New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-16
CITY HISTORY CLUB.
Its Splendid Work-A Cooperative Exhibit.

.s7here IS no city IN the world that repays his
torical study better than New-York Others may
have more picturesque history. may be moro
intimately Identified with art and letters, but none
have shown such continued progress more
marked Improvement The confirmed pessimist has
only TO study the history OF New-York TO recover
his courage"
: There we're other pleasant things In the address
which the Rev. Percy S. Grant made yesterday at
the public meeting Of the City History Club. held
in the Vaudeville Theatre, In connection with tho
1oint exhibition OF womens societies interested In
municipal citizenship. For instance. he told his
audience that he thought the City History CLUB ana
the League for Political Education were doing
more good than any other agencies in the city.
And both OF them" he said were founded and
are by women
american women OF to-day DR.. Grant con-
,,nues sometimes regret that the salon does not
flourish IN this country as Il did IN france Ihey
feel that conversation should take more elevated
tone than that the stock market or the noble Vo
cation OF bridge. We also hear good deal about
III. desirabiity OF the suffrage FOR women But
tho American woman Of to-day is accomplishing
results far superior to what could be accomplished
-, ,+,,ar 81 these agencies. for they are going to
,ba Dlsces which need them and bringing TO bear
,,,,oediatei- and directly their intelligence cult
and courage. -, -. ,,..,--
,vbicb he said, conferred upon the student two
Great gifts--it enlarged his imagination ana per
soc,e5 his Judgment Many OF the Inconsistencies
Of New-York and some OF the things that olS'uiO
o,,r thinking can better understood ny oDser'a-
,,on ~ their sources than by abstract thinking,
- .,t5 History teaches US facts To-day cut
- "a .,,r,tualitv are waiting patriotism
74,era ara nationalities in this city that VIII De
ufted TO a higher spirituality by their kno"Ieus'
or the city and their relation 70 1t
Taking the speeches. tho reports ana ING eAHIo'-
ton together 1t cannot be denied 'iia' nc - -
tTis,orv Club made a Impressive showing yes
,raay The singing of patriotic songs oy h''io
s5rlq from the public schools added interest
r--.-t 2 Kelley. OF De Witt Clinton High Schooi'
n IS s,,rerintendent OF the work. told now IorIy
,zrcnty-e.ght Of them in Settements-ha1
- ,-,a,n.s through the year by tho club.
- nara composed entirely OF boys, eight
,,,re,, n. girls" he said. The average age was
,birtaen Seven hundred and forty-four ooys anu
s,e girls belonged to the classes.
Mrs E c. Tracy. one OF the teachers toiu %
her experiences with a downtown class. One OF
-, Troubles came from speaking English she
ssid The children could not understand me.
When 7 spoke OF sea voyage found should
have called 1t a trip. and instead or saying that
The island OF Manhattan was purchased Of the
Indians I should have said. They got 1t or the
T,,1isns, But 1 never met with finer courtesy than
,n, club gave me-" she went on IN be prizidlnt
e ~ cl,lh-Przfdint Mckinley" said little Michael
Fnn. and you snail be Mrs Mfh a 1IsI,cr Glitter
man and Miss Laura J. Post also spohe. ..,. ,s
Mrs Robert Able. the president. spoke with prioe
Of the work the club had done in stirring up the
press in assisting at the centenary of the city, in
stiraulatinz the public schools to take up city
history ard in disseminating knowledge OF the
city AID civic enthusiasm. we nave proved our
working principle-that the teaching o. city history
US f.ssihle-below Fourteenth St. she said, but
our own children still sadly. sadly lacking in
lznoW,edCe Of their city's past. II Is shame that
his should be the attitude OF the people uptown.
In every public school and library there choud be
a city history club"
The City History Clubs own exhibit occupied the
no roo-n OF the League for Political Education
upstairs. There we're maps. scrapbooks, pictures.
parnDhlets and much other matter illustrative OF Its
propaganda. In the hall adjoining we're the exhibits
u The collaborating organizations, the New YORK
Kiudercarten Association. the Consumers League,
tho Woman's Municipal League. the WomRn's Aux
niarv 10 the Civil Service Reform Association,
Mary r Walton Free kindergarten for Colored
children and the Home Economic Association The
Kindergarten Association made q large display, one
interesting feature being the home work which the
parents Of she little ones had been impeled 90
make. showing how strong the reflection upon the
family iife was. Some charming little water coors
h- ~ciors7 children were much admired. The Home
EcIECn1i~ Association had table Of cake and
other noodles for its exhibit: the Woman's Munich
pal League had n lot OF bulletins and pamphlets
and. IL short. each society did It's best make
known its aims 10 the visitor and 10 interest him
The place was crowded both afternoon and evening
and probably win he to-day. The morning Is linn
ited % child-rr.