The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-03-12
ST J0SEPH'S LYCEUM
Prosperous Club Composed
of Members of Mon
signor seton's
Church.
HOW THE ASSOCIATION GREW
Men Who Have Hefd Office and
Those Now in Charge
Among the Churches.

OF the many Catholic organizations m
this city none has a more interesting
history than ST. Josephss Catholc Ls-
ceum. This organization is perhaps the
oldest of its kim in the city and has had
a successful career. Like other organl-
cations. of course interest in the cihp
| affairs flags occasionally, but this IS TO
be expected. At present the Lyceum IS
in a rood condition. In 1888 it was that
the Lyceum was organized. The first
meeting for the purpose Of building up a
club for the young men OF the PARISH
was held in the basement of ST. Vincent
De Pauls Hail on Baldwin avenue, adj
joining the church. 1t was the Rev.
Father Smith who started the movement.
He is now in charge of st. Mary's K. c.
Church, Newark. At the first meeting
of the Lyceum the Rev. Father Frank
Kirwin. who was then an assistant in st.
Joseph's Church, was elected president.
There were about thirty charter mem
bers. The membership increased and 50
much interest was taken in he AFFAIRS
of the new club that new quarters were
secured, the place of organization not
being nearly large enough to accommo-
date all the members on a meeting night.
MoPherson's Hall. on Newark avenue,
opposite the Court House, was the new
home.
Shortly after, in 1890, the CLUB
into the hall next door at No. 372 Newark
avenue. and from there into No. 5f6 New
ark avenue. Some time previous to this
Rev. Kirwin went to Seton Hall College
in Orange to study, and in 1898 he came
back to this city and said his first mass
in ST. Joseph's Church. The same year
the club, of which he was formerly presi-
dent. rendered him a banquet at Taylor's
Hotel. On that occasion a beautiful gold
chalice was presented to him by the MEM
bers of the club. He was sent to Pater-
son the following year. where he died
after about six months work in the new
field of labor.
The Lyceum has been famous for it's
baseball games, its amateur dramatic
society and it's team of bowlers. The club
prides itself particularly on the excellent
dramatic society. During the past five
years the amateurs ave produced a
number of plays, all of which have been
very successful. The greatest success the
society ever scored was was "Shaughran,'
an Irish comedy, was produced in Oak
land Rink. The amateur thespians were
compelled to repeat the performance three
times. A large sum of money was real
lied from that source and turned over to
the church. In fact the dramatic society
is considered the best in the State, that
is, of course, among amateurs.
The efforts of the many officers of the
club who were elected from time to time
have been crowned with success, and the
organization has been very prosperous.
Present Fire Commissioner Cone was
President from 1898 to 1895, and Mr..
Burke from 1896 to 1897. Toward the
spring of 1887 interest in the club Jagged
very much. The members said that a
club of such a long standing should have
a clubhouse of its own. Many were dis
satisfied with the clubrooms and openly
said SO. The meetings were dull, the at
tendance very light, and things went
along in a half hearted way for about
six months. Monsignor Seton of st.
Joseph's saw that the club was ~decaying
and would disband if something was not
lone to build it az, and that it must be
lone quickly. The Moderator, Father
Moran, was instructed by Monsignor Sc
ton, to start a movement among the young
men. "A new set of officers were elected
accordingly, and they are as follows
President, John P. Egan; First Vice
President, John w. Sullivan; Second Vice
President, P. J. Fitzsimmons; Recording
Secretary, +. F. O'Neill; Financial Secre-
tary. D. j. Driscoll; Treasurer, Edward
P. O.Neill, and Sergeant-at-Arms, Ed
ward Gallagher; Board of Trustees, An
drew J. Lynch, John J.. Walsh, John j.
Boyne, J. j. O'Brien. J.. J.. Griffin, A. j.
Lyons, Robert Smith, J. A. Smith, D. r.
Smith. w. J.. Ryan, Frank Evans, J. Sui
livan, John M. Fadden, J.. Mannion, J..
w. Burke and N. Walterthum.
The standing committees are:-Member-
ship, Auditing, Entertainment, House
and Athletics.
Shortly after his election President Egan
called on M%onsignor Seton n stated the
reason why the club had fallen off 50
much of late. He said that the members
wanted a new clubhouse, and felt that
they were entitled to one. The reasons
stated were that the members wanted to
make the young ladies of the parish ASSOC
c;ate members. About a month before
the election of the present set of officers.
Father Smith, who was then at the head
of the club, was sent to Newark, and this
nut the club in a bad way There was no
one the members could go to for advice and
some thought seriously of d%isbanding.
Then Father Moran was sent to st. Jo-
seph's, and he was given instructions to
build up the once prosperous institution.
Monsignor Seton told President Egan to
nave a committee appointed to look after
a new clubhouse, which could be used for
| a year or so, and by that time he thought
he could then see his way clearly to erect
a new building.
The committee was duly appointed, and
the members hope to be comfortably set
tied in another home by May. Since the
organization was resuscitated many mem
bers have joined and there are at pres
ent about no. Meetings are held every
Thursday evening!
On Thursday evening next the club will
give a euchre. This will be held in Pa
vonia Hall, adjoining the church. On this
| occasion seventy tables will be in use.
This will be one of the greatest events Of
it's kind ever held in this city. Valuable
prizes will be awarded, three for the gem
tlemen and three for she ladies. There
will also be Two consolation prizes. The
most desirable of the prizes is a box at
the Academy of Music. This is a single
prize. and the tickets for same will be
awarded TO one person, the one winning
the most games. Senator w. p. DAILY will
be present to make a short address. His
| subject wifi be societies and the Bene-