The Key West Citizen

The conception of the idea for a young men's organization came from the mind of Henry Giessenbier, Jr., now deceased, in October 1915. Giessenbier, a young man whose home was in St. Louis, Mo., thought of the idea after attending a meeting one night on a proposed bond issue. He noticed that he was one of the very few young men of his community present and realized that they should be represented at such meetings. He felt that the younger men should be organized for the purpose of studying business and civic problems. He was president of the Federation of Dancing Clubