The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-05-11
In New York
By PAUL HARRISON

New York.-Among the things that society people inherit, along with lands, fortunes, jewels and other chattels, are memberships in the Society Library.
 These memberships are, in fact. real heirlooms, and may be as old as some of the old families them selves. Back in 1754 it was ob- served by a writer that New York is one of the most social places on the continent. The la dies are comedy and dress well and scarce any of them have dis. torted shapes. But there Is moth. ing they so generally neglect az reading"
 After such a challenge to Goth am's intellectually, seventy gen. tlemen gave five pounds each and annual dues of ten shillings" to. ward the support of "society library" The charter was issued by George III about the time ht authorized the founding of King; college, which now is Columbis university. From that beginning the library has grown to mem bership of 5000, and has severa hundred thousand books, together with some rich endowments.
 Among Blue Books
 The institution has moved fout times in it's 1S1 years, and now occupies, little uncomfortably. an ancient brownstone on Univer- sity Place amid the auction rooms and shops of fur merchants. It's probably the most leisurely place in town--dim and quiet and little musty. Frank B. Bigelow has been head librarian since 1898. His as- sistant has been there 2S years They greet every member by name and have fair idea what eacl patron will want to read, Mrs D, Peyster," they'll whisper, we've just received new biography you'll like" Or How about something in a detective story this time, MT Van Rensselaer,?
 Only bluebloods, and subscrip. ing bluebloods, at that, can get into the Society Library. car assure yOuA lhds q AVPOi tSA ~ least, reporter whose forebears were only redblooded -- has a pretty difficult time of 1t. One ot these days I'm going to have td find out about the Harrisons. Somewhere in the past we may have had an escutcheon--if only a little bitty escutcheon.
 
 Aces of Clubs
 There Gre a lot of exclusive and expensive clubs in Manhattan more than a hundred-and some men even today, belong to as many as twenty. Mems clubs you most often hear about are the Union, the Racquet and Tennis, the Brook ana the Kniekerbocker. The Union was founded in 1886. and for most of that time has maintained the sort of shrinking conservation that has made it the butt of all the car toons and jokes ever penned about stodgy old dodders vegetating in easy chairs and watching the world go by them on the avenue. Today though, in it's new quarters. it actually has a gymnasium and squash courts, and a younger ele- ment to use them.
 The Knickerbocker. on the other hand, was considered rather shockingly sporty when 1t first was organized But now # has become sedate and settled in It's ways The Racquet club orig inaily was concerned with active sports. but now goes in extensive ly for such exercises as bridge poker and hlghball-hoisting . Tho Brook is the most exclusive and spirited. 1t cherlshes tradi. tions of the day when stanford White designed lts iirsg home When q move was made % other quarters, some of tho favorite old rooms wore removed. piece bt pioeo. and fitted Into the new Hf#f|MIMH.