USA > California > San Diego County > San Diego county, California; a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 34
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MUSICAL SOCIETIES
THE AMPHION
The Amphion Club, the pioneer musical organization of San Diego, instituted in 1893, has a membership of 350, among whom are the leading artists of the city. Its object is to stimulate a higher degree of musical intelligence among its mem- bers and also to elevate the musical taste of the community. These objects it accomplishes by a series of afternoon recitals, which alternate throughout the club year in a local program given by members of the club, with an artist recital, for which singers and instrumentalists of world wide reputation have been secured. The officials are: President, Miss Gertrude Gilbert; vice president, Miss Jose- phine Roberts; secretary-treasurer, Mrs. Edward T. Lannon.
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MENDELSSOHN CLUB
This society is a large musical study club, with more of the literary included in its work. It has about 150 members, composed of men and women who meet in its club rooms at the corner of Sixth and Cedar streets. This year the later German school and the French school of musical composition are being studied, . both through papers on the subjects and musical examples from the composers. The officers are: President, Miss Elizabeth Deacon; first vice president, Mrs. Amy Vincent; second vice president, Mrs. Alfred Haines; secretary, Percy C. Thorpe; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Lotta Nammond; treasurer, L. E. Hammond.
THE MACDOWELL SOCIETY
The dean of American composers, MacDowell, is honored in the MacDowell society, a branch of the American Music Society, which is formed for the study of correlative arts, in keeping with the MacDowell idea and to advance the interests of American music by the study and performance of American composi- tions. The officers of the club are: President, Mrs. Henry E. Mills; musical director, Paul E. McCarty; recording secretary, Mrs. Herbert H. Farnham; financial secretary, Mrs. William Kettner.
THE SYMPHONY SOCIETY AND OTHERS
One of the chief musical organizations of San Diego is the Symphony So- ciety, whose object is to promote and support the Symphony Orchestra This orchestra of local musicians banded together for the presentation of the best in music in orchestral form, giving a series of concerts every season. It is now in its third year of development. The officers are: President, Mrs. M. B. Fow- ler; vice president, Tyndall Gray; secretary, Mrs. Rufus Choate; treasurer, M. B. Fowler. Lionel Gittelson is director of the orchestra.
There is also a choral society, which has recently been organized, and hopes to be able to be all in a vocal way that the Symphony aims to accomplish in the way of instrumental music.
The Chamber of Music Society is a recent acquisition among the musical organizations, instituted for concert purposes.
POINT LOMA GOLF CLUB
On February 28, 1898, the San Diego Country Club was organized. Early in the year 1913 a change in name was effected and now it is known as the Point Loma Golf Club. At Loma Portal, on Point Loma, a magnificent club house was built in 1913, in the midst of spacious grounds, which include extensive golf links, and here the club is comfortably and sumptuously domiciled. The present officials are : Reed Johnson, president ; H. H. Jones, secretary.
CORONADO CLUB
The Coronado Country Club, with ground and club house situated in Coronado, occupying a sweeping stretch of extensive grounds, including golf
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course, cement tennis courts and polo grounds, commands a splendid view of the Pacific and Point Loma. The present officers are: President, William Clayton; vice president, Harry L. Titus; secretary, Major Colin George Ross; treasurer, A. H. Kayser. The club is about ten years old and in the season of 1913 held its eighth annual polo tournament. Practice games begin about the Ist of Janu- ary, leading to the tournament, which is held in March of each year and are attended by famous poloists from all over the world. Teams from Canada, England, the Hawaiian Islands and the east are attracted by these annual events. The paddock and training grounds for the accommodation of 200 polo ponies and the polo field is considered the best in the country and is the center of winter polo interest. The eighteen-hole golf course is another attraction of this finely equipped country club.
ZLAC ROWING CLUB
A social and athletic organization which is unique in the annals of women's clubs and would be possible only under such favoring circumstances as San Diego's bay and climate afford, is the Zlac Rowing Club, an organization of some 125 young society women. This club has developed from an organization of four young girls of this city some fifteen years ago, the first initials of whose names form the novel name "Zlac," which has ever since designated the club. From one rowing club it has grown until there are now six crews forming the club, which owns a fine club house built over the waters of the bay at the foot of H street, fully furnished and equipped both for social affairs and rowing and swimming, which is a principal part of the club life. The organization possesses two handsome barges and each crew rows once a week during the rowing season, from September to July. The officials are: President, Miss Lera Winn; vice president, Miss Florence Roper; secretary, Miss Mary Benton; treasurer. Miss Elizabeth Marston. Each crew is under the direction of a coxswain: Crew I, Mrs. Lena Crouse; crew 2, Mrs. Ethel West; crew 3, Miss Frances Bridges; crew 4, Miss Florence Roper ; crew 5, Miss Lera Winn; crew 6, Miss Eliza- beth Marston.
