and find them closed and dark, and inter-
esting only because of the architectural beauty or curiosity of their
facade. Now I don't know when they get time to clean the public
school buildings of Rochester. It seems to me that they are being used
100
all the while, and it is a school extension proposition, so that what the
community has paid for is now enriching the community in larger ways
than were at first thought possible, although in ways, under wise guid-
ance, which I understand are entirely compatible with the uses for
which they were primarily intended.
"But you have not stopped there and I am glad of that. You are
organized in Civic Clubs, and you have federated these clubs, and you
are discussing public questions. We cannot have too much of that. I
believe, absolutely, in the success of the merits of a proposition. The
one thing we cannot afford to do without in this country is public dis-
cussion. There may be those who shrink from a free examination of
public questions. You cannot hold the American public in leash, you
cannot muzzle American men and women. The only question is,
whether you will have it out in a time of turmoil and excitement and
agitation, when the coolest minds become somewhat heated, and when
there is the strife of a controversy and the anxiety to win, or whether
you will have calm discussion, with the sole desire to get at the truth,
in time of quiet and when reason and not passion control the dispute.
It is of the first importance, in every American community, that there
should be the largest possible opportunity for the rational discussion
of all questions that concern the community. Therefore it is that you
have done a great service to Rochester in organizing these forums of
public opinion.
"I do not overlook the advantage of the press and its great power
in forming public opinion. We would not be able to run the govern-
ment or to exist as a society without the play of these forces so largely
represented by our newspapers, but there is such a conflict of voices
and so many interests involved, and so many points of view, and so
many things to be read between the lines, that the average man cannot
always determine what he shall think by what he may read. The in-
fluence plays upon him, and whether he recognizes it or not, his opin-
ions are largely shaped by what he reads, but it is such a delight to sit
down with a few for a quiet and calm exchange of opinions, to get at
the respective points of view and see, once in a while, where the truth
really lies. And so you are at work in your clubs, discussing, getting at
the facts to the best of your ability, and applying to those facts the prin-
ciples in which you believe, under the corrective influence of the argu-
ments of others who are seeking to apply different principles. We
101
have nothing to fear in this country if we can only have enough of
that sort of thing. The danger is in having too little of it."
At the conclusion of the address the Governor remained upon the
platform and there shook hands with a large part of the audience,
especially with the members of the Civic Clubs. At the conclusion
of this reception, just before leaving the hall, the Governor said to
the supervisor of Social Centers : "To-night, at the dinner, I made
a statement which might be taken by the average person as extrava-
gant. My statement that T am more interested in what you people are
doing in the Social Centers and Civic Clubs, and what it stands for,
than in anything else in the world.' I am not given to making extra-
vagant statements and I would have it understood that that state-
ment was not extravagant, but was the fact. You are dealing in
fundamentals, you are doing the most important work."
That the Governor was sincere in his expression of interest in
the Social Center and Civic Club development and in his appreciation
of his reception is indicated by the fact that he ordered the check,
sent by the League of Civic Clubs returned, saying that the experi-
ence was an inspiration and that he wished personally to make the con-
tribution of his expenses to the work of the League.
It is hoped that at the end of next year plans for a general ban-
quet of the members of the Civic Clubs may be held in Convention
Hall, or in some suitable place, and several of the clubs have already
expressed their hope that Governor Hughes may be a guest on that
occasion.
The outlook for the work of the League during the coming year
is indicated by the report of the chairman of the Program Committee
given at a recent meeting. This report, to quote from the min-
utes of the meeting, was: "That a number of letters had been sent
out asking persons in the city for permission to use their names
on the list of speakers available for the meetings of the clubs, and that
with very few exceptions, the permission had been heartily granted."
He said that the response was encouraging as it indicated a good out-
look for the work of the League next year. The League is less than
two months old, but it has proved, on a city-wide scale, what, during
two years has been proved by the organization of the first Civic Club,
that only benefit is to be gained from free, widely representative or-
ganization in the common interest.
102
Officers of the Women's Civic Club at No. 14 Social Center.
"There's just one place where we all know that we are one in heart."
