Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-09-15
ANNUAL MEETING Of
COMMERCIAL Sec
RETAR|Es
Mr.. Hewitt Gives Digest Of the Dis
cussions, Telling What Has Been
Done and Why.

itduelshlp OF competent secretary
has come 10 be recognized as one OF
the fixed units in city or county de-
yelopment. Ten years ago there were
few organizations in Texas. John II.
Kirby put forward what was known
as the Five Million for Texas" move
ment, and ! remember that this was
the first systematic movement to ad-
yertise Texas. Sporadic work was un.
dertaken by many smaller cities, but
secretary was seldom employed and
the work died out. Five years ago the
work began to crystalize into tangible
form, and last year. when a state Or
ganization was \ formed, there were
thirty-odd secretaries in Texas There
are now fifty-fve, forty-eight of whom
We're In attendance at the second an
nual convention held at Temple Mon
day and Tuesday.
The ramifications of the work un-
dertaken are far-reaching, as shown
by the reports from every section of
the state. In writing of the work ]
shall generalize, specifying in only a
few instances. j shall divide under
separate heads and give the report in
two sections, one today and another
tomorrow
! desire TO say in the beginning that
the meeting was most helpful to every
one in attendance Ii was collation.
OF opinions. experience and results as
noted by the different secretaries.
There are three lady secretaries in
The state, Mrs. Hawkins of Marlin,
Mrs. Finkhouser Of Gainesville and
one other not present Mrs. Ida Dun
kan, private secretary To the president
OF the association. was one of the most
enthusia site workers Every secretary
seems TO be in the work because he
loves II. The difficulties that men in
the work meet with many times would
overthrow lukewarm persons. A stead
fast faith in the outcome. determi-
nation TO succeed and a love for the
work are the three propelling factors
10 success.
The financing of commercial club
is the solution of the entire problem.
The paper read by Mr.. F. H. Gohlke,
secretary at San Angelo, was of great
value. as it dealt solely with his ex
perience at Wichita Falls and later
at San Angelo. San Angelo furnishes
him with fund of $4,000 per year
for club work. This is used solely for
maintenance of the club. and for ad.
yertising, for exhibits, for entertain
ment of visitors and for conventions.
His fund is raised by an assessment
plan based upon the firms business.
The individual members of firms are
members and pay membership fee
of 81 per month, and in addition an
assessment is placed against business
houses ranging from $3.50 to $40 Der
month. San Angelo has doubled its
population in five years. The business
of San Angelo is 300 per cent greater
than II was five years ago.
The reading of the paper brought
out discussion that lasted three
hours, covering plans. results and
theories.
San Antonio last year expended
$4,000, most of which was for adver-
tising. The result is that tourists Wis
iting San Antonio increased from 16.-
900 two years ago to $4,000 last year.
They have just voted to raise $4,000
for the next years work
Cities of the size of Bryan report
funds ranging from $500 to $1,000.
with results shown by actual compari.
son greatly in favor of the larger
fund. A competent secretary can ac-
complish more work, in proportion.
with $4,000 than he can with $4,000.
The plans for securing and collect.
ing the fund are as varied as the diff.
ferent circumstances, but one city re.
porting was great favorite, II the
plan could be adopted by every club
Their fund was s6O0O Each pledge
was for fixed amount for each month
and the pledge authorized the mem
ber's bank to charge the amount to
his account upon delivery to the bank
of a receipt for the amount. The
pledges are secured by the finance
which has been furnished
by the secretary with list OF every
mans taxation and slip or pledge al
ready filed out, basing the pledge
upon one-fourth or one per cent of
taxable property. The result the first
year was that 80 per cent of the sub
signed without changing the
amount of their pledge. Four promi-