BELONGING TO THE YOUNG MEN'S ASSOCIATION, OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO. Volume I. CONTAINING THE TITLES ADDED FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE INTRODUCTION. A brief sketch of the foundation and history of the Young Men's Association of the City of Chicago may not be an inappropriate introduction to this volume. On the evening of the 30th of January, in the year 1841, WALTER L. NEWBERRY, ESQ., HON. MARK SKINNER, HON. HUGH T. DICKEY, PETER PAGE, ESQ., WALTER S. GURNEE, ESQ., WILLIAM L. CHURCH Esq., and a number of other citizens, convened at the Common Council Rooms of this city, to establish a Reading Room, and organize a Young Men's Association. WALTER L. NEWBERRY, ESQ., presided, and J. W. UNDERWOOD, Esq., and PETER PAGE, ESQ., were secretaries. Resolutions were adopted expressing the objects of the meeting, and pledging those present to the support of the enterprise. A Committee, of which the HON. MARK SKINNER was Chairman, was appointed to solicit subscriptions, and to draft a Constitution. At a subsequent meeting, on the evening of the 6th of February, 1841, a Constitution was adopted, in which the objects of the Association were declared to be, "To establish and maintain a Reading Room and Library; to procure literary and scientific Lecturers; and to promote the intellectual improvement of its members." WALTER L. NEWBERRY, ESQ., was chosen President; HON. MARK SKINNER, Vice-President; HON. HUGH T. DICKEY, Corresponding Secretary; LEROY M. BOYCE, Recording Secretary; WALTER VAIL, ESQ., Treasurer. The Managers were CHARLES H. STARKWEATHER, PETER PAGE, WALTER S. GURNEE, FRANCIS HOWE, NORMAN B. JUDD, WILLIAM L. CHURCH, and CHARLES STURTEVANT. A code of By-Laws was subsequently adopted, which has been at various times modified and amended, and as now existing is presented in this volume. A Reading Room, on the north-west corner of Lake and Clark streets, was leased, at a rental of $125 per annum, and fitted up under the supervision of PETER PAGE, ESQ., and was supplied with the principal Newspapers and Periodicals published at the time. The nucleus for a Library was provided by a selection of books presented by Walter L. Newberry, Esq., on the 24th of April, 1841, which was immediately increased by generous donations by Messrs. S. Lisle Smith, William B. Ogden, W. H. Clark, and Dr. S. Sawyer, and by other citizens and members of the Association. Thus, by such men, and for such objects, the Association was formed. In the winter after its organization, the first Lecture was delivered before the Association, by Wm. H. Brown, Esq., and during the same season lectures were delivered by Dr. Brainard, and others. |