USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > History of the city of Columbus, Ohio, from the founding of Franklinton in 1797, through the World War period to the year 1920 > Part 45
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In the story of the literary life of Columbus some mention must be made of the woman's club movement which had its inception in the nineties and which to a certain degree stimu- lated an interest in books and literatures of all times. The studies thus entered into and the consequent wider diffusion of knowledge of things bookish were not withont influence on the letters of the day, and the movement deserves to be chronicled as a foree that made for more serious reading and study of things worth while. In the deeline of the movement some few devoted to more earnest study have continued, and among these the Watterson Reading Circle, now in its twenty-fifth year, has won high rank for bringing before Columbus andience by means of its leetnre course, men and women of distinction in the literary world, notably Joyce Kilmer, Thomas Walsh, Frederic Paulding, James J. Walsh, Eliza Allen Star. Among institutions which have contributed to the literary growth of Columbus by means of lecture courses must be mentioned the Ohio State University, the Columbus School for Girls, St. Mary's of the Springs Academy at Shepard and many churches and church societies which bring noted literary men from time to time.
The Crichton Club, formed in the latter part of 1919, contributes to the literary life of Columbus by bringing to the eity for leetures authors of wide renown. The Kit-Kat Club, orzanized in 1911, is also a strong factor in literary growth,
CHAPTER XXXIII. VARIOUS IMPORTANT ORGANIZATIONS.
First Board of Trade- Building Project-Changed to Chamber of Commerce-Presidents and Secretaries-The Young Men's Christian Association-The Railway "Y"-Branch for Colored Youth-The Young Women's Christian Association, Its Origin and Growth -Archaeological and Historical Society.
Business men of Columbus and neighboring towns met in the City Hall, July 17, 1858, to organize a society, as Theodore Comstock, chairman of the meeting, said, "to promote integrity, good feeling and just and equitable principles in business transactions" and "to protect the rights and advance the commercial, mercantile and manufacturing interests of the city." Such an organization was formed and called the Board of Trade of Columbus, with H. Fitch president, John B. Bortle secretary, and S. S. Rickly treasurer. The board maintained rooms at High and Town streets, but was soon lost to sight, probably submerged in the Civil War activity and excitement.
On June 23, 1866, there was another meeting of citizens, called for the purpose of organ- izing a body similar to the first. C. P. L. Butler was chairman and James M. Comly was secre- tary. A Board of Trade of Columbus was organized "to promote integrity and good faith, just and equitable principles of business ; to discover and correct abuses; to establish and maintain uniformity in commercial nsages; to acquire, preserve and disseminate valnable business statis- tics and information; to prevent or adjust controversies or misunderstandings which may arise between persons engaged in trade; and generally to foster, protect and advance the commercial, mercantile and manufacturing interests of the eity." Fifty-seven men signed the articles of association, and W. B. Brooks was elected president, James M. Comly secretary, and Carl N. Bancroft treasurer. This organization, too, was short-lived.
On November 9, 1872, there was another meeting of citizens following a call signed by 200 business men. A Board of Trade was again organized-Jolm L. Gill president, T. Ewing Miller, Theodore Comstock, E. L. Hinman, D. S. Gray, W. B. Brooks and H. Mit- hoff vice presidents ; H. M. Failing secretary and Joseph Falkenbach treasurer. Rooms were opened in the City Hall in February, 1873, the membership then being 143. James M. Comly was elected president in November, 1873; T. Ewing Miller, in 1874; S. S. Rickly in 1876. Secretary Failing having died in 1874, he was succeeded by S. M. Smith, jr., and in 1876 Smith was succeeded by Charles B. Stewart. The organization languished and on April 30, 1884, a new board was incorporated by R. E. Sheldon. C. D. Firestone, Theodore Rhoads, P. W. Corzilius and W. A. Mahoney. May 13, a meeting for reorganization was held, and the following officers were elected: W. Y. Miles president, Theodore H. Butler and C. D. Firestone vice presidents ; Edwin Kelton, H. C. Lonnis, Theodore Rhoads, Walter Crafts, G. W. Lattimer, R. E. Sheldon, F. H. Kingsbury, E. E. Shedd, P. W. Corzilius and Carl N. Bancroft, directors. May 15, Charles G. Lord was chosen secretary and Walter Crafts treasurer and a temporary office was opened in the Deshler block. The following month the offices were removed to the City Hall; the membership was then 110. At the annual meeting January 20. 1885, the officers were re-elected.
A building project, which the president had mentioned in his address in 1884, was pro- moted at a meeting, September 21, 1886, in a resolution offered by S. S. Rickly, instructing the directors to consider the propriety of buying a lot and erecting a building, with a hall suitable for publie meetings. The directors reported favorably November 9, and on Decem- ber 28, 1886, a resolution to erect a building was adopted and a committee on site and plans was appointed. Ownership certificates of $100 each were subscribed for to the extent of $65,000 and the Buckeye House lot, East Broad street, was bought for $15,000. The limit of total expenditure. originally fixed at $125,000, was subsequently advanced to $150,000. and the building was begun, interrupted May 3, 1888, by the collapse of what was known as the Terrell arch which formed the ceiling of the basement. The arch was named for the architect of the building, Elah Terrell, and was built of brick over scaffolding and was sup- posed to be secure after the supports had been removed. But while these supports were he- ing taken away, the arch fell, burying three men - Samuel Coleman, Jesse F. Beckom and
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George Terwilliger. The last two died soon after being taken from the ruins, and Coleman was severely injured. This distressing accident, involving payments to the living and the families of the dead workmen, as well as repairs and alterations of plans, added materially to the cost of the structure, the auditorium of which was formally dedicated July 23, 1889, with addresses by J. S. Morton, Allen G. Thurman, John L. Gill, Emerson McMillin, S. S. Rickly and Emilins O. Randall.
Established in its own home, with a sceretary of energy and pleasing personality who gave his entire time to the work of the organization, the Board of Trade quickly became a power in all the lines conceived by the leaders of the movements of 1858 and 1866. Its members from the first were among the most substantial business and professional men of the city. Their thought was of city duty, city opportunity and city progress and, working together, they helped to make public opinion in municipal, State and national affairs. The board became and under another name (now Chamber of Commerce) still is the unofficial spokes- man of the city. Since its establishment, there has hardly been a single project of civic betterment that has not been considered by the board with advantage to the public. Business conditions have been improved and trade with the surrounding country has been promoted by the board and its subsidiary organizations and committees. What it did after the outbreak of the war with Germany to unify and vitalize the community and make it an effective unit in the nation is to be read all through the story of the war activities. Without it, or some similar body, Columbus would have ent a sorry figure.
Secretary Lord served successfully until his death in 1896, when John F. Oglevee was for a short time secretary. He was succeeded in 1897 by John Y. Bassell, who served till 1913, when George W. Gillette became secretary, retiring in August, 1918, and being snc- eceded by J. T. Daniels, who is now serving, with a staff of five.
The presidents have been, in the order of their service: W. Y. Miles, C. D. Firestone, E. O. Randall, Emerson McMillin, John S. Morton, Andrew D. Rodgers, Henry J. Booth, William F. Burdell, Philip H. Bruck, William Felton, James Kilbourne, George W. Bright, Gilbert H. Stewart, W. H. Andrews, O. A. Miller, Jos. H. Outhwaite, Irvin Butterworth, Robert H. Jeffrey, George T. Spahr, F. W. Schumacher, Grovernor Hutchins, George W. Lattimer, F. O. Schoedinger, Oliver H. Perry, W. G. Benham, Chas. J. Pretzman, Fred Herbst, John E. Todd, K. D. Wood, A. T. Seymour, W. P. Tracy, M. J. Caples, Henry A. Williams and Frank L. Packard.
Other organizations of business men in different parts of the city have also done much to help in the building of the city.
Young Men's Christian Association.
The first effort to establish a Young Men's Christian Association was at a meeting in the First Presbyterian Church, January 15, 1855. A constitution was signed by 40 persons and H. B. Carrington was elected president. Like some other first efforts, it languished and a determined beginning of the present work was not made till the spring of 1866, when Capt. Wm. Mitchell was chosen president, Rev. E. P. Goodwin vice president, W. H Lathrop secretary, and O. G. Peters treasurer. A lyceum and library were planned and courses of lectures were given in 1866 and 1867. Gordon Moodic was elected president in 1869 and George H. Twiss in 1870; B. J. Loomis vice president, W'm. Awl secretary, A. Ritson treasurer, with E. L. Taylor and L. J. Critchfield among the trustees. The rooms were in the Bnekeye block and the membership had grown to 300. An effort to raise $10,000 for a building failed, but the association struggled on. In 1875, C. H. Hall was chosen president, Dr. J. F. Baldwin vice president, R. A. Beard secretary, J. A. Jeffrey treasurer. In 1876 rooms for a railway branch were fitted up in the Union Station, being formally dedicated Sunday, October 1. The Central association moved to the Sessions block, at the southeast corner of High and Long, October 15, and religions mission work was continued as it had begun at the State, connty and city penal institutions, with mect- ings at the United States Barracks and association rooms. In 1878, William G. Dunn was elceted president, F. C. Sessions vice president, J. A. Jeffrey treasurer, and Rev. I .. Taft secretary. Following them in 1881, J. M. Godman was president, G. L. Smead vice presi- dent, J. A. Jeffrey treasurer, and C. D. Firestone secretary.
