i28' .J . CS37 F 128 / ^*;,4- 1 / Ol l'*'^'^ .C537 ^•-■<-.. -^ / Copy 1 ^*^ /he City History Club Summary of JVoj^k _ 1906-1907 The City History Club begins the work of the present season under most favorable auspices. The Club and The League for Political Education have formed an alliance by which the Club retains its own officers, traditions and inde- pendent organization as before, but the League assumes the responsibility for the executive management of the work. This step was made necessary by the growth of the Club and promises more effective activity and larger useful- ness for the future. Classes During the past year there were enrolled about fifteen hundred student members in fifty-six classes. Twenty-five classes were taught by eight paid teachers, and thirty-one classes by twenty-five volunteer teachers. Of these classes thirty-seven were in settlements, thirteen in schools and three in churches. There were twenty-seven classes of boys, sixteen of girls, twelve of both sexes and five of adults. Of the sixteen supporters of paid classes three were patri- V\oX^ ■ \ Otic societies, and the total contribution toward teachers' salaries was about $650. Three classes were continued during the summer. Ju?iior Meetings and Entertainments Twelve business meetings of the Juniors were held to discuss class work and report on the progress of the various clubs represented by their chosen delegates. In several of these meetings Juniors entertained the members present with short papers, stereopticon talks and music. The annual entertainment for the Brooklyn classes was held in the Hall of the Long Island Historical Society, on Lincoln's Birthday, and for the Manhattan classes in the Auditorium of the Educational Alliance on Washing- ton's Birthday. Several classes held interesting open meetings, to which they invited members of neighboring classes and their par- ents and friends. In connection with the open meetings of three classes supported by the Mary Washington Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, contests were held in patriotic declamation, prizes being awarded by the Patriotic Committee of that society. Exhibitions The Annual Exhibition was held on April 5 and 6, at 23 West 44th Street, at which an excellent showing was made of the work of the children and their teachers. Prizes and honors were awarded as usual. The exhibit sent to Milan in tlie spring of 1906 re- ceived a medal and it was transferred in the spring of 1907 to Paris, where it is now on exhibition under the super- vision of Dr. W. H. Tolman. An exhibit consisting of photographs, wall bulletins and many models and samples of Club publications, schol- ars' notebooks, etc., was sent to the Jamestown Exposition. When returned this winter it is proposed to place this exhibit permanently in the Club office. Fort Clinton Tablet Unveiling On November 24th, 1906, occurred the formal unveiling of the historical tablet at McGown's Pass, Central Park, in which the Park Department and the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society participated. The tablet was paid for by the pennies contributed for that purpose by the Junior Members. There was a large attendance; music was furnished by the Park band and one of the Club classes sang patriotic airs. Speeches were made by prom- inent citizens and the tablet was turned over to the care of the Park Department. Milestone Fund The children's pennies are now being collected for the purpose of preserving the old city milestones, of which seventeen have been located. The city authorities have approved the idea and given the care of these landmarks to The City History Club. A beginning was made last June by resetting in a safer position the stone on the old Albany Post Road near the Van Cortlandt Mansion. It is pro- posed to mark these stones with simple tablets and sur- round them with a protecting iron rail, in some cases placing an ornamental lamp above them. A complete set of photographs of the known milestones was presented to the Club by a member of the Historic Traces Committee, and one of the classes gave a set of lantern slides of the LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS llllllll 014 222 594 3 stones. A lecture has been prepared on " The City Milestones and the Old Post Road." Alumni Association Initial steps have been taken toward the organization of an Alumni Association composed of all former members of classes over sixteen years of age. The idea is to con- tinue the interest among those who can no longer attend classes or who have completed the regular course of instuc- tion and to prepare the members to aid in the Club work in some tangible way, such as becoming teachers, guides or assistants along other lines. Publications Through the aid the Committee on Historic Traces a new Excursion leaflet (No. IX. " The Historic Bronx ") has been issued and most of the preparations made for the publication of leaflets to cover the remaining parts of the city, viz.: Richmond, Queens and the east and north sec- tions of Brooklyn. The former leaflets have been revised and it is hoped soon to issue a complete historical guide book of Greater New York. Much material is ready for the new leaflet of the Government of the City of New York which it is proposed to issue this year. Summer Wo7-k During the summer a series of historical excursions and lectures was given in connection with the Brooklyn Children's Museum, where it is proposed to organize a center of city history study this coming season. Frank Bergen Kelley, Ph.D., Superintendent.