Club of Young Men; Phillip McAbee pictured

PLANS FOR GREATER

CLUB OF YOUNG MEN

Muncie Club Hopes to Have a

New Home, Including a

"Gym," Very Soon.

WILL INCREASE MEMBERSHIP

What This Unique Social Organization

Has Done and What it

Intends to Do.

If present plans do not miscarry the Muncie club before autumn will develop into one of the most elaborate and best social clubs in this part of the state. The club for the past several years has been a factor in the social affairs of Muncie and now occupies a distinctive place in the fraternal life of the city. The plans upon which the club will expand are very extensive and include the furnishing of elegant club quarters, including commodius [sic] commodious social rooms and a first class gymnasium. The officers of the club now have negotiations pending with several property owners for the construction of quarters suited to the requirements of the enlarged organization. The property owners who have been approached thus far have been asked to include in the proposed new quarters apartments for a suite of rooms including a library, billiard and pool room, music room, card room and general reception room. The gymnasium will be equipped with first class apparatus.

The main gymnasium room will be so arranged that this part of the club used for dancing purposes when the members so desire.

The Muncie club as a social organization is a unique body. Almost all purely social clubs frequently see persons of great financial stringency, but the Muncie club never has seen, except in one instance, a time when its assets were not considerably greater than its liabilities. As this period was several years ago the older members refer to it with smiles and joking references. On this particular occasion the club had apartments in the Johnson block and owed the owners of the building over $300 for rent, heat and light. In addition to owing several other creditors lesser sums which made a total of about $200 more. With this debt staring them in the face and practically no assets the club decided to give a minstrel show, hoping there­by to get a little money with which to pay some of its debts and defer a visit from the sheriff and his auc­tioneer. After weeks of practice the club finally invited the public to spend an evening with the members at the Wysor Grand. The responses to this invitation were most remarkable.

MADE MONEY OFF "SHOWS."

With the profits the club paid its debts and has never since been serious­ly troubled with financial matters. Since that time the club has given a number of theatricals. Each one has been of professional character and all of them have been money makers. Most of the local theater goers recall the two performances of "The Magistrate" which was given recently with great success.

The club rooms, from the first existence of the organization, have always been cozy and clublike in appearance. However, "good fellowship" is the club's watchword, not elaborate quar­ters where no sociability exists. At present the club is occupying the property at the northwest cor­ner of Adams and Jefferson streets. The present club home is in a residence but the proposed new location will likely be in a business block where a better arrangement of apartments will be possible.

The present club is composed of about forty young men more or less prominent in business and social life of Muncie. The club has no members and wants none whose sole ambition and business is to be social successes.

It is likely that the membership of the club will be increased to about one hundred members when new quarters are provided. Just at this time, however, the present membership is completing plans for apartments suitable for a larger club.

THE NEW OFFICERS.

C. H. Taylor, the newly elected presi­dent of the Muncie club, is, from the standpoint of membership, one of the oldest members of the organization. He was among the first to join the club after the consolidation of the old Delaware and Hoosier clubs. Mr. Taylor is a member of the firm and manager of the Muncie Coal company, and is also secretary and treasurer of the Inlow Mineral Water company.

Harry H. Orr, vice president, is junior member of the law firm of Orr & Orr. the senior member being W. W. Orr, his father. The former's membership in the club dates back several years.

Philip W. McAbee, who was elected secretary, is a member of the Indiana Pipe company, being secretary of the latter concern. Mr. McAbee has resided in Muncie only about a year, but during that time has made many warm friends, particularly among his club associates.

Harry Macdonald, the new treasurer, is connected with the Guarantee shoe store. Mr. Macdonald has been asso­ciated with the Muncie club for several years, and has always been promi­nently identified with all of the club's various enterprises.

The trustees of the club are Mr. Frank H. Kimbrough and Mr. George Benham. The house committee recent­ly chosen is composed of Messrs. Paul Richey, Ruby Goldstein and Karl Oesterle.

Upon the newly elected officers will fall the duties of making the extensive changes the club now has under way. The organization is entirely devoid of factions and the utmost feeling of har­mony prevails. The entire membership; of the club is working as a unit to bring about the changes that will make the new club one of the best organiza­tions of its kind in the state.