[SOCIAL CLUBS.]
The New Jersey, Palma (which began as a Rifle Club), the Jersey City Athletic, the Cartaret and Catholic Clubs are social clubs and immensely popular. The most of them extend many privileges and courtesies to their women friends. The Catholic Club was organized by Father Kelly, now of St. Mary's Church, Hoboken, in 1892, and was an outcome of his desire to provide a place of recreation for the young men and women of his church. It was the first club in the city where young women had free access and right as associate members to the use of the reading room, library and bowling alley. I believe that they are still restricted to certain days in that respect, and in voting they are not upon a perfect equality with the masculine members, but what they have is a long step in the right direction, and has been a very great success. The club now has a membership of one thousand, and the plan is being followed by the clubs of the other Catholic churches.
[POLITICAL CLUBS.]
The most prominent are the Union League and Hudson County Democratic Society, both of which own handsome club houses on York street facing Van Vorst square.
[LIBRARIES.]
About 1866 a few gentlemen in Bergen formed the Bergen Library Association. They collected subscriptions and organized a library of one thousand volumes. A room was given for their use in Library Hall and Major Gaines acted as librarian and secretary. After a few years the interest in it died out and the books were sold. In 1867 a few gentlemen in Hudson City formed a Free Library Association and hired a room on the southwest corner of Newark and Baldwin avenues for the library. Books were given and bought until quite a respectable beginning was made. The ladies formed an aid society to help raise funds to start and support it. It existed for a few years, and then, for lack of funds and public interest, was discontinued. The books were packed and stored in a stable belonging to one of the trustees. In 1873 the Board of Education was authorized to establish a free library, with an allowance of $1,000 per year. It was kept at the High School and was open on Saturdays only. It was patronized principally by the pupils and teachers of the High School; in fact, there was a general impression abroad that none others were entitled to the privilege of the library.