The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-09-10
OF COOPERATION IS
FOSTERED BY LOCAL CLUBS
Some Of the Gratifying Things Accomplished by
The Efforts Of the Hard Working
Improvement Societies

AS the history of the various i'm
provement clubs and civic organiza-
lions is unfolded each week in this
page of The Call many people will be
surprised to know what an important
factor in the development of the city
these clubs have been. There are in
San Francisco more than 100 improve
in the city which has not one or more
such clubs. In some sections of the
CITY, like the North Beach district,
one club covers the entire district. In
other sections of the city, such as the
outlying Mission district, there are
several improvement clubs in close
proximity. But in every district there
is an Improvement club of some sort.
These clubs range in strength from
80 to 200 members each
The function of an Improvement club
is somewhat different from that of
most other organizations. Most organ
izations are instituted for the purpose
of securing the political, social, or IN
tellectual advancement of their mem
bers. They act upon and for men, They
have a personal aim
The Improvement club has for its
objective point not the advancement of
men. but the development of a certain
restricted territory. 1t acts for. and
upon a certain district.
Whatever may be the political social
or economic complexion of that dis
trict. its necessities from a develop
ment standpoint are the same and
secure the cooperation of all. The
Improvement club is the agent of
progress in each section within which
it exists. IT is the unit of strength In
the material upbuilding of the city.
The greatest. booster for each section
of the city is the improvement club OF
that section.
When the Improvement clubs realize
that whatever benefits one section OF
the city benefits San Francisco. and
that whatever benefits San Francisco
should receive the support of all. then
the Improvement clubs will become the
foremost opponents of the policy or
boosting San Francisco.
ALL ORGANIZED SINCE THE FIRE
1t is a significant fact that prac-
tically all the Improvement clubs have
been either organized or reorgan1zed
since the fire. A critical history of
these organizations discloses the fact
that those districts in San Francisco
which have progressed most are the
ones in which the most active improve
ment clubs are to be found. This is
natural condition.
People don't settle in district sim
ply for the purpose of being there.
They move into district because 1t
affords them adequate accommodations.
An Improvement club which secures
adequate accommoda tions for its dis
trfct draws people to that district. The
resultant cause and effect may not be
perceived by either party. but ii ex-
lists nevertheless. The history of the
Richmond Sunset. Ingleside. Mission
and downtown districts bear testimony
to this statement.
The Importance of the work being
done by improvement clubs is not gen
orally appreciated because the accom-
plishments and purposes of these clubs
are not generally known. In fact.
great many of the clubs themselves did
not know how great a benefit they
could be to their districts because they
did not realize their power.
The effectiveness of the improvement
clubs will be increased in direct pro-
portion to the extent that their work
fights and personal ambitions will have
to be smothered for the common good.
The spirit of dissension and destruc-
ton which has been so prevalent in
San Francisco in the past will have to
give way to the new spirit of unity
and cooperation. The Improvement
clubs are paving the way for this new
spirit.
Many of the clubs were in the be-
ginning narrow and self-centered, but
this attitude has given way to a more
liberal policy. Only in minor local
matters does club now remain iso-
lated. If proposed project has in 1t
anything of interest to another club