53:. Herbert Spencer made a speech on this occasion in which he said, "We have had somewhat too much of the Gospel of Work; it is time to preach the Gospel of Relaxation." This motto engendered the formation of the Twilight Club. Herbert Spencer did not participate in the club. However, Charles Wingate offered him an honorary membership, which, upon acceptance, he offered this advice to the club, "I would, however, remark that the reports of your proceedings seem to imply rather more gravity of speech in your conversations than is altogether consistent with the 'expectation of relaxation.'" The official motto of the club was, "To cultivate good fellowship and enjoy rational recreation."
338:$ 1 to $ 2, at the time of the athletic club purchase, Wingate mentions the initiation fee of $ 100 and dues of $ 15, which is contrasted with the dues of $ 30 for a similar club in London. At the time the club reported 800 members, although attendance at dinners was reported as between 50 and 200, depending on the event. The Twilight Club hoped to increase membership to 1,500 with this purchase. However, no record of a purchase or such club operations was recorded. The only noted use in this time period was for conducting boxing matches. The Twilight Club continued to have dinners mainly at the St. Denis Hotel following discussions of this purchase.
325:"But alas! Wingate is absent, and there is no one to replace him." When Charles Wingate Died in 1909, he was noted as the founder of the Twilight Club, and its factotum. The club lasted over twenty years and hosted hundreds of dinners with guests numbering from dozens to several hundred. The last public meeting of the Twilight Club was May 19, 1918. By a unanimous vote at the annual meeting in September, the Twilight Club officially became the Society of Arts and Sciences.
218:
good-will of all his listeners." During its most active period, the club met every two weeks, eight months of the year. It was called the
Twilight Club because the meetings happened much earlier than other clubs in the city. Meetings could be over before other similar clubs had begun dinner. The low cost, sometimes just the cost of dinner, the early hours and the casual nature of the discussions were unique factors that led to the club's popularity among its members.
337:
went into receivership. Charles
Wingate and a consortium of Twilight Club Members raised $ 500,000 to purchase the building as a permanent home for the club. They also intended to rent the club to other similar social clubs that could benefit from such a meeting place. While dues had been raised from
198:
There was an executive committee. However, the only officer was
Charles F. Wingate, who acted as "secretary, treasurer, committee of admission, and head and doer of what ever was to be done." Wingate kept a complete list of members, which was published in a contemporaneous biography of the club and
324:
Club meetings ended in the early 1900s with the last reported meeting in 1904. In 1910, Joel Benton recounts that, "The Club has held no gatherings of late years, on account of its founder's now fatally terminated illness" and "The Club, beginning in 1883, suspended 5 or 6 years ago." Waters said,
221:
The St. Denis Hotel (also referred to as the Hotel St. Denis) became the most common location for gatherings. There was no permanent master of ceremonies. For each dinner, the secretary
Charles F. Wingate would appoint one member to be the president for the night. Wingate would inform the temporary
217:
Dinner began promptly at 6 and ran until 8 followed by two and a half hours of intellectual discussion. Speeches were limited to 5 minutes "with the express understanding that each orator will speak his inmost thoughts without hesitation or reserve, and with the perfect assurance of the esteem and
41:
On
January 4, 1883, the Twilight Club was founded by Charles Frederick Wingate during "a gathering at Mouquin's restaurant of a number of congenial friends..." Meetings consisted of dinner or discussions both humorous and serious on disputable topics of the day. Some recorded topics were fishing,
222:
president of the program for the evening and coach him in conducting the discussion. The dining party consisted of a mixture of paid members, their guests, and invited experts who were brought in to give their testimony and opinions in reference to the topic of discussion for that evening.
61:
By 1884, the
Twilight Club was heralded as a hot spot for the “who’s who” of Manhattan. “Among all the clubs in New York, of which prominent men are members, few are better known than the Twilight club, and, at the same time, few are more worthy of note…" trumpeted a local publication.