There are other young women's rowing organizations, prominent among which are the Olympia-Columbia Rowing Club and the Normal School Rowing Club.
CUYAMACA CLUB
The Cuyamaca Club ranks first among the men's social clubs. It has about 330 members, among whom are prominent business and club men of the city. It has handsome quarters, occupying the entire top floor of the Union building. The officers are: President, E. Milton Barber ; vice president, George Burnham; secretary, L. M. Arey.
THE CABRILLO CLUB
This society is composed of business men, having now 400 members. Its home is at Seventh and E streets and the officers are: President, Daniel E. Boone; secretary, W. Grant Johnson.
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UNIVERSITY CLUB
The college men of the city have formed a University Club, which occupies a fine club house at Fourth and A streets. Professor E. L. Hardy is the presi- dent, and Gordon L. Gray, secretary.
NEWSPAPER MEN'S CLUB
A popular organization among men's clubs formed during the past year is the Newspaper Men's Club, with quarters in the Spreckels Theater building. The officers are: President, F. C. Goodman; secretary, George H. Thomas ; treasurer, F. J. Bierman.
SAN DIEGO YACHT CLUB
Two purely athletic organizations which are characteristic of the coast and which are afforded peculiarly favorable opportunity through the broad expanse of the land-locked San Diego bay are the San Diego Yacht Club and the San Diego Rowing Club. The yacht club, which occupies a unique floating club house at the foot of Hawthorne street, carries out a regular regatta program dur- ing the summer months. It has a membership of about one hundred and fifty. The officers are: F. C. Spalding, commodore ; S. S. Holcomb, vice commodore; J. G. Merrill, rear commodore ; E. W. Dort, secretary-treasurer.
SAN DIEGO ROWING CLUB
This society is the largest of its kind in the United States, having a member- ship of four hundred and thirty-seven, with a club house over the waters of the bay on the steamship wharf. This club possesses a unique record in that for eighteen years past the organization has celebrated New Year's day with a for- mal swimming "fest." This remarkable record is added to by the fact that every day in the year members of the club row or swim in the waters of the bay. The officers are: President, Alonzo Jessop; vice president, Swift Torrance; secre- tary, Neil Brown; treasurer, Charles E. Arnold; captain, E. E. Jackson; first lieutenant, Richard Jessop; corresponding secretary, Gordon Ingle.
San Diego's heritage of perfect weather is the magnet that lures its people into the open, for on this Elysian plain there is no division of seasons, simply an endless succession of days filled with glowing sunwarmth, days that begin with the delight of life and end with content. From week's end to month's end to year's end the big outdoors is always appealing, calling the faithful to worship at the shrine of good health and recreation.
If a man's desires lead him afloat in his search for pastime, San Diego bay is only a step from the business center, where one can indulge in aquatic sports under ideal conditions. Yachting, rowing, motor-boating, swimming-one and all have a home on the bay-while out past Point Loma to the big wet the cruis- ing is limited only by man.
One of the leaders in Neptune sports here is the San Diego Yacht Club. Time was when the club had to whistle lively for a fair financial wind, but bet- ter days have come and now the organization is safely moored on the lee side of a good income.
The club's fleet comprises about one hundred craft, headed by two deep sea wanderers-the ocean going steam yacht Venetia and a grand old racing schooner Vol. I-19
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yacht, the Lurline, champion of the Pacific coast. Others are Aeolus, Gretchen, Trilby, Lark, Junior, Nackey, Butcher Boy, Restless, Idler, Viking, Witch, Loma, Red Wing, West Wind, and a flotilla of one design and others. Leaders in the motorboat class are Kitty Hawk II, a forty-five mile flyer; Jester, Buick Kid, Eclipse, Ferro, Relue, and Juanita. Of the power cruisers Paxinosa, Rosa and Norma Marie lead the fleet of the gasoline growlers. The club has a member- ship of one hundred and sixty, with E. W. Dort as secretary-treasurer, and its palatial floating home is moored at the foot of Hawthorne street. Another club house and picnic grounds are located at La Playa.