G. Special Clubs.
The Civic Clubs of men and women, and the young men's and
young women's clubs are the large governing bodies in which the vari-
ous persons engaged in Social Center activities, are organized. In
addition to these large general club organizations there has been the
opportunity for the formation of groups into clubs for special work.
The most notable of these is the ''Spontaneous Art Club" whose organi-
103
zation at the beginning of this year has been mentioned. This group
has held a meeting each week throughout the year at No. 14 Social
Center. It is without paid supervision and is simply a free banding
of young men and women for the benefit of working together in artistic
expression and development. Various lines of activity have been fol-
lowed. The cartoons which are used in this report are among the pro-
ductions of this club.
West High Social Center Orchestra.
The Spontaneous Art Club is the only Art Club which has been
formed, but in two of the Social Centers, orchestras, which are vir-
tually musical clubs, have been organized. The one at No. 14 formed
last year has already been spoken of. The one which was formed at
the West High Social Center on January isth, io/O9 r under the lead-
ership of Prof. Ludwig Schenck, is large and growing. It makes a
contribution to the Social Center life at West High similar to that made
by the orchestra at No. 14 the first season.
In addition to these special clubs there have been formed, in two
of the Centers, singing clubs. The meetings of the boys on Sunday
afternoons at No. 14 are practically in the nature of singing club meet-
ings. The club at No. 9 made up of young women has much the same
character.
"A city divided against it-
self shall not stand."
104
2. GYMNASIUM.
The gymnasium activities which were carried on in No. 14 Social
Center during the first year and which are described in the first part
of this report have been continued at No. 14 through the second year
and the work in No. 9 and West High has been carried on along prac-
tically the same lines. In West High Center in addition to the activi-
ties which are spoken of in con-
nection with the report of No. 14
during the first season, three spe-
cial classes have been conducted,
one in fencing, one in boxing and
one in wrestling. There has nat-
urally been added interest to the
gymnasium work by the oppor-
tunities which the organization
of two new Centers have given
for inter Social Center games
and meets. On March i ith there
was held, at No. 14, a meet be-
tween that Center and No. 9. As
in the inter-club debates, the feel-
ing ran high but nothing more
than a very friendly rivalry was
shown. On the i8th of March a
meet was held between West
High and No. 14 in the latter 's
gymnasium, and there, again, the
spirit of friendly rivalry was
shown. . A triangular meet for
the Social Center Championship
Dr. Whittle Making a Physical Examination Was held at No. 9 On the 9th of
April, and won by West High
Center. There have also been inter-Center meets between the women's
and girls' clubs in the three Social Centers.
In this connection it may be well to speak of the physical exami-
nations which were made in the three Social Centers during the months
of December and January. Dr. John A. Whittle, who has charge of
the general clinic of the Rochester Public Health Association, con-
105
sented to make, without remuneration, physical examinations of the
people who use the gymnasiums, \vith the following results :
At No. 9, of thirty-eight men and twenty women examined,
thirteen men and four women were found to have defective teeth ; four-
teen men and four women needed attention as to tonsils and adenoids ;
the eyes of three men and two women, the ears of three men, the noses
of eleven men and three women, the lungs of two men and two women,
were found to be defective, and six men and four women were in bad
physical condition otherwise.
At No. 14, of twenty-four men and eighteen women examined,
the teeth of seven men and three women, the throats of twelve men
and ten women, the eyes of two men and one woman, the ears of two
men and four women, the noses of six men and five women, the lungs
of two men and three women, were found to need a physician's atten-
tion, and five men and two women were otherwise in bad condition.
In West High, on account of the fact that Mr. Silsby, the gym-
nasium director, took charge of the physical examination of the men,
only the women were examined by Dr. Whittle. Of twenty of these,
the teeth of five, the throats of nine, the eyes of two, the ears of three,
the nose of one, were found in bad condition, and six were suffering
from miscellaneous ailments. A comparison of these records will show r
that the physical condition of the people in the several sections of the
The West High Gymnasium Is Well Equipped for the Women's Use in the Social Center.
106
city is not very different. The work that Dr. Brittle has done suggests
the value of a Health Advisor in connection with each of the Social
Centers. His presence has helped toward cleaner physical development,
especially among the boys.
