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 
 
 11
 
 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