The Pacific and the Chula Vista Yacht Clubs, with a combined fleet of about fifty boats, are the hustling youngsters in this line of sport. A race on the bay without craft from these clubs would be a novelty, and at winning cups they are a gang of black-bearded pirates. They go after a mug with a dash and certainty that featured Captain Kidd's marine exploits in the some time since.
The San Diego Rowing Club offers bay recreation in another form. With a four-oared racing shell, a four-oared side rigged racing barge, eight open gigs and a raft of other boats the club is a leader in Pacific coast rowing affairs. A commodious club house on the Pacific coast steamship dock, fitted with every convenience, plenty of room and a big gymnasium, is the home of the organiza- tion of four hundred and thirty-seven members. Rowing, swimming, smokers and indoor athletics feature club life with this young recreation giant.
The best part of this tidewater tale is the story of San Diego's daughter sailors. With a dozen rowing clubs the girls make an awful big splash in local oar circles-and the bay. The Zlac Club is the poinsettia of the bouquet, and when the girls are afloat they look mighty natty in their nautical uniforms. One day the Zlacs were out on the bay for a practice spin when they overtook the cruiser North Dakota's crack racing cutter. A challenge by the cowboys was promptly accepted, then twenty spoons slipped into the brine, a boiling eddy waked each boat and the impromptu race was on. The Zlacs hit up a fast stroke from the start and in a hundred yards gained a slight lead they never relinquished, although closely chased by the cowboys. Rowing a free, swinging stroke that during the entire rush never lost its beautiful rythmic precision, the Zlacs slipped along, elusive, tantalizing, gliding swiftly on their trackless path in a resistless rush that spelled victory. Sweeping past the bunkers wharf, the water curling from its bow in two ribbons of white, while astern a boiling mass of tiny airbells, bobbing, dancing in mimic whirlpools, streaming away from the Zlacs' barge as it crossed the line. Then eight spoons flashed aloft, glistening in the veiled sun- light. The Zlacs had won! Oh, these daughter sailors are certainly the nifty oarswomen.
Point Loma has its lighthouse, its government wireless and its golf club. The links are laid out on the broad sweep of the mesa that keeps the players in sight of their home town. If a man vexatiously slices a drive and is tempted thereby to enunciate violent thinks, he can find consolation by lifting his eyes from the scene of his awkwardness to the fascinating panorama of marine and urban life that stretches almost from his feet across bay and city to the blue haze that envelops Table mountain in Old Mexico. A truly beautiful environment for club house and links, that is reached from the city by a magnificent rock hard boule- vard and car line.
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Y. W. C. A. BUILDING, SAN DIEGO
CHAPTER XXXVII
YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION
The first meeting called for the purpose of organizing a Young Men's Chris- tian Association for the city of San Diego was held in the office of George W. Marston, March 17, 1882. A second meeting was held on April 20th or April 27th, a permanent organization was effected and a constitution adopted. The following officers were elected: George W. Marston, president ; W. W. Terry, vice president ; C. H. Hubbell, secretary ; and K. J. Ware, treasurer.
Little work was done, however, until the fall of 1884, when, after a reorgani- zation and the election of a general secretary in the person of Rev. C. L. Sturges, active work was begun. From 1884 until the present time the association has been ably ministering to the needs of the young men and boys of the growing city. In the fall of 1911 the quarters, located at the corner of Eighth and C streets, were entirely outgrown and a universal demand for a new, modern asso- ciation building was made. In a twelve days' campaign, April 17-30, 1911, the sum of $155,000 was subscribed in one thousand, seven hundred and six pledges toward the cost of the new plant.
The lot on which the new building stands is fifty by one hundred and fifty feet, and the lot on which the gymnasium stands is fifty by one hundred feet. The building ha's cost in round numbers $160,000, and with the lot and equipment represents an investment of $300,000. The structure is absolutely fire proof, being constructed of steel, concrete, brick and fire proof partitions.
The main building is six stories high, including the basement floor. The George N. Hitchcock memorial gymnasium is three stories high, including base- ment. The entire plant is equipped with the most modern furnishings for the conduct of all phases of the association work, and is considered by many asso- ciation experts to be one of the most attractive and commodious association buildings yet erected.