No one, who has visited any of the Social Centers and seen the
gymnasium activities that are carried on there, can doubt the desira-
bility of this form of community co-operation for the general good.
3. LIBRARY.
What is said of the Library and Game Room in the report on th<
first year in No. 14 Social Center has held true for each of the Socia
Centers during this second year. One hundred forty-five person;
have made continuous use of the library at No. 9, one hundred thirty
seven of that at No. 14 and ninety-three of the one at West High
The magazines, and daily papers in each of the Centers have beer
largely used, especially on Sundays. The table games have also con
tinned popular, especially for the boys' and girls' clubs during the perio<
when they were excluded from the gymnasium. A beginning has beei
made in the organization of checker and chess tournaments, whicl
have added interest to these Social Center activities.
4. GENERAL EVENINGS.
The provision of a lecture or entertainment on one evening o
each week at which both men and women, both boys and girls coul<
meet in the Social Center, has been continued through this second year
In the report on the first year the series of programs for the genera
evenings is given. The following is the list of programs provided a
No. 9 during the second year. It is practically the same series whici
has been given in each of the Social Centers.
Nov. 7, 1908 Opening Evening, addresses by Com. Isaac Adler an
Mr. Lester Fisher.
107
Xov. 14, 1908 Address by Prof. Kendrick P. Shedd on "How to
Make a City Better."
Xov. 21, 1908 Address by Miss Marie Hofer of New York on "The
Folk Dance as an Expression of a Nation's Spirit"
Nov. 28, 1908 Address by Prof. Howard D. Minchin on "Sound,
Music and Noise/'
Dec. 5, 1908 Musical Entertainment given by Mr. Guy Ellis.
Dec. 12, 1908 Illustrated lecture by Dr. G. W. Goler, "Sanitary
Conditions in Rochester."
Dec. 19, 1908 Illustrated lecture by Prof. Kendrick P. Shedd on
"Holland."
Dec. 26, 1908 Address by Mrs. W. A. Montgomery, "The Spirit of
the Holidays/'
Jan. 2, 1909 Reading of "Monsieur Beaucaire", by Prof. Frazier.
Jan. 9, 1909 A general meeting, addresses by Prof. G. M. Forbes,
Mr. Lester Fisher, Mrs. W. A. Montgomery and
others.
Jan. 16, 1909 Readings by Miss Mabel Powers.
Jan. 23, 1909 Illustrated lecture by Dr. C. A. Barbour, "Our Na-
tional Wonderland."
Jan. 30, 1909 -Lecture by Eugene Wood, "Why and Wherefore"
Feb. 6, 1909 Address by Prof. Kendrick P. Shedd, "The Conquest
of the Inevitable."
Feb. 13, 1909 Patriotic evening, addresses, "Lincoln."
Feb. 20, 1909 Address by Rev. A. S. Crapsey, D. D., "Automatic
Government."
Feb. 27, 1909 Address by Edward J. Ward, "Boston and the Roch-
ester Social Center Idea."
Mar. 6, 1909 Prof. W. H. Moore "The Land of William Tell"
Mar. 13, 1909 Illustrated address by Mrs. W. A. Montgomery,
"Greece."
Mar. 20, 1909 Illustrated address by Frank C. Dawley, "Bird
Neighbors."
Mar. 27, 1909 Lecture by Joseph Cady Allen, "Much Ado About
Nothing."
Apr. 3, 1909 Illustrated address by Prof. K. P. Shedd, "Germany."
Apr. 10, 1909 Exhibition debate on "The Open Shop."
Apr. 17, 1909 "Good Bye Evening," addresses by prominent citizens.
108
The total attendance at these "General Evenings" at the three
Centers this year, from November ist to April I7th, was 22,961, ar
average attendance for each evening of 353. In all there have beer
65 lectures or entertainments provided ; of these 42 have been fur-
nished without expense to the city. Not more than ten dollars has
been paid as a fee for any lecture ; in addition to this fee it has, 01
course, been necessary to pay the traveling expenses of those speakers
who have been brought here from out of town. The' total cost, aside
from the lighting, heat, janitor service and supervision, of these gen-
eral evenings has been $291.70. This makes the cost for special en-
tertainment or lectures less than a penny and a quarter per attendance
The same spirit of generous co-operation has been shown during
this year, not only by those who have given their services free o:
charge, but also by those who have received a fee, for, in every suet
case, the service has been given at a fraction of the usual charge foi
such service.
