Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-04-13
FROM THEPEoPkE
SH . II A Corresp ondent Tells of the Early Days
 of the Catholic Literary Association. Edifnr of fha DEMocRAT:

A Corresp pondent Tells of the Early Days
 of the Catholic Literary Association. Editor of the DEMOCRAT;
 yIn reference to the article in last night s DEMOCRAT, wish to say that in my opin- ian the late Dennis J. Connor of Stone street was the first president of the Young Mems Catholic Literary association. It will be remembered that the society was first known as the Young Mems Christian Doctrine and Literary association, the members acting as teachers and collectors for Dr Hendricken at the Immaculate Con- ception church, until June, 1870, when a picnic at which ale and lager were said to have been sold brought the society into a dispute with the pastor, who dismissed the members from the Sunday school. The society met, to consider this matter on June 19, 1870. D. J. Connor was in the chair. William c. Keenan offered the following resolution: "Resclved. That the words Christian Doctrine be left out of the name of the association and that henceforth the society be known as the Young Mems Catholic Literary associa- tion." The resolution brought out con- siderable debate, some of the members en- deavoring to have the word "benevolent" substituted instead of literary" Mir keenan's motion was put and declared carried. The vote was doubted and was put second time with the same result. The house was then divided, when it was found that majority favored a literary society, and as such it has since been known. Immediately after the meeting the society became reconciled with the Rev Dr Henderson and for years the members carried out the usual work of teaching in the Sunday school.
 For over twenty-seven years the rooms of the society have been the rendezvous of all the literary inclined Catholic young men of the city and the different debates and other literary exercises held under its auspices would make quite an interesting volume. But it is as debating club that the society will be best remembered by those who belonged to it when exercises of purely literary character constituted the sole aim of its members.
 At meeting held October 16, 1870, a | committee consisting of Maurice Dee, John H. Moran, William c. keenan, Joseph Corr and D. J. Connor, was appointed to secure the services of lecturer. It was voted on motion of Joseph Corr that one- half the proceeds of the lecture be donated towards the erection of a church in Ire. land, the pastor of which was we'll known to the mover of the motion. At the next meeting the committee reported that they had put themselves in communication with John Mitchell of New York and John Boyle O'Reilly of Boston. At meeting held December 25, 1870, the committed reported that they had secuted the ser vices of John Boyle O'Reilly to deliver a lecture. MT O'Reilly was not long in the country at the time, having arrived in Philadelphia on the 53d of November.
 
 pected to reap a rich harvest from his lec- ture and wishing to profit by their labors voted to rescind the vote donating one- half the proceeds to Mir Corr's priest in Ireland and devote thefull proceeds to the purchase of books for their library. The following committees were appointed: TC sell tickets down stairs, Patrick Mooney and Peter Murphy; to sell tickets up stairs, James Bowling and Frank Reid; ushers, James White and Thomas Moore; to escort the lecturer from the depot to the hall D. J. Casey, D. J. Connor and Andrew Gun ningham.
 From 1871 to 1880 the society saw its palmiest days and included among its members some of the best local talent in the city. Among them being, besides those whose names have been already mentioned, James Grogan, Thomas Ham mond, Edward Madden. Adrian, Lucien and Alfred Wolff. P. F. Bannon, J. A. Cullen. Thomas Finnegan, Michael Dris- coll, William c. Moore, E. B. Kelley, F. McEvoy, John Gaynor, Emmet Rior. dan, Martin Mcdonald, John c. Downey Francis J. Kane, John Scully, John w. Gaffney, James Lyons, William Kennedy, Bernard Kilduff. To-day the society is made up of some of the principal business men and mechanics in the city, and has a larger membership than at any time dur ing its history.
 Some of the debates which took place back in the seventies would make good reading matter for the local papers of to- day. In 1869 the society had a lively voting contest for superintendent of the Sunday school. John H. Moran and Will liam c. Keenan were the candidates. MT Moran won by few votes. When the re- suit was announced MT keenan moved that the new superintendent be laid on the table for a month, and endeavored to force the passage of his resolution in spite of the cries of order from the chair.
 On another occasion the society was dis cussIng some question on political econ omy with Edward Madden of Railroad Hill street and William c. Keenan as leaders. MT Madden was making his closing argument and tearing MT keenan' $ arguments to shreds when the latter called cut to the judge: MT Chairman. I object to the introduction of such matter on the part of the senator from the horse bury ing ground" The remark brought down the house, and it took the combined efforts of several of the members to save the joker from being treated to good drubbing from the victim of his wit.
 Quite good many of those who figured prominently in the society have long since passed over to the silent majority, but some future searcher after the history ot the first generation of Catholic young men in Waterbury will find valuable ma tarial in the records of the debates and literary exercises heli in the rooms of this society. For this reason, Mir Editor. 1 think it would not be amiss to call together all the ex-members of the society who are now living here and determine who was it's first president. and then let the society see that his picture is included in the new history of Waterbury.
 DirectuIn May Be Barred.