DEDICATION OF THE NEW BUILDING
Of the dedication of this splendid building the Union had the following to say :
"Amid much oratory, handshaking and rejoicing, San Diego's magnificent Y. M. C. A. at Eighth and C was opened to the public last night (Monday, March 10, 1913). The services were but the first of a week's ceremonies by which the public of San Diego is to be made acquainted with the new building, its aims and purposes.
"Eight prominent citizens who have backed the work here, stood on the plat-
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form of the beautiful new gymnasium and spoke to five hundred men and women friends of the association concerning the work in the past, the plans for the future and the purpose for which the association exists.
"Previous to the opening of the exercises more than one thousand persons representing every class in the city walked through every department and room in the building and viewed the wonderful interior of the finest association build- ing on the coast. 'How grand!' 'How perfect!' were the expressions heard on every hand.
"There was not a seat available in the gymnasium when G. Aubrey Davidson, president of the Y. M. C. A., invited Rev. E. F. Hallenbeck, D. D., to deliver the invocation. The military band, composed of twenty-eight pieces, all members of the association, ranging in age from fifteen to forty years, followed the eloquent prayer with music, enlivening the occasion.
"President Davidson spoke very feelingly of his first years in the work of the Y. M. C. A. here. He said in part: 'I remember well my entrance to this work when as a stranger boy I received the welcoming hand of the first president, the father of the Y. M. C. A. in San Diego, George W. Marston, who for twenty- seven years has been its guiding spirit.'
"Tremendous applause greeted Mr. Marston as he arose to speak. In modest terms he humorously told of the birth of the association when a few men met in his office and the work proceeded only to meet an early death. He caused a laugh when he mentioned one year in which the expenses for three months were $1.25. 'I would take exception to the wish of our distinguished mayor that this building should soon become too small for this work,' said Mr. Marston. 'We are all tired and would rest for a little while. Our financial troubles in the early years were numerous. We kept moving around from one hall to another, and to cap our financial efforts to rise, we once bought a lot for $30,000 and when the boom in real estate went out, we were compelled to sell that lot for $10,000.'
"To the present general secretary, Fred D. Fagg; to the architects, Messrs. Kelham and Bristow & Lyman; to R. P. Shields & Son, the contractors, and to many others, Mr. Marston paid a high compliment. These men, he said, worked as hard and as long daily as if they were building their own homes.
" 'The work of building was not directed by the Messrs. Shields on contract but by the day, and every dollar spent shows in this structure,' he continued. Mr. Fagg's long experience and his intense industry has resulted in this remark- able arrangement of the rooms. People used to look on the Y. M. C. A. as a sort of big Sunday school and rather a weak affair. That day is now past, and while in the early 'Sos we did not have so many dumb-bells and bath tubs, we had just as good a time at the first opening as we are having tonight.'
"Mayor Wadham made some very pointed remarks when he said that he did not believe in removing all temptation from this world. Such an institution as this is an aid in making young men of character able to withstand temptation and be the happier for it. Here they can associate with men who have made of life a success.
"H. J. McCoy, general secretary of the Y. M. C. A. in San Francisco, who has spent all of his life in the Y. M. C. A. work, in a very few words stated the purpose of the association when he said :
" 'This is a work that makes it harder for young men to go astray and easier
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for them to go straight. If I only had another life to give to this great work I would give it freely and I say this after forty-one years I have spent in the Y. M. C. A.'
"J. E. Sprunger, general state secretary, and D. E. Luther, general secretary of Los Angeles, brought the greetings of their branches. Rev. W. E. Crabtree, president of the Ministerial Association, spoke of the Y. M. C. A. as an instru- ment of character building, and Miss Blanche Lyons rendered a charming so- prano solo."
Board of directors-G. Aubrey Davidson, president; John S. Akerman, vice president ; Frank C. Spaulding, treasurer; E. G. Dehm, recording secretary ; C. N. Andrews, S. M. Bingham, W. D. Crum, Benjamin M. Frees, John Flem- ing, H. N. Goff, M. T. Gilmore, F. A. Garetson, James W. Going, J. P. Haddock, Roscoe Hazard, William M. Herbert, Leland D. Jones, William E. Kier, George W. Marston, J. P. Smith, William Hugh Strong.
Building committee-William M. Herbert, John S. Akerman, J. C. Ford, H. N. Goff.
Architects-George W. Kelham; Bristow & Lyman, associates.
General contractors-R. P. Shields & Son.
Executive officers-Fred D. Fagg, general secretary; Norman B. Macpher- son, associate general secretary; George S. Chessum, boys' work director ; Irving W. Larimore, physical director ; Lucius H. Markham, assistant physical director.