Of the three Centers, No. 9 has had much the largest attendance
at the general meetings. Although the Assembly Hall there will ac-
commodate a thousand people, frequently every seat has been taker
and on several occasions numbers have been turned away.
At No. 14 the attendance has been reduced from that of lasi
year by the exclusion of school children, but many of the older people
have expressed their greater enjoy
ment of the quiet that has come
with the new arrangement.
At West High the series oJ
general evenings has been broken b)
the High School activities, whicl
had been arranged for Thursda)
evening before the Social Centei
program was made up.
The attractiveness of the gen-
eral evenings has been greatly in-
creased, especially at No. 9, by the
practice of following the lecture or
entertainment by either a basketball game or athletic exhibition, or
free social hour, but the greatest addition to the enjoyment of these
109
evenings has come in the provision of
songs in which the people present have
joined. Books containing familiar songs
have been procured and lantern slides
made of such as "America", ''Home
Sweet Home", "Suwannee River", "The
Old Oaken Bucket'', etc. In addition to
this a number of Social Center songs,
more or less in the style of those quoted
in connection with the account of the
Anniversary Banquet of the Men's Civic
Club, have been used. Several of these
are given here for what they express of the Social Center spirit.
THE SCHOOL HOME
Air : "Marching Through Georgia.''
I.
Hearken while we sing to you a new and wondrous song ;
Sing you of a remedy to help the world along;
Sing it with a spirit that shall echo from Hong Kong
The So-cial Cen-ter for-ever!
CHORUS :
Hurrah, Hurrah, the School Home is the thing!
Hurrah, Hurrah, we'll laud it with a ring!
The people own the School-House and the people They are King!
The So-cial Cen-ter for-ever!
II.
Once we thought the School-House was a thing to shut up tight,
When the daylight yielded to the shadows of the night.
Now we know our folly and we cry : "It wasn't right !"
The So-cial Cen-ter for-ever !
110
III.
Soon as School-Days ended then we left the place for aye.
Said good-by forever, for they "wouldn't let us stay,
Till \ve were enlightened and we found another way
The So-cial Cen-ter for-ever!
IV.
Xow when evening shadows fall the School-Home windows shine,
Then our friends and neighbors all, they form an endless line,
And flock into the School-Home where the Civic Clubs they "jine."
The So-cial Cen-ter for-ever!
Kendrick P. Shedd.
WHAT "SOCIAL CENTER" MEANS
Air: "Auld Lang Syne."
ALL.
Did you ever stop to figure out
What Social Center means?
Here you will find democracy,
Men kings, and women queens.
Here, each one can express his thought;
All stand on equal ground ;
Here cliff' rences are all forgot,
Here, Brotherhood is found.
BOYS.
We boys, who used to waste our time
On corners of the street,
Now turn our back on loafing
We've a better place to meet ;
A place where we can build ourselves,
Our body and our mind ;
And we will surely make good here.
The Center pays ; you'll find.
Ill
GIRLS.
We girls, who used to pose in front
Of mirrors half the day
Xow have the roses in our cheeks
Our powder's thrown away,
\Ye know that brains are more than hats.
That heads are more than hair ;
We're here because we mean to be
L'seful, as well as fair.
MEN.
We men here meet without constraint
Real questions to decide,
To face the common enemy
We stand here side by side.
Old prejudice is on the run,
Injustice too, shall go.
Why Rochester should not be right
To us you'll have to show.
WOMEN.
We women count as human here,
We've heads as well as heart
In solving civic problems we
Have come to do our part.
For the ideals of the home,
Expression we shall find
In cleaner, happier city-life
More beautiful and kind.
ALL.
And so we've told you what to us
The Social Center means ;
Here you will find democracy,
Men kings, and women queens.
Here each one can express his thought.
All stand on equal ground,
Here difFrences are all forgot
Here Brotherhood is found.
Ralph Grosman.