42:
rearing of children, and the value of a college education. Sometimes the questions would be hypotheticals such as, "what would you do if you were King of
Manhattan Island?", or "who is the most remarkable man on earth?"
202:
While the Club defined its members as "club-able fellows with $ 1,” specific evenings were designated as "ladies' nights,” where women were invited to attend the dinners and to actively engage in the discussions.
1177:
Letter from
Secretary Richmond J. Reese to members of the Society of Arts and Sciences, December 15, 1918. Thomas J. Watson, Sr. Papers, Associations and Clubs, Society of Arts and Sciences, Box 98. IBM Corporate
232:
March 1885, D'Orville's restaurant, "How Should Girls be
Trained?". Ideas proposed included allowing girls to play football and abandoning corsets. This meeting, described as 60-odd members, was lampooned in the
274:
May 14, 1894, on board the steamship Paris. The 234th dinner, 400 attending. The topic "Men and Their Wives" was met with "hearty applause" and laughter. Serious talk of
American commerce and shipping followed.
1311:
350:
of New York state was founded by Charles F. Wingate. Besides the name and a handful of Twilight Club members purchasing property there, it had no connection to the Twilight Club and its operations.
229:
April 1884, D'orville's restaurant in the Mills Building. "How did you make your first dollar? & Fish and Fishing." The dinner was on the 9th floor requiring attendees to climb 215 stairs.
195:
Additions and amendments were accepted, but they were required to be submitted in writing, along with a deposit of $ 17.34 (as a guarantee of good faith) two years before being voted on.
1301:
478:
1246:
1224:
1296:
1306:
206:
In January 1887, after three years in operation, the Club raised its annual membership dues from $ 1 to $ 2 per year and later to $ 3 per year.
1268:
280:
December 1894, St. Denis Hotel, "What are the churches doing for the people?", Guest speaker: Miss Ballington Booth, 200 women and men present.
535:
Club Men of New York: Their Occupations, and Business and Home Addresses: Sketches of Each of the Organizations: College Alumni Associations
311:
November 1904, St. Denis Hotel, Discussed whether Russia or Japan should be given sympathy in the present Far Eastern storm. Guest Speaker:
277:
December 1894, St. Denis Hotel. "Is the theater going to the dogs?", 18 members of the American Dramatists' Club invited as guest speakers.
33:
that operated from 1883 until 1904. It was founded by Charles F. Wingate "to cultivate good fellowship and enjoy rational recreation."
511:
237:
saying, "A more reckless display of mingled ignorance and presumption has never been made by any club in this city or elsewhere."
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While “full dress was absolutely prohibited,” some guests would nonetheless dress to impress, arriving in full dinner dress.
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December 1896, St. Denis Hotel, "The ethics of the bargain counter." Guest speaker: a member of the Union Labor League.
284:
243:
January 1888, "What Would you do if you were King of Manhattan Island?" 300 men and women diners in attendance.
725:
695:
334:
632:
308:
November 1901, St. Denis Hotel, Discussed what they would do if they were mayor-elect. 30 members attended.
820:
594:
225:
The following is a catalogue of noted gatherings (dates, location, topics, attendees and guest speakers):
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1160:
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1103:
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896:
878:
860:
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768:
552:
460:
439:
573:
1188:
914:
650:
255:
May 1893, St. Denis Hotel, "Who is the most remarkable man on earth?", 52 members present. They lauded
305:
May 1901, "Tenement House Laws." Guest speakers: Social Reform Club & Sanitary Protective League.
347:
234:
503:
497:
679:
507:
260:
299:
October 1897, St. Denis Hotel, The upcoming election was the topic. 90 club members attended.
312:
256:
252:
January 1893, St. Denis Hotel, "The American Drama", 100 ladies with their escorts attended.
296:
February 1897, St. Denis Hotel, "The problem of luxury - Shall we drink champagne or beer?"
