Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-02-18
IAe CLUB BULLETIN BOARD.
A Primitive Method Of Communicates
That Carries Many Messages.

Hrtmltlvo Metno0 OF OOmu1outcoktou
That Carries Many Messages.
Every we'll regulated club has prim-
tive and picturesque method OF COM
munication with It's members. This sur
vival Of an earlier time is the bulletin
board Here is the transient record Of
club news. the family gossip, the list Of
delinquents and delinquencies. Every
body glances at the bulletin board in
passing, because now matter is posted
daily. and some Of 1t may concern every
member. II is thought indelicate 10 lin
ger long at the board, for while part OF
tho punishment Of delinquents is pub
licity man bushes to be- found scan
ming too closely the names Of those thus
pilloried. There is the familiar and per-
manent list Of those in arrears for house
account" as tho phrase is.
You may read there the story Of mems
financial straits. Everybody comes to
expect certain recurrent names, and ev-
erybody smiles ut the appearance in this
list Of names that would be good for
many thousands at the bottom Of %
check. The habitual delinquents take a
sort Of comfort in being found in such
company. Ii is more serious when q
name appears in the list Of those sus-
pended from club privileges for nonpay
ment Of house accounts. There was q
time when club credits were SO liberal
that u member Of three or four clubs
could easily live year upon credit by
exhausting his credit at each in turn.
There used to be gossip Of hundreds Of
dollars owed 10 clubs by single members.
men of known expectations. who could
hardly fail to pay up in time. But club
credits have been greatly curtailed Of
late years, and there are few clubs
where man may get in debt beyond
$50 for supplies.
Worse yet is the list Of those posted
for nonpayment Of dues. for this implies
q possible willingness to retire from the
club in delinquency. Posting, however,
usually has u salutary effect upon such
delinqueDts. and the posted list Of sus-
pensions for nonpayment Of dues always
rapidly melts away. Some names are
transferred to the list OF those dropped
for nonpaynent Of dues. There is
worse limbo than this-tho list Of those
expelled. That, however, Is always a
short list, AZ expulsions are rare. and
sometimes, indeed, they are not ali.
nounced by posting.
,.sa nf YvnnnSaA for t1af aft,h hnF
ship are subject to strange vicissitudes.
Most New York clubs have q committee
on membership, whose duties are edi-
torial, so 10 speak. Its business is TO
keep out unfit applicants for member
ship. Some names appear month after
month, and then finally cease to appear
in the list Of applicants without having
appeared in the list Of new members.
This means that the persistence Of the
admissions committee has tired out the
friends Of the rejected applicant.
There is pleasant custom, courte
Gus convention Of club life, that finds
expression ON the bulletin board. 1t is
the card of departing visitor with the
familiar p. p. g. and 'To the president
and members Of the - club" This
antique courtesy seems to be u survival
Of "a time when clubs were smaller aud
more intimate than now. and when
visitor. enjoying the hospitalities OF the
club for ten days, might be supposed 70
have met all the frequenters Of the place.
Doubtless it is proper form Of fare
we'll, but II seems little incongruous
with the state Of affairs in club of
$500 members where the visiting
stranger may not have made the ac-
quaintance Of dozen frequenters OF the
club.
Every club bulletin board bears from
time to time little black bordered card
with the name Of q member and the
date Of his death, while the flag on the
roof flies for a single day at half mast.
Sometimes the lost member is man
whose death has stirred the whole town.
Oftener he is one unknown to the great
host of his fellow members. Known or
unknown, however, his name will go
into the ever lengthening list OF DE
ceased" ut the end Of the next years
clubbook. New York Sun.