112
THE SOCIAL CENTER HOME
Air: "Oh, Didn't He Ramble?"
I.
There was a man whose noble heart
To love was open wide.
He sighed to see the clans that part,
The creeds that men divide.
He wandered forth o'er the land and sea
Throughout the world he roamed,
To find a spot where men should be
Like brothers in a home.,
CHORUS :
Oh, didn't he wander, wander ?
He braved the ocean's foam ;
He sped from York to Rome ;
Oh, yes, he wandered, wandered.
Until he found the SOCIAL CENTER HOME.
II.
He saw the Gentile and the Jew ;
He saw the great and small ;
The "masses" and the "classes," too,
With fences round them all.
"Oh, Lord," he prayed, "Give me to find
Upon this rolling sphere
The place w r here man to man is kind,
And let me linger there !"
CHORUS :
III.
Each nation had its symbol fair;
Each party owned its sign ;
And shells went shrieking through the air
To prove the mine and thine.
"Oh," cried the man with aching heart,
"And shall it never be
That men will drown the things that part
In one fraternity?"
CHORUS : Kendrick P. Shedd.
113
COME ALONG
Air: "Dixie."
I.
Oh ! I'm so happy in cle Social Center.
Da's de place 1 lub to enter,
Come along, come on.
Come ovah to de Center.
Da's a place da fo' my mothah,
Sistah. fathah an' my brothah.
Come along. come on.
Come ovah to de Center.
CHORUS :
Come ovah to de Center
Come along, come on.
I'll tell yon what; in dat ah spot
You'll find what a lot o' frens you got,
Come along, come on
Come ovah to de Center.
II.
( )h ! If yo' fat or if yo' slim.
You alwavs welcome in de gvm.
Come along. come on.
Come ovah to de Center.
Ef you get in de dumb-bell drills
Den. you won't pay no doctah's bills
Come along, come on,
Come ovah to de Center.
CHORUS:
III.
An' ef you full o' quietude
And want to read some book
dat's good
Come along, come on.
Come ovah to de Center.
An dis yeh verse we'll sing it low,
As to de readin' room we go,
Come along, come on,
Come ovah to de Center.
CHORUS :
Professor Ludwig Schenck Says "There Are
Great Possibilities of Popular Musical
Development in the Social Centers."
IV.
Oh ! da' is clubs fo' you an' me
Da's clubs where- we can disagree.
Come along, come on,
Come ovah to de Center.
We discuss, dispute an' argufy
But we'll lub each othah twell we die.
Come along with me,
I'm goin' to de Center.
CHORUS :
The song, however, which has perhaps been most popular in the
Social Centers is that which is furnished by adapting Edwin Markham's
poem "Brotherhood" to the air "Die Wacht am Rhine." There is not
only the great swing of the music and the excellence of the words them-
selves ; but the thought of changing a war song, written over a na-
tional boundary line, into a peace song of human solidarity, makes this
peculiarly fitted for Social Center expression.
BROTHERHOOD
Air : "Die Wacht am Rhine."
I.
The crest and crowning of all good
Life's final star is Brotherhood;
For it will bring again to earth
Her long-lost Poesy and Mirth
'Twill bring new light to every face,
A kingly power upon the race ;
And till it come, we men, we men are slaves,
And travel downward to the dust of graves.
II.
Come, clear the way, then clear the way,
The fear of kings has had it's day
Break the dead branches from the path,
Our hope is in the aftermath,
Our hope is in heroic men
Star-led to build the world again,
To this event the mighty ages ran,
Make way for Brotherhood ; make way for Man.
Adapted from "Brotherhood," by Ednuin Markham.
115
Any one who doubts that the sentiment of Brotherhood is
more than a surface emotion should have been present at the Good Bye
Evening at Xo. 9, when the Civic Clubs there presented to the director
of the Social Center a beautiful loving cup inscribed with these words,
"Have we not all one father? Hath not one God created us? Why
shall we deal treacherously every man against his brother?"