The year 1883 marked a new phase in the life of the association-the surrender to
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the Ministerial Association of outside missionary work and the creation of Y. M. C. A. activities as now eondueted. C. A. Bowe was president, Amasa Pratt vice president, J. H. Dunn treasurer, O. E. D. Barron recording secretary, and J. C. Briggs, A. H. Smythe, Foster Copeland, John G. Barden, George T. Spahr, E. O. Randall, Frank T. Cole and John N. Eldridge, directors. The association leased rooms at 56 East Broad for $900 a year, and the budget, raised by personal subscription, was $3500. The Ohio State Uni- versity branch was organized in that year. In 1885 the association moved to 44 East Broad at an annual rental of $1200.
In 1889, the building project was renewed through an initial offer of $15,000 from Benjamin S. Brown, if $35,000 were otherwise raised. The total aimed at was subsequently raised to $100,000, of which Mr. Brown gave $25,000 and other citizens $75,000. Fore- most in this effort were D. S. Gray, one of the direetors, and W. T. Perkins, who had then just been called to the secretaryship. The lot on Third street opposite the State House was bought for $30,000 from Ripley C. Hoffman, who gave $3,000 of the amount. Charles E. Munson was chosen president of the association in 1890, and the building was erected in 1891 under the direction of the following committee: Charles E. Munson, O. A. Miller, George W. Bright, George Hardy, G. M. Peters, and R. M. Rownd. At the solicitation of F. C. Sessions, who gave $2,000 toward the additional cost, a fifth story was added to the building to accommodate the Columbus Art School; so the lot and building complete eost $125,000. The building was dedicated in 1892, Governor (later President) Wm. MeKinley making the address, the following quotation from which was afterwards earved on a memorial tablet at the entrance :
"I know of no other investment which the business men of this eity could make that would pay better or larger dividends, now or hereafter, than this building. Here is where young men are aided to make character, the demand of the hour, and there is nothing that commends a man more than Christian character."
Since 1883, the presidents of the association, in the order of service, have been: C. A. Bowe, E. O. Randall, R. M. Rownd, Charles E. Munson, John D. Shannon, O. A. Miller, (two years), Charles E. Munson (two years), George W. Bright (three years), C. A. Rowe, R. M. Rownd (two years), Foster Copeland (twelve years), George H. Barker (two years), Albert M. Miller (two years), Theodore Glenn, who was elected in 1915, is still serving.
George Sands was the first general secretary. He was followed by James T. Minehart, F. W. Wardle, Percy Bankhart (resigned in 1884), Newell Dwight Hilles (resigned after two months), George M. Hersey (resigned in 1886), Alfred B. Paul (two years), W H. Parker (resigned in 1889), W. T. Perkins (1889 to 1903), H. E. Owen (1903 to 1906), Harry M. Blair (1906 to 1914), John W. Pontius (1914, now serving).
Sinee 1883, the Y. M. C. A. has consistently striven to lead young men and boys to a better and more efficient manhood. The strictly religious work, which was the entire pro- gram at the outset, has been gradually turned over to the churches, and the emphasis laid on the education of young men in evening elasses for higher and better-paying tasks; on the organization of boys for wholesome recreation; on the physical training of both elasses and the seeuring of work for the unemployed. To this service it has added temporary hous- ing accommodations for young men who came strangers to the city, thus materially helping them to self-support. The poliey has been to require some payment from those who receive the service, but few of the departments have been self-sustaining, and the annual deficit has been made up by the subseriptions of interested eitizens.
Portions of the building that was dedicated in 1892 were for a time rented, as the room was not needed for Y. M. C. A. activities. An auditorium seating about 100 was used for Sunday afternoon religious meetings and at other times for concerts and other entertain- ments. But with the growth of the work all this was changed. The upper floors were trans- formed into dormitories and the auditorium into a gymnasium. The building was ultimately filled to overflowing and the establishment of a branch for colored youth was contemplated. For this latter, property at the corner of Spring and Fifth streets was bought and the branch opened in 1912, in the abandoned dwelling house. the people of the colored churches helping to finance the enterprise. A campaign to raise $500,000 for a new eentral building and on adequate structure for the colored branch was launched in 1916 and quickly pressed to success. The school lot at the northeast corner of Long and Front streets was bought for
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the new central building. The work of razing the school building was soon begun and plans for both structures were adopted. The cornerstone of the colored branch was laid Sunday, June 23, 1918, following a parade by colored fraternities, religious and civic organi- zations. Dr. W. A. Method was master of ceremonies and several speakers voiced the gen- eral applause. Nimrod B. Allen was the executive of this branch, and there were 673 members.
