The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-28
NOTES OF SOCIETY IN TOWN AND COUNTRY
 SOCIAL LIFE CENTERS MORE AND MORE IN THE CLUBS
- oCIAL life is centering m

C OCIAL life is centerng more and
 more about the clubs. Not only
 has country life swept the south within recent years. but the evolution of the town club shows the increasing tendency on the part of society 10 utu- ize it as a means of diversion and con venience The town clubs have drawn into their membership men in many walks of life from the multi-million- aire ranks 10 those whose financial rat ing is not as interesting. There are few professions that are not represented in the large and ever growing lists. Men grow old and grey as life long mem hers and their sons and grandsons are on the waiting lists.
 As we owe much to England in the way of social custom so it is 10 Eng land that we look for the history of some of the early clubs of any celebrity, for instance, to the Mermaid Tavern. established as early as the seventeenth century the club of Shakespeare, of Beaumont and Fletcher One of the old London clubs was established at the Devil Tavern and still another famous among the early London clubs, had among it's members Ben Johnson, Boswell, Burke and Goldsmith.
 The clubs of France gath cred signi- fcance because of the active part they took in the French revolution the cele- brated Jacobin club at Versailles be- ing suppressed. The club spirit in the United States came in during Colonial times. numerous clubs being establish ed with much the same import of some of the London clubs and sometimes as significant as those in France. Gradu- ally club life has evolved from the weekly gathering at tavern toe the modern club palaces.
 The prestige of the old London clubs depended entirely upon the prestige of those who figured at them, but the typical American club Is too cosmopoli- tan for the individual to dominate it. The club on the other hand gives certain social distinction to the indi- vidual. Admittance to the exclusive clubs Is considered by some to be the hall mark of society. It was cardinal Newman who said that in the old days of Oxford your friendships were ch osen by your staircase rather than by your tastes. The modren club is to large extent like the oxford staircase.
 Here in the far south the town club Is perhaps the most delightful organiza ton that has any part in social life. Southern traditions have about them charm to be found nowhere else in the world and particularly in the old cities of the south are these traditions main tained in the social clubs Here in Bir- ningham old southern traditions are grafted upon the new regime. Not es- sentially southern by reason of it's cos mopolitan population. yet its social life, it's clubs are still dominated by south ern traditions which accounts for the peculiar charm of social life which has given Birmingham a prestige as southern city of open hospitality
 The Southern club has contributed so much to the social prestige of Birmlng- ham that 1t is considered it's most inn portant social organization. Its hand some club house at the corner of Twen- tfeth street and Fifth avenue is one of the most imposing buildings in Bir- mingham It has all the comforts of the modern club house, spacious loung- Ing rooms, reading rooms, billiard rooms and one of the most beautiful hall rooms in the south.
 About one year ago the new cafe was opened and has been a marked success. Besides the Sunday evening dinners which are leargely attended, the cafe being well filled week after week, luncheon is served there every day for the convenience of club members. The cafe feature increased the membership of the club. over one hundred members sheing elected since 1t was opened.