PROGRESS CLUB
Arthur L. Finkle
One of the leading social clubs of the
present day, with a membership exclusively Jewish, is the Progress Club, which
since 1922 has been occupying a handsome club house at 178 West State Street.
This organization began in November 1894
as the Young Men's Hebrew Club, with a membership of twenty‑seven. .Its first
meetings were held in a room in a building on South Broad .Street, below
Factory, but later the club moved to East State Street, between Broad and
Warren Streets. Arthur Schwartz was the first president of the old club, which
was interested in improving the mental, moral, social and physical conditions
of its members and of protecting Hebrew interests.
About 1905, the club changed into a
purely social one, and adopted the name of the Progress Club. New quarters were
acquired in the Alhambra Building. Subsequently, the Thropp property on 534 East
State Street became the club's headquarters.
In 1922, the members bought from John S.
Broughton estate at 178 West State Street, now the newer N.J.E.A. building.
Dr. Samuel Freeman was the first
president after the establishment of the Progress Club; Barnett Elting was
vice-president; A. Siegel, treasurer; and Philip Papier, secretary.
In 1925 the Progress Club men bought a
country place on the Lawrenceville Road, where they have established a golf
club. When this purchase was made the official name was changed to the Progress
City and Country Club. See http://trentonhistory.org/His/Social.html
Consisting
of mostly successful German Jewish businessmen who also attended Har Sinai
Temple, they used the club to host Temple functions. See Evening Times, Thursday, October 10, 1901
Its
officers in 1901: M. A. Fuld, President; S. Kahn, Vice President; Sol Papier,
Secretary. See Trenton Evening Times, January 7, 1901
The
Governing Board: S. Kahn; P.
Lazarus; A. Klinkowstein; M.A. Fuld; L. A. Fuld; L. L. Friedman; A. Seigel; E. R.
Fox; S. Levy; Sol Papier; and William Vogel.
In
1903, Har Sinai Temple held a children’s party. The new account cited that
large crowd of children (100) received prizes. The event took place
at
the Progress Club, North Warren street, Saturday afternoon, for the benefit of
the new Har Sinai temple Pipe organ fund.
Mrs.
Sigmund Baron was chair of the committee. Har Sinai’s spiritual leader, Rev.
Turman attended.
In
1905, Progress Club hosted
a Masquerade party at 85 North Warren St. Members
of the Progress Club and their friends enjoyed a masquerade dance and euchre
(old form of Bridge) at 85 North Warren Street.
Those who earned prizes were Dolly Varden; Miss Hannah Vogel; Miss Barbara Vogel; Miss Miriam Kahn, Miss Bettie
Siegel and Miss Jennie Fox.
Those
who participated in "Crazy
Patch" Were Mrs. Emanuel; Mrs.
Barney Elting, Mrs. Jonas D. Rice. Mrs. S. Krueger, Miss A. Siegel; Mrs. Louis
Fuld; Mrs. J. Kahn. Mrs. Herman Kahn and
Mrs. Philip Lazarus.
"The Big Eight" party consisted of Mrs. Louis
Fuld; Mrs. A. Siegel; Mrs. J. D. Rice; Mrs. Emanuel New; Mrs. B. Elting; Mrs.
Herman Frank; Mrs. S. Krueger; and Mrs. J. Kahn.
Others were Mrs. Sol. Papier; Mrs. I. Goldberg; Isaac
Goldberg; Harry Kahn; Sol Papier; Louis
A. Fuld; Eli Simon; Mrs. Philip Papier;
Sam. Jacobey; Mrs. J.
Jacobey; Miss Fannie Freeman; Emil Fox; Fisher Finkelstein of Newark; Philip Papier; Dr. Samuel; Freeman; Mrs. Zerkoff;
Solomon Berman; Otto Vogel; David Plough; Solomon
Block; Mrs. S. Baron; Jacob Berman; Mrs. Jacob Berman; Mrs. A. S. Rogowski; H. Seigel; Mrs. Samuel Levy;
Philip Papier; Sol. Papier; Philip Lazarus: and Miss E. Donnor. of New
York.
The
Hotel Hildebrecht Catering Company served refreshments.
The
ENTERTAINMENT committee consisted: Philip Lazarus, chairman; Barney Itzig and
Sigmund Baron. See Evening Times, Progress Club Masquerade
Dec 1 1905
On
November 25, 1910, the Progress Club 15th celebrated its 15th
anniversary.
