New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-23
ToRICAL INTEREST.

by DR.. F. B. Kelley for the best composition on
"A City History Excursion was won by Miss
Minnie Bechtold, of the Holland Club and she was
presented with copy of Hemstede's Works and
Corners of Old New-York"
Masters Isidore Gilbert. of the George E. Waring
Jr. Club and L. T. E. Atkinson of the Washing
ton Irving Club. and the Misses Dora Tereski. of
Cornelia Clinton Club, and Katie Rosenberg of the
Knickerbocker Club, all received honorable men
ton.
Dwight L. Elmendorf gave lecture on vic
tories OF Peace. an Excursion to Three Republics,
Whlch ne followed with several moving pictures.
The members of the various clubs sang In chorus
My City, IT'S of Thee" and America"
IN her ADDRESS of welcome the president urged
the adoption of penny tax. She explained that
there was plan foot to require each child to
pay one cent for each lesson. and use the money
thus obtained for tablet memorial of Andy
McGoWan. who saved the day for Washington in
one OF the battles of the Revolution She also
spoke Of the plan of the organization to adopt a
CLASS song. Three prizes. she explained, to be
onered for the best song submitted at the time of
the exhibition in May
HISTORY OF THE CLUB
The City History Club, with headquarters at No
% West Forty-fourth-st. is an excellent organ
ization which to interest the children of
the city, well its own members in the study
OF civtcs and local history
Mrs. Robert Able is president Miss Florence Col
gate secretary, and Miss NJ. B. Fairfield assistant
secretary. Any resident of this city may become
member by the annual payment Of 50 cents,
or life member by the payment OF $40. This
society, organized two years and a half ago. en-
beavers to attain its ends by forming classes for
the study OF the ctys history in the public
schools, the colleges and the university settle
ments by night schools in the poorer quarters of
the city, by excursions to historic places by
pictures, and by the publication of leaflets and
pamphlets describing famous dramatic events In
the ctys history
There some ninety clubs with a mem
Fr0r tuyAlIy
these clubs waiting for teachers
New ground had to be broken from the begin
ing and the managers have been obliged to feel
their way at every step. The first year only three
or four elementary classes were formed and nor
NAL lessons were given to the teachers who were
in all cases volunteers. BY the middle of the sec
ond year the work outgrew all bounds and Dr.
Frank b. Kelley, formerly head of the depart
ment Of history in Columbia Grammar School,
and now in charge of the department of history in
the Boys High School, was put in charge of the
normal work. He held regular teachers meetings
once a month to discuss and plan the work
This year a new plan has been put in OPERA
ton The city has been divided into five dis
trlcts each having more less historic localities
and each bearing historic name. The first dis
trlct comprises that part of the city lying south
OF Houston-st. and east of the Bowery and is
called De Lancey. The second lies between Hous-
ton-st and Twenty-sixth-st. and east of Fifth
ave. This is called Stuyvesant. North of that
and east Of Fifth-ave is the Rhnelander District
south Of Twenty-sixth-st. and west of Fifth
ave. is the Washington Square District North
Of Twenty and west of Fifth-ave
without bounds the north is the Bloom
ingdale District There are two kinds of or
CARNATIONS In each district, the class and the
small local club the first for teaching the second
for social purposes. union meeting of the club
members and teachers of district is held once
month, at which illustrated lecture is given
and after that conference or experience meeting
takes place. In which experiences and methods are
a Was long T0ir+b
day, there is general celebration. This usually
takes place in some theatre. and the whole body
of members comes together
Another popular feature is the excursions to
historic localities in and about the city. Seven
or these have been given, foot some on
bicycles. and some on trolley The first of
these excursions was to the Battery and vicinity
and embraced visits TO the battery" an old stone
breastwork for guns that stood on the pres
ent line of State-st.; the site of the of
the British garrison in Colonial times en- the pres
ent line Of Water-st., south of Whitehall-st; the
site Of old Fort George; No. Bowling Green; the
site of the equestrian statue of King George III
In July, 1776; the site of the old Merchants Ex-
ern, now standing on the corner nnnosite where
Washington took leave of his officers in December
H1ys at No Is Pearist the Site Of the or ONCE of
Bradford printing press at No 81 Pearl-st, the
first printing press established in New-York: the
former office of The New-York Gazette" on the
Square CHS vas the first newspaper printed in
New-pGrk; Wall-St; the marble statue of VIII
honor Ct his defence of American rights in the
Tories in consequence (this may now be seen in
the New-York Historical Societys Building); the
sau SITS, where the Colonial Assembly met, where
the first library in New-York was opened and
dent; Trinity Church: ST Pau's Church; City Hail
Park. and the sites of notable buildings that once
The second excursion was to the old houses in
New-York Historical Society and to the tablet of
the vault of the stuyvesant family in St. Marks
chapel built by stuyvesant.. The fourth was a BIZ
Gycie, excursion to McGown's Pass, the scene of
to the battle ground of Harlem EN- Heights the sixth
York City in general south of Wall-st.
The club has also issued number Of publica-
History s yhs Of Course 6
Study in the History of the City of New York
dress at the dinner of the New-York Board of
Trade and Tra9spoftatio1 Jointly With the League
the organ of both societies.
To gain a good idea of the practical working of
the district union meetings, to all of which those
interested cordially invited The location of
tary of the club at its office. No % West Forty
fourth-st, from to p. m. on Mondays and
The work in the classes is done largely by volun-
teer teachers from phiianthropc motives There is
a dearth of these. and appeal is made for
and by pictures The latter method is novel and
merits description The club has collected large
and places in and about the city with portraits of
notable men and women picture Is given the
Some of these. as might be expected, make most
'"The Shortest said Miss Fairfield teacher.
was three lines and the longest iye pages. Not
rev %nE snoM that Would not discredit profes
sional writer. Perhaps Irish boys show the
most enthusiasm-they have natural aptitude for
politics and government and are quick to see that
the knowledge gained T,o in the f, schools os Of the
seems sometimes TO be lngrained IN them. This