In the selection of the speakers and programs for the general even-
ings the expressions of the desires of the community have been wel-
comed, but the control has been in the hands of the Board of Education,
administered through the Supervisor. It has just been decided by
unanimous vote in each of the Social Centers that the General Even-
ing programs shall be directly in the hands of the people of the Social
Centers next year. At Xo. 14 and Xo. 9 the general evenings of
next year will be divided between the clubs, ten to be taken charge
of bv the Men's Club, nine by the Women's Club, three by the
Young Men's Club and three by the Young \Yomen's Club. At \Yest
High it has been decided that for next year the general evenings should
be held twice a month on the second and fourth Thursdays. Eour of
these evenings will be in charge of the Men's Club, four in charge of
the Women's Club and two in charge of each of the younger clubs.
This plan is, of course, in harmony with the Social Center idea of com-
munity expression through the use of the school buildings, not only for,
but by the people.
5. ATTENDANCE.
Xot counting the attendance of the partial Social Centers or clubs
in unequipped school buildings, the attendance at the three Social Cen-
ters, during this second year, from Xovember ist to April I7th, has
been 55, 782. The attendance by Centers and months has been as fol-
lows :
Xo. 14.
X T ovember, 1908, 2,476 an average of 107
December, 1908. 2,543 an average of 91
January, 1909, 2,798 an average of 94
February, 1909. 3,147 an average of 121
March. 1909, 3,080 an average of 146
April, 1909, 1,110 an average of in
Total for five and one half months, 15,154.
116
an
an
an
an
an
an
average
average
average
average
average
average
of
of
of
of
of
of
135
165
120
75
107
"3
West High.
November, 1908, 2,913
December, 1908, 4,600
January, 1909, 2,761
February, 1909, 1,877
March, 1909, 2,357
April, 1909, 904
Total for five and one half months, 14,621.
Xo. 9.
November, 1908. 3,618 an average of
December, 1908, 4,731 an average
January, 1909, 5,709 an average
February, 1909, 4,628 an average
March, 1909, 3,790 an average
April. 1909, 3,531 an average
Total for five and one half months, 26,007.
Of this total attendance 22,961 was for the general evenings, leav-
ing the remainder to include the attendance in club meetings, gymnas-
ium, library, etc. Adding to this the attendance of 276 at the meetings
of the Men's Club at No. 14 during October and the 7,000, which is a
very conservative estimate of the total attendance of the various league
and club meetings outside of Social Centers (an accurate record of this
independent club attendance has not been completely kept) we get a
total for the attendance of Social Centers and Civic Clubs, for the sea-
son of 63,058. The averages are found by dividing the total attendance
A Swimming Tank Will Be a Part of the Equipment of No. 26 Next Year.
117
by the number of periods during which the Social Centers have actually
been in operation during the month. This attendance is about equally
divided between those between 14 and 21 and those over that age. The
attendance of men and boys has been about one-third larger than that of
women and girls.
6. COST.
The receipts and disbursements for Playgrounds, Vacation Schools
and Social Centers as given in the report of the Board of Education for
1908 is as follows:
Receipts.
From City $10,398 oo
- $10,398 oo
Disbursements.
I 'lax-grounds $4,023 30
Vacation Schools 7^7 ^9
Social Centers 5,586 38
$10,397 57
Balance 43
This amount of $5,586.38 covers the expense of No. 14 Social
Center for the four months of the spring of 1908, which was $1,995.72
and the expense of the Social Centers at No. 14, West High and No.
9 through November and December, as well as the outside Civic
Clubs during the fall of 1908. The expense of maintaining the
social work in the public Schools, including Social Centers and inde-
pendent clubs, for January, February and March, to April 17, 1909,
was $5,102.85. Putting this with the cost of three Social Cen-
ters during the fall we have a total expenditure for the three Cen-
ters and all of the expenses for lighting, heating and janitor service,
incidental to independent clubs in school buildings of $8,794.95.
Comparing this figure with the total attendance for the year of 63,-
058, we find that the average cost during this second year has been
less than fourteen cents per attendance. This includes the whole ex-
pense for the provision of gymnasium, baths, library, games, lectures,
facilities for club meetings, supervision and expenses for lighting,
heat, janitor service, etc. As last year, the cost is made larger by
the expense of securing permanent equipment for the Social Centers
and the cost in proportion to the attendance is larger by the cutting
down of that attendance through the exclusion of school children.