War activities interfered somewhat with the larger building plan. Secretary Pontius went to Europe, on leave, for Y. M. C. A. work, and there was a scattering of the employed officers of the association, M. C. Thompson and Earl F. Hughes went to Camp Sherman; Arthur A. Scholl to the Columbus Barracks, where Seth A. Drummond was in charge of the Y. M. C. A. branch; Glenn Somers and Paul Davies, into the navy, and E. R. Ames into the naval reserve; S. T. Brooks, to the mechanics' division school at Cincinnati; W. D. Will, Luther D. Evans, Fred H. Pumphrey into the army. Ely D. Miller became acting general secretary in Mr. Pontius' absence, with Gerald G. Lord as extension secretary, and Raymond L. Dickinson, executive of the South Side Industrial Extension branch, begun August 1, 1917. The last named, with the co-operation of churches and manufacturing companies, did a valu- able work in religious, physical and educational training among the thousands of workmen, many of whom were of foreign birth and new to this country. From the Ohio State Uni- versity Y. M. C. A. staff went Ruskin Dyer, Don Demorest and Huntley Dupre, first to Y. M. C. A. service in France and ultimately into the army. From the colored branch staff went Thurman Ragland to Y. M. C. A. war work; Leonard J. Faulkner and Rusty Bush to the army and George Anderson, to the naval base hospital. The financial campaign for Y. M. C. A. war activities is described in another chapter.
In June, 1918, the Central Y. M. C. A. bought Silver Lake park, near Bellefontaine, 129 acres, including a 40-acre lake, with several buildings, for a summer recreation ground and boys' camp. For several years it had been rented for similar purposes.
The Railroad Y. M. C. A.
The first step toward the organization of a Railroad Young Men's Christian Association was taken April 2, 1876, when through the personal efforts of Thomas E. Humphreys, T. J. Janney, and others, a meeting was held in the cast room of the old Union Depot. M. P. Ford was president of the first executive board, and in May, O. R. Stockwell was elected general secretary. The Union Depot Co. donated the use of the east room of the depot, and the association fitted it up as a reading room. Secretary Stockwell resigned in 1878 and was succeeded by W. A. Waggoner, who carried on the work till 1891. In 1892, E. Dow Baneroft became secretary and so continues.
The association was incorporated April 18, 1881, by M. P. Ford, F. H. Kingsbury, R. B. Poore, T. J. Janney and O. W. Merrill. Early presidents, following Mr. Ford, were: C. E. B. Lamson, Thomas E. Humphreys, E. C. Beach, P. J. Magly, W. C. Wallace. From 1883 to 1888, the association had the use of two rooms on the third floor of the old depot, but in the latter year had to give up one of them. It continued in the cramped quarters till the fall of 1890, when it leased the second floor of the building, 3123 North High street and formally opened the rooms in the following February. The membership then was 245. In 1896, a reading room was opened in the T. & O. C. station on West Broad street. In 1899, the dormitory accommodations at the main rooms had been increased to 29, and the building was kept open at night to eare for incoming railroad men. Shop meetings and Bible classes, as well as Sunday afternoon meetings, were held, and reading room, bath and dormitory accommodations provided, and the need for more room became urgent. The old Park Hotel building at Goodale and High streets was leased in 1911, and the service much increased. A Pennsylvania branch at Twenty-second street, where dormitory, bath and restaurant privileges are provided, is also successfully maintained. During Secretary Ban- croft's absence for war Y. M. C. A. work overseas, in 1918, W. C. Hoodlet was acting sce- retary.
Barracks Y. M. C. . 1.
The United States Barracks branch of the Y. M. C. A. was opened for war work, as indicated elsewhere, May 15, 1917. The work soon outgrew the original quarters, and a new building was opened January 27, 1918. S. A. Drummond was general secretary.
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Among those who assisted in religious, social, athletie and other activities, most af them for short periods before enlistment, were E. Spencer Myers, Nathan L. Maek, Sidney Mayer, A. Arthur Scholl, James Dorman, A. V. Bennett, Orville W. Briner, G. C. Morris and A. W. Spung. At the hut a eireulating library was maintained. For a time 170,000 letters were written there every month and more than $4000 worth of stamps were sold monthly, while 300 men were entertained daily on the athletie field. A report in August, 1918, showed that 650 persons had aided in the programs for the entertainment of the soldiers.
