Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-08-04
PHILADELPHIA is cal

DH1LADELPII1A is called the City
of homes. yet it is doubtful il any
city on earth owes moro to its clubs
than Philadelphia. says the Corn Ex-
change. published by the Corn Ex-
change National Bank.
Not only is there a great number Of
really great clubs with an immense
membership. but some of them have
played prominent role in the history
of the town.
What is the Oldest active club in
America is the state in Schuylkill." ;"
1t came into existence about two
months after George Washington was
born. in 1872.
The original name was the COLONY in
Schuylkill." which was given to it in
Jest. the legal title being the Schuylkill
Fishing Co. 1t il and has always been
purely a social organization. noted for
the good cheer of its entertainments and
famous as the creator or the immortal
"Fishhouse Punch"
But while the state in Schuylkill' is
the oldest living club in the city or
nation. there was a club in Philadelphia
before it's organization, which cxcrted n
potent influence upon the town, the
country and even the world.
Franklin Started Movement
benjamin Frankln's Junta was a
very small club. measured by the num-
Der of its members. but very few sOric-
ties anywhere ever welded wider
sway. What did not Franklin and his
.Junta originate in Philadelphia? What
new thoughts. new IDEAS and cntcrpris.
ing civic plans did they not inauguratc? :?
There are booster clubs in a thousand
towns today. but compared with Frank
H.. To-, IN tl,A,, oil fsu hn
Junta was hive of restless bees which
constantly stung all the nciGhbors into
the livclicst activity.
And from Franklin's day to this the
club idea has been strong in Philadcl-
phia. There is scarcely q field of human
activity which does not possess its club
in Philadelphia.
SO we have great variety of social
clubs. business clubs. college clubs and
literary clubs. each doing it's work more
or less unnoticcd by the big municipal
ity.
There are musical clubs to promote
and widen tho interest in music: art
and sketch clubs to foster a love and
knowledge Of the arts. There are engi-
nccring clubs to further the interests of
practical men of science.
Rotary and kiwanis clubs push for
Advertising has its Poor Richard
Club. and there are some really vital
business mems clubs which lunch or
dine regularly while listening to dis
cusson Of ways and means to promote
trade.
Union League Is Unique
There is hardly limit to the political
clubs. foremost among which j. the most
not uhlp niuntinp &c Ito bind in
America. the Union League. Some of
the older members object to it's being
called club on the ground that 1t was
not created as club and that it is
greater than club could be.
Unique stands the Philadelphia Club,
the most widely known Of our distinctly
social clubs. 1t is eighty seven years
old and has occupied its present house
at Walnut and Thirteenth streets for
just seventy years.
The immense growth in the value of
real estate is indexed well in the ease
of the Philadelphia Club house. 1t cost
only 50, 900 in 1850. Twenty times
that would not buy 1t today.
People do not seem TO remember it,
but the fact is that among our most
ancient clubs now virilc and thriving is
the Mercantile Club. 1t is the great
Jewish club of the city and its beautiful
home on North Broad street is only Il
sign of the prosperity which reigns
within and without among its large
membership
The Union League was born of the
Civil War and is unique in many re-
spcCtS. Its club property is the most
valuable of any social organization in
the United States.
The membership now exceeds 300,
but the waiting list is so great that new
members now being elected were pro
posed eight years ago.
Big Dividend for Members
II may give an idea of the extraor-
binary character of the league when it
is stated that were the club 10 be dis
solved aud liquidated, each member
would be entitled to- a dividend Of up
ward Of 5000.
The Union Leagues activity In poll
tics Is never shown In local contests,
-