46:
45:
The inspiration for the club came from a dinner at Delmonico's held to honor sociologist
753:
The American metropolis from Knickerbocker days to the present time; New York city life
287:.", 150 members and guests attended, Guest speakers: 2 NY businessmen of Cuban descent.
1290:
268:
50:
30:
420:
1269:"DILLON OUTPOINTS FLYNN. - Has Better of Hotly Contested Bout at Manhattan A.C."
26:
264:
684:. The Critic Printing and Publishing Company, New York. 1884. p. 115.
65:
Rather than formal “Rules,” the Twilight Club had a list of “Principles”:
371:
This principle was not noted in Joel Benton's 1910 biography of the Club
246:
June 1890, "Is it worth while to go to College?", 80 gentlemen attended.
618:
Gilder, Jeannette Leonard and, Gilder, Joseph Benson (1886).
302:
January 1901, St. Denis Hotel, "The record of the century."
199:
corroborated in multiple newspaper articles at the time.
622:, p. 129. Good Literature Publishing Company, New York.
1312:
Civic and political organizations of the United States
1195:. (New York, New York). November 23, 1893. p. 10.
921:. (New York, New York). January 13, 1893. p. 12.
240:
January 1887, "Where shall we go to church in 1987?".
49:
on November 9, 1882, prior to his departure from the
657:. Penn Yan New Yorg. November 16, 1882. p. 2.
639:. (New York, New York). March 27, 1916. p. 4.
293:January 1897, St. Denis Hotel, "As others see us."
249:December 1892, "What shall we do with our slums!".
732:. (Dunkirk, New York). April 21, 1884. p. 2.
1155:
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827:. (Atlanta, Georgia). August 9, 1886. p. 1.
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720:
718:
633:"Twilight's Spotlight is Turned on Sir Herbert"
601:. (New York, New York). May 5, 1893. p. 1.
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850:, p. 156. Dodd, Mead & Company, New York.
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1302:1904 disestablishments in New York (state)
1140:"Twilight Club Hints for Mayor-Elect Low"
810:, p. 182. S.J. Clarke Publishing Company.
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527:
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712:, p. 230. Methuan & Company, London.
1297:1883 establishments in New York (state)
384:
364:
1247:"The Day - Google News Archive Search"
1225:"The Day - Google News Archive Search"
808:Chicago: Its History and Its Builders
7:
1307:Clubs and societies in New York City
502:. New York: J.Messner, Inc. p.
57:Membership, principles, and officers
710:Life and Letters of Herbert Spencer
537:. Republic Press. 1893. p. 42.
1271:Select.nytimes.com. March 11, 1916
755:, p. 143. P. F. Collier, New York.
499:They Builded Better than They Knew
14:
931:New York Times, May 15, 1894,p.3.
1213:. November 26, 1893. p. 17.
769:"Eating Fish on the Ninth Floor"
467:. December 5, 1909. p. 113.
1146:. November 15, 1901. p. 3.
1020:. December 18, 1896. p. 2.
966:. December 31, 1894. p. 8.
806:Currey, Josiah Seymour (1918).
698:. November 12, 1882. p. 9.
461:"Memories of the Twilight Club"
446:. September 2, 1909. p. 9.
1092:. October 29, 1897. p. 5.
1074:. February 5, 1897. p. 1.
1056:. February 3, 1897. p. 7.
1038:. January 22, 1897. p. 7.
1032:"Meeting of the Twilight Club"
996:"Twilight Club Discusses Cuba"
948:. December 7, 1894. p. 3.
796:. January 17, 1887. p. 2.
595:"Is Brennan as Great as This?"
559:. December 2, 1892. p. 2.
425:. Broadway publishing Company.
283:April 1896, St. Denis Hotel, "
1:
1110:. January 2, 1901. p. 8.
1104:"Twilight Club's Anniversary"
984:. January 4, 1895. p. 8.
