The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-11-20
CLUB HISTORY AND
Club TRADITIONS
How the Hallottina Is Conducted In
Fashionable Town Clubs When
There Are Many Names on
the Waiting Lists.
BY ANNIE KENDRlck WALKER.


The utter blase look of the typical club
man makes him a most interesting study
and the next most interesting thing is 20
ask him something of his club and its
traditions. and of course. as far as 1 am
concerned, the next most Interesting
thing Is to write about this phase of
social life, which except at rare inter-
walls, is seen only through the siken
draped windows of luxurious club
house. A rare interval means, of course
the annual club reception.
Every season the annual reception Of
the Southern club becomes socially more
important, taking prestige over all other
events and assembling each year the
most representative people in society.
The winter season in Birmingham IS
never considered really "opened" until
the Southern club reception, and it &C.
cupies similar niche In society as that
of the st. Cecilia balls In Charleston and
the Strikers ball in Mobile This winter,
as usual many people have entertained
and many of the fashionable weddings
have taken place, but the club reception
of Thanksgiving week, according to all
precedent is made the most prominent
event of the entire season.
The reception on Wednesday evening
will begin after o'clock, and the club
house will present the conventional scene,
conventional, but none the less interest
ing, because of the almost historical part
as far as society Is concerned. played
by the Southern club in the life of Birm-
ingham.
T1Rf 8 -.
are familiar because it is not yet old
enough to be shrouded in that romantic
gloom that hangs about older clubs, but
among its members are men who are
able to recall much of the earlier social
history of the city and who grow reml-
niscent at those days whenever the old
Alabama club is mentioned
The Alabama club which fourlshed
years ago maintained fine old hospital
lily, and 1t seems in retrospective view
to have been a distinctive institution
that was part of an old regime that
no longer exists. The club was not alb
sorbed or over Swallowed by any other
social organization, but rather passed
out of existence In the same dignified
way that a social custom. like keeping
open house on New Years day. was
slowly abandoned, without any good rea-
son.
The Comos club organized some years
ago. drew into It's membership many Of
the men from the old Alabama club and
from the Comos club developed the
Southern club, which absorbed smaller
dancing clubs, and drew to 1t the most
representative men in society No club
In the southern cities has a membership
of more prominent men, and the club as
a social factor occupies a position not en-
'joyed by any other similar institution.
The men who have guided its social
destiny are those most representative of
all that is best in Birmingham's social
world, the successive presidents being
men who were able through their own
personality to give prestige to any in
stitution club president whose long
service is affectionately remembered by
every club member is Maj. Frank Y. An
derson, whose administration was mark
ed by every elemen. of success, and
whose resignation was a matter of the
most sincere sorrow. Few men possess
ali the requirements o. a club president,
and there are few in whom these ele-