FIRST MASONIC TEMPLE, OLD TOWN
TASONIC TEMPLE.
PRESENT MASONIC TEMPLE, FIFTH AND ASH STREETS
CHAPTER XXXVIII
FRATERNAL BODIES
MASONIC-SAN DIEGO LODGE NO. 35, A. F. & A. M.
The founding of this lodge is a somewhat celebrated event in Masonic annals on the Pacific coast, since it was the first Masonic lodge established in southern California and preceded the first lodge in Los Angeles by a year.
Soon after J. Judson Ames arrived and began to publish the Herald, it was found that there were enough Masons in San Diego to warrant asking for a dis- pensation for a lodge. The first mention of anything of the kind was in the Herald under date June 19, 1851, and read as follows :
"Masonic-All Master Masons in good standing with their respective lodges are requested to assemble at the Exchange Hotel, in the City of San Diego, on Friday evening, the 20th inst., to make arrangements for celebrating the anni- versary of our patron saint, John the Baptist."
The plans for this celebration seem to have fallen through for some reason. A petition for a dispensation was drawn up, signed, sent to San Francisco, and was granted on the Ist day of August. This dispensation ran to William C. Ferrell, W. M .; John Judson Ames, S. W .; John Cook, J. W. When the Semi-Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge assembled, November 4, 1851, it was found that no meeting had been held and no returns received from "San Diego Lodge, U. D." and the dispensation had expired. Mr. Ames, S. W., made application on the following day to the grand lodge to have the dis- pensation extended six months, to allow more time for organization, which was granted.
Although no meeting had been held, an attempt had been made to hold one, as the following advertisement, taken from the Herald of October 9th, shows :
"There will be a meeting of San Diego Lodge, F. & A. M., at the house of Col. A. Haraszthy (Old Town) on Friday evening next, the 10th inst., at half past six o'clock. A full attendance is urged, as business of importance is to be transacted.
Oct. 9th.
Per order of Worshipful Master."
After this more vigor was put into the work and the first meeting assembled November 20, 1851, and was opened in the Master's degree. The record of this meeting begins thus :
"At a meeting of San Diego Lodge U. D. of Free and Accepted Masons held
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at their lodge room in the City of San Diego, on the 20th day of November, A. D. 1851, A. L. 5851, met upon the call of the W. M.
"The brethren present were : William C. Ferrell, W. M .; John Judson Ames, S. W .; Daniel Barbee, J. W .; R. E. Raimond, treasurer; A. Haraszthy, sec- retary; William H. Moon, tyler; Louis Rose, visiting brother."
Petitions for the degrees of Masonry were received from George F. Hooper, recommended by J. Judson Ames and William Heath Davis, and from Colonel John B. Magruder, of the United States army. The first named petition was referred to a committee consisting of Brothers Haraszthy, Moon and Ray, and the latter was ordered on file.
At the second meeting held January 8, 1852, the following were present : William C. Ferrell, W. M .; John Judson Ames, S. W .; Daniel Barbee, J. W .; R. E. Raimond, treasurer; James W. Robinson, secretary; William H. Moon, S. D .; J. Ankrine, J. D .; Lonis Rose, tyler.
At this meeting George F. Hooper was initiated as an entered apprentice and was the first person to be initiated in this lodge. The second was John C. Cre- mony, March 29th, and the third, George P. Tebbetts, April 15, 1852.
On May IIth of this year the grand master, B. M. Hyam, visited San Diego and examined the records but found the lodge not yet ready for a charter. The records state under date of June 7th that "a communication was received from the Grand Master respecting his examination of the records of this lodge, point- ing out the un-Masonic and unconstitutional portions of the work of this lodge and granting San Diego Lodge U. D. a dispensation to continue until May, 1853, and requiring a copy of our adopted By-laws without delay." Apparently, the lodge had never adopted any by-laws. At the same meeting Brother John Jud- son Ames, as a committee, reported that he had purchased a seal for $25 and a Bible for $10, which was approved and payment ordered.
At this time the lodge occupied the courthouse, a one-story brick building consisting of one room only, without a porch or entry, the tyler with girded sword pacing back and forth in front on the open street. There was little danger of any "cowans and eavesdroppers," for the Pope had placed his ban upon us and the mass of the population felt safest some distance away from our place of meeting. It was said the priest forbade the women and children from even looking from the windows upon the frequent parades.
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