942:"Twilight Club and the Stage"
861:"How Girls Should Be Trained"
580:. January 6, 1888. p. 3.
553:"and Discussion of the Slums"
422:Memories of the Twilight Club
1207:"Twilight Club's New Scheme"
1167:. March 25, 1904. p. 2.
1002:. April 10, 1896. p. 5.
775:. April 11, 1884. p. 8.
496:Cohen, Julius Henry (1946).
485:. March 9, 1912. p. 35.
479:"Tales Told in the Twilight"
18:Dinner club in New York City
1086:"Twilight Club Men For Low"
978:"The Church and The People"
885:. March 7, 1885. p. 4.
879:"Ignorance and Presumption"
867:. March 6, 1885. p. 8.
620:The Critic, Volumes 5 and 8
1328:
1227:. The Day. January 9, 1889
1128:. May 10, 1901. p. 5.
903:. June 6, 1890. p. 5.
440:"Charles Wingate Obituary"
1161:"Bigelow Talks for Japan"
915:"Twilight Club Symposium"
897:"The Twilight Club Dines"
790:"Membership of the Clubs"
574:"If They Were Only Kings"
483:Boston Evening Transcript
1189:"A Club-House for Clubs"
1014:"Bargain Counter Ethics"
825:The Atlanta Constitution
730:Dunkirk Evening Observer
848:Culture by Conversation
846:Waters, Robert (1908).
335:Manhattan Athletic Club
329:Manhattan Athletic Club
708:Duncan, David (1908).
109:No parliamentary rules
103:No decamping treasurer
1122:"Tenement House Laws"
346:Twilight Park in the
112:No previous questions
751:Moss, Frank (1897).
681:The Critic, Volume 4
419:Joel Benton (1910).
97:No mutual admiration
960:"City and Vicinity"
821:"The Thirteen Club"
127:No 'sailors' yarns'
115:No lengthy speeches
1211:The New York Times
1165:The New York Times
1144:The New York Times
1126:The New York Times
1108:The New York Times
1090:The New York Times
1072:The New York Times
1054:The New York Times
1036:The New York Times
1018:The New York Times
1000:The New York Times
982:The New York Times
964:The New York Times
946:The New York Times
901:The New York Times
883:The New York Times
865:The New York Times
794:The New York Times
773:The New York Times
578:The New York Times
557:The New York Times
465:The New York Times
444:The New York Times
285:The Cuban question
160:No conventionality
655:Chronicle-Express
261:Otto von Bismarck
145:No party politics
124:No 'fish stories'
91:No initiation fee
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1068:"News Condensed"
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696:"New York Times"
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257:Grover Cleveland
142:No personalities
106:No watered stock
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1050:"Coming Events"
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163:No grand reform
133:No free dinners
100:No defalcations
85:No constitution
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47:Herbert Spencer
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651:"General News"
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23:Twilight Club
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1273:. Retrieved
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367:
345:
332:
323:
224:
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187:No formality
157:No 'bouncer'
148:No preaching
121:No profanity
82:No president
67:
64:
60:
44:
40:
22:
20:
15:
1275:October 27,
1253:October 27,
1231:October 27,
184:No red tape
169:No 'papers'
154:No dynamite
151:No gambling
88:No salaries
27:dinner club
1291:Categories
354:References
172:No 'dudes'
139:No bribery
136:No scandal
130:No dueling
79:No by-laws
68:Principles
1249:. The Day
1193:The World
1178:Archives.
919:The World
599:The World
379:Citations
190:No humbug
37:Formation
726:"Page 2"
550:/ref>
76:No debts
637:The Sun
213:Dinners
181:No cant
178:No gush
175:No puns
73:No dues
510:
320:Demise
25:was a
359:Notes
1277:2011
1255:2011
1233:2011
508:ISBN
21:The
29:in
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504:43
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463:.
452:^
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431:^
387:^
267:,
263:,
259:,
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271:.
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