118
IX
INDICATIONS OF THE SUCCESS OF THE
EXPERIMENT THROUGH THE
SECOND YEAR
The first, and least important, indication of the success of Roch-
ester's experiment in the development of Public School Social Centers
is the fact that other cities, learning of the Rochester plan, are start-
ing movements to follow the example of this city.
The chairman of the School Extension Committee, which was
responsible for the beginning of the Social Center movement, not long
ago visited the city. Before one of the Civic Clubs he said, "The
success that Rochester is making of it's Social Centers will mean
that other cities will take Rochester for an example and pattern."
In February the supervisor of Social Centers was invited to give
several addresses on the movement, in Boston and Cambridge.
Word has recently been received from the secretary of the Massachu-
setts Civic League, that as a result of the presentation of the Roch-
ester idea of Social Centers and Civic Clubs, there is a movement in
the City of Boston to develop similar work to that which is done in
Rochester.
In March, in response to repeated and urgent invitations, the su-
pervisor addressed several audiences in Philadelphia on Rochester's
Social Center and Civic Club experience. Recently one of the leaders
in municipal activities in Philadelphia, whose interest had been roused,
came to Rochester and after visiting several Social Centers and in-
specting their methods, he said publicly, "It is our ambition to have
such Social Centers as these in Rochester."
The visit of the delegation of thirty-one persons from Buffalo on
the 1 4th of December has been mentioned. As a result of that
visit an organization called the "Buffalo Social Center Association"
has been formed with the definite purpose of copying the Rochester
plan. On January 23rd and 24th the Superintendent of Education
of Buffalo visited the Rochester Social Centers. On the afternoon of
the 24th, before the Italian Men's Civic Club at No. 14, he said: "I
have recently returned from a trip to Europe which I took to see the
educational systems and the development of the Public Schools.
What I saw 7 at one of your Social Centers last night, and what I have
been seeing here to-day, lead me to think that here in America there
119
are some developments as worthy of copying as anything in Europe.
1 came to Rochester unannounced, because I wanted to see your
Social Centers in their usual activities and not on parade. They seem
to be successful and popular. The City of Buffalo means to be pro-
gressive and we are ready to copy anything that seems to be an im-
provement. I think that we shall copy this idea from Rochester."
The opinions of distinguished visitors, who are familiar with
the municipal activities in other cities, are possibly next in importance
as means of judging the success of this experiment. Chief among
these, of course, has been Governor Hughes, whose statement is
quoted above. The opinion of Prof. Charles Zeublin, who perhaps
more than anv other man is familiar with municipal developments in
this country and in Europe, has already been mentioned. On January
1 2th, Dr. W. D. P. Bliss of the United States Bureau of Commerce
and Labor, visited the Social Centers and attended one Men's
Civic Club meeting. As the author of the "Encyclopedia of Social
Reform," as well as on account of his position as Government
Investigator, the opinion of Dr. Bliss may be taken as that of an ex-
pert, lie said, "In no city with which I am familiar in this country
or in Europe is there any movement which is so widely representative
of every class and interest in the municipality as is this Social Center
and Civic Club movement in Rochester. I understand that the spirit
of these Centers and Civic Clubs is social exchange and acquaintance-
ship and co-operation, instead of the service of one part of the com-
munity by another. This is a new, fine ideal."
The most important endorsement of the Social Centers and
Civic Clubs, from the point of view of their continued existence, is
that of the Board of Education, under whose supervision the work
is conducted. Considering the conservative spirit which the Board
of Education manifested in the beginning of the Social Center move-
ment, the fact that the Board has this year recommended that a fund
should be appropriated which will make it possible that the work be
not only maintained, but extended, next season, may be taken as a
strong endorsement. The recommendation of the Board of Education
was supported by the Civic Betterment Committee as well as by a num-
ber of other representative organizations, not affiliated with that body.
An appropriation double that of last year has been made this spring by
the Common Council for this fund.
But, while the movements of other cities to imitate the Rochester
120
plan suggest the wider meaning of the success of this experiment,
while the opinion of distinguished visitors is of great value, and while
the approval of the Board of Education is absolutely necessary for
the continuance of this movement, the persons, whose estimation
counts for most of all are, first, those who are closest to; and, second,
those who are in, the Social Centers and Civic Clubs.
The Principals of the Schools in which Social Centers are estab-
lished are among the best judges of their worth, for the School
Buildings were constructed primarily for the education of the children,
and if the Social Center development were to mean injury to the day
school activities or lessening that prime service, nothing could justify
their existence. For this reason, the statement of the Principals of
the two Grammar Schools, in which Social Centers have been main-
The Women's Civic Club at West High Sometimes Invites the Men to Their Meetings.
tained, regarding the effects of the use of the School Building for this
purpose upon the work of the day school children, is important. Ac-
cording to their statement the effects are three. First, the fitting of
the building with gymnasium apparatus, stereopticon lantern and other
equipment incidental to its use as a Social Center, adds equipment
which may be used for the day school. Second, the effect upon the
children, especially the boys in the schools, of having the older boys
and young men, to whom they naturally look as examples, spending
their time in the evening in the school building instead of on the street
corner, is perceptibly good. Third, the use of the school building as
a community gathering place to which people come, not per force, but
because they enjoy doing so, tends to develop in the school children
an entirely new idea of the privilege which is theirs in using these
buildings.
121
Second, the people who live in the neighborhoods, where Social
Outers and Civic Clubs have been established, are the best judges of
their value. On January 9th, 1909. in No. 9 Social Center was held a
mass meeting to consider the question of whether the work should
be maintained and extended through the coming year. The assembly
hall will accommodate, by using standing room as well as seats, over
a thousand. The night was stormy, rain and sleet filled the air and
the walking could not have been worse, yet every inch of space was
rilled, and there were people turned away for whom there was not
room. In opening the meeting the President of the Men's Club, a
man who had been intimately associated with the work from its, begin-
ning, said: "Through the Social Centers and Civic Clubs we have .
A Debate on Woman Suffrage Was the Program of the No. 23 Men's Civic Club Meeting of
May 3. For Such Programs Women Are, of Course, Invited.
vehicle for bringing matters to the very doors of the people. The
response in Rochester is marked and there is developing a civic pride
and an interest in this city that is bound to place Rochester in the
fore among the cities of the country." Leaders of the community life
were among the speakers ; however it was not their words alone, but
the enthusiasm with which their endorsement of the Social Centers
was received that expressed the true feeling that those who are re-
sponsible for the Social Center's success have toward it.
While neither at Xo. 14 nor at West High has a mass meeting
been held, in each of these Centers there have been unanimous expres-
sions of a desire for the work to continue.
Hut these formal expressions of the people concerning the value
122
of the Social Centers and Civic Clubs do not mean so much as the
spontaneous expressions of approval of the idea, which have been
called forth from individuals and groups ; now in a Social Center gym-
nasium, where young fellows enjoy physical exercise amid wholesome
environment, or in one of the Coming Club meetings when a debate
\vas progressing; now in the midst of a social hour at the close of
some lecture or entertainment, or again, in the midst of an earnest dis-
cussion in some Men's or Women's Civic Club.
There have been criticisms ; indeed, the strongest guarantee of the
character of the Social Center is it's openness to criticism, but these
criticisms have been of method and of detail. No person, who has
visited a Social Center or attended a Civic Club, has yet been heard to
express anything but approval of the idea. And almost always there
has been in the expression of approval a suggestion of wonder that
this larger use of the School Buildings has not before been made in the
city, a suggestion, even on the part of those who were themselves
born in the city and who have always lived there, that this is just an
expression here of the spirit of community interest, the neighborly
-spirit, the democracy that we knew in the evening gatherings in the
little red school house back home.
The other evening in one of the Social Centers a man said :
"Won't it be home-like when other cities take up this idea. One will
always know that there is a friendly, interesting place not far away
where he can spend an evening, a place where class and race lines,
religious and political differences don't count, where people are just
'folks' meeting on common ground in the common interest."
Why wear the mask of pettiness,
Why pretend that we are small,
When the honest heart of each of us
Encompasses us all?
123
Coming Civic Club Annual Debate Trophy
Won, This Year, by No 9.
A 000084549