The W. E. and I. U. and Y. W. C. 1.
An organization ealled the Woman's Exchange designed to establish a market for articles of home manufacture, chiefly as an aid to women who felt the need of adding to a slender ineome, was established in 1884. By the payment of a small annual or semi-annual fee, any woman might become a consignor and have the produet of her hands offered for sale. There was also an educational branch intended to train young women to usefulness. The effort met with sueeess. Following this, there was a meeting of women in December, 1886, to organize a larger work and as a result, in January, 1887, the Women's Educational and Industrial Union was incorporated by Harriet E. Ide, Anne E. Dennison, Elizabeth Me Millen, Annie C. Dunham and Aliee Corner Brown. The last named was the first presi- dent and was sueeeeded, the following year, by Mrs. Dunham. The purpose of the organi- zation was "to unite the women of Columbus in moral and educational work for the benefit of working women and girls, and to protect and promote their moral, industrial and financial interests." The work was begun in a 12-room residenee, 64 South Fourth street, leased for the purpose, in 1887, Mrs. Ira J. Bailey, matron. Cooking, dressmaking, hygiene and other sub- jeets were taught. In 1889 a frame building, costing $1500, was ereeted on the rear of the lot and there the first day nursery and kindergarten were conducted and the Y. W. C. A. recreation work begun. At the same time the lot and residence were bought for $15,586.14 and paid for by subscriptions, the largest of which was $5500 hy Benjamin S. Brown. In 1901 J. H. Godman proposed a day nursery for colored children, paid the first year's expenses and the next year gave $10,000 to make the Ohio avenue institution permanent. In 1902, the residence at 61 South Fourth street was replaced with the building now known as Residenee Hall, at a cost of $28,000 raised by subseriptions, the largest of which were: J. H. Godman, $10,000; Miss Catherine Tuttle, $10,000. This was opened April 11, 1903, as a home for young women. Out of the kindergarten work grew the Columbus Kindergar- ten Association, in the work of which Mrs. John Brown, Mrs. L. P. Stafford, Mrs. George T. Spahr and Miss Clara McColm were prominent. These and others carried on the work till it became a part of the publie school system. The day nursery work was presided over by Mrs. M. E. Bowen, Mrs. John Brown, Mrs. D. C. Beggs, Mrs. C. A. MeAllister, Mrs. Robert Gilliam, and others. Begun at the corner of Fourth and Oak, it was soon carried to another building on Oak street, which in 1916 was remodeled. The Ohio avenue day nursery for colored children, established in 1901, was rebuilt in 1916. Each is supported by endowments, annual subscriptions and the small fee charged mothers. Since 1889 Charles E. Munson has given $100 annually for shoes for children. Other considerable gifts for this work have been: Jane B. McNaughton, $10,000; H. C. Godman, $19,100; Mrs. E. T. Mithoff, $5000; Catherine M. Tuttle, $30,000.
In 1894 the Young Women's Christian Association was incorporated by Mrs. John M. Dunham, Mrs. R. M. Rownd, Mrs. Margaret H. Pettit and Mrs. L. B. Taylor. It became a department of the W. E. and I. U., with Mrs. John J. Lentz as first president. Other presidents were Mrs. Linus B. Kauffman and Mrs. Frank C. Martin, and the Olds house and lot at 65 South Fourth street were bought for the use of the association. In 1910, when Mrs. Martin was president of the Y. W C. A. and Mrs. Kauffman was president of the W. E. and I. U., the boards of the two organizations voted to consolidate under the name of the Young Women's Christian Association. The change was resisted by a few of the older workers in the W. E. and I. U and there was litigation covering several years, at the end of which the consolidation was allowed to stand.
In the meantime the work had gone forward. The two buildings on Fourth street were found to be inadequate and a building at 25 South Fourth street had been leased for the administration offiees and cafeteria. Mrs. Kauffman resigned as president in 1915 and was sueeeeded by the present executive, Mrs. C. F. Hansberger. Mrs. Alberta Wiltsee, general
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secretary, was succeeded in 1915, by Miss Esther Erickson, who resigned in 1918 and was succeeded in 1918 by Miss Ruth Dorsey. Mrs. R. A. Harrison was treasurer of the W. E. and I. U. for 18 years, having been succeeded by Mrs. D. C. Beggs, who in that and other capacities has served the organization for 28 years.
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