Some of the functions
held during the years included a New Year's Eve Party:
Members of the Progress Club will
enjoy a New Tears Eve dinner and dance this evening at the club house. Cards
will be Played from 8:30 until 11 o'clock, and later dinner will be served.
There will be a cabaret show and dancing also. Reynold will cater.
Those in charge of the affair are:
Albert Gold, Philip Lazarus and Albert Block. See Trenton Evening Times, Dec 31
1917
The
Evening Times reported that in October 1911, the Progress Club honored Hon. Samuel
G. Naar, the only Jewish attorney at the time and the son of Naar, who arrived
in Trenton in the early 1850’s from Elizabeth, NJ. Judge Naar worked for the
state legislature and owned the Trenton True American Newspaper. The Naar’s,
Sephardic Jews, originally from Portugal were one of the first Jewish family in
Trenton. Judge David Naar, father of and was recognized as one of the State
leaders of the Democratic party.
In
1913, 
the
Progress Club held a ladies' night last evening in the form of a banquet in its
rooms in the Mechanics Building. After the feast five hundred was played. Those
who were awarded favors were Mrs. Isaac Goldberg. Mrs. Samuel Freeman, Miss
Fannie Grumbacher of York, Pa. Theodore Tobish, Philip Goldman and Julius
Schafer. The committee comprised William Vogel, Samuel Levy and Philip Lazarus.
See Banquet And Cards For
Ladies At Progress Club, Trenton Evening Times, Nov 28 1913.
the
Progress Club held a ladies' night last evening in the form of a banquet in its
rooms in the Mechanics Building. After the feast five hundred was played. Those
who were awarded favors were Mrs. Isaac Goldberg. Mrs. Samuel Freeman, Miss
Fannie Grumbacher of York, Pa. Theodore Tobish, Philip Goldman and Julius
Schafer. The committee comprised William Vogel, Samuel Levy and Philip Lazarus.
See Banquet And Cards For
Ladies At Progress Club, Trenton Evening Times, Nov 28 1913.
In
1914, Mrs. Jonas A. Fuld hosted A Card party at the club, to raise $1,500 for
transportation costs for 200 summer camp children. See Evening Times, May 6, 1914.
Nineteen
fourteen was also the year that the Progress
Club located to 534 East State Street. See Evening Times, March 11, 1914
New
Year's Function For Progress Club Dec 31 1917
The
club rented quarters from the majestic estate located at 534 East State St to 1919. Thereafter,
it moved to 22 ½ n. warren on the 2nd and 3rd floors. In
1922, it located to the Broughton Home on 178 West State
Street. See Sale of Handsome Broughton Home
To Progress Club Has Been Consummated; Auditorium Will Be Added, Trenton
Evening Times (Trenton, NJ) , Sunday,
April 30, 1922.
Its next move was to Lawrenceville
Road in June 1926. This location housed a club and a golf course. See Trenton
Evening Times, June 23, 1926.
For probable members, see appendix
below.
APPENDIX
|
1920 City Directory of Trenton
(Fitzgerald Publishing, Trenton, NJ )
Probable Progress
Club Members/or Families
|
|||||||||
|
Elting Barnet, millinery, 23 S Broad and 42 E State
|
|||||||||
|
Emanuel M M, (Trenton Garment Co), res American House
|
|||||||||
|
Fox Emil, collector, h 33 Wilkinson
| |||||||||
|
Frank Herman, salesman, h 197 W Hanover
|
|||||||||
|
Freeman Samuel, city physician, bds 448 S Broad
|
|||||||||
|
Friedman Leonard L, physician, h 627 Princeton av
|
|||||||||
|
FULD ABRAHAM, (Louis A Fuld & Co), h 645 W State
|
|||||||||
|
Fuld Jonas, (South Jersey Crockery Co) h 602 W State
|
|||||||||
|
Fuld Leah R, widow of Louis A, 645 W State
|
|||||||||
|
FULD LOUIS A & CO, real estate and insurance, 712 Amer
Mech Bldg
|
|||||||||
|
Fuld Manes A, real estate, h 645 W State
|
|||||||||
|
Gold Albert, mgr Seidenberg & Co, h 460 Hamilton av
|
|||||||||
|
Goldberg's Department Store Inc, Broad and Front, Isaac
Goldberg pres and treas, Milton Goldberg v-pres, John J Mitchell 2d v-pres,
Benjamin Goldberg sec
|
|||||||||
|
Goldman Philip, (Eagle Tea and Furniture Co), h 930
Carteret av
|
|||||||||
|
Grumbacher Jacob, cigars, 151 N Broad, h 233 N Warren
|
|||||||||
|
Grumbacher Jacob S; jr, bds 309 E State
|
|||||||||
|
Grumbacher Max, (S Grumbacher & Son), h 309 E State
|
|||||||||
|
Grumbacher Samuel, (S Grumbacher & Son), h 309 E State
|
|||||||||
|
Grumbacher Samuel & Son(Max), millinery, 19 S Broad
|
|||||||||
|
Kahn Jacob, (S Kahn & Sons), h 436 E State
|
|||||||||
|
Kahn Mayer, h 517 E State
|
|||||||||
|
Kahn Samuel, (S Kahn & Sons), h 436 E State
|
|||||||||
|
Kahn Sigmund, (S Kahn &Sons), h 44 W Front
|
|||||||||
|
Kahn S & Sons, (Sigmund; Jacob and Samuel), hatters,
101 S Broad
|
|||||||||
|
Klinkawstein A, wholesale wines and liquors, 120 S Broad,
h 42 Carroll
|
|||||||||
|
Lazarus Abraham, shoes, 107 Klagg av, h do
|
|||||||||
|
Lazarus Philip, milliner, 146 S Broad, h do
|
|||||||||
|
Levy I Herbert, lawyer (Forman & Levy), 817 Bd St Bk
Bldg, h 407 N Clinton
|
|||||||||
|
Naar Adele S, wid Joseph L, h 250 Spring
|
|||||||||
|
Naar Frank G, clerk, res 250 Spring
|
|||||||||
|
Naar Frederick, chauffeur, res 174 Liberty
|
|||||||||
|
Naar Henry K, water inspector, h 31 S Walter av
|
|||||||||
|
Naar Ida, wid Manfred, h 38 Sanford
|
|||||||||
|
Naar Joseph, reporter, h 250 Sprin
|
|||||||||
|
Naar Mildred, stenographer, res 259 Spring
|
|||||||||
|
Naar Mary, wid Isaac, res 209 S Clinton av
|
|||||||||
|
Papier Joseph S, (Papier's Supply), h 36 Murray
|
|||||||||
|
Papier Philip B, Food Shop, h 16 Colonel av
|
|||||||||
|
Papier Philip, (Food Shop and Papier's Auto Supply), h 474
Riverside av
|
|||||||||
|
Papier Sarah, wid Solomon, res 16 Colonial av
|
|||||||||
|
Papier's Auto Supply, (Joseph S and Philip Papier), 105 E
Hanover
|
|||||||||
|
Rice Bertha, wid Joseph, res 602 W State
|
|||||||||
|
Rice Caroline A, teacher, res 238 Passaic
|
|||||||||
|
Rice Donald B, supervisor, res 844 Carteret av
|
|||||||||
|
Rice Ellwood, waiter, h 14 Bellevue av
|
|||||||||
|
Rice Harold D, accountant, h 36 Sanford
|
|||||||||
|
Rice Harriet, wid Josiah, h 238 Passaic
|
|||||||||
|
RICE JOSEPH 2d, (Joseph Rice 2d Co), res 602 W State
|
|||||||||
|
RICE JOSEPH 2d CO, (Joseph Rice 2d) wholesale
confectionery, 518-520 Perr
|
|||||||||
|
Rice Louis S, asst treasurer, h 844 Carteret av
|
|||||||||
|
RICE ROOFING CO, (Albert I Rice), 331-336 Perry
|
|||||||||
|
Schafer Julius, pres-treas Home Furniture Co, h 510
Riverside av
|
|||||||||
|
Siegle Bros, (Irvin and Samuel), paper bags, 32 and 34 W
Hanover
|
|||||||||
|
Simon Samue , sec Fitzgibbon & Crisp Inc, res 22
Edgemere
|
|||||||||
|
Tobish Abraham, (B Tobish & Son), h 41 Bryn Mawr av
|
|||||||||
|
Tobish Bernard, (B Tobish & Son), h 612 W State
|
|||||||||
|
Tobish B & Son, (Abraham and Bernard), men's
furnishings, 159 S Broad
|
|||||||||
|
Tobish Lois, teacher, res 612 W State
|
|||||||||
|
Tobish Marion R, res 612 W State
|
|||||||||
|
Tobish Theodore, civil engineer; contractor, 216 Amer Mech
Bldg, 40 Bryn Mawr av
|
|||||||||
|
Vogel Solomon H, treas Trenton Loan and Realty Co, h 872
Stuyvesant av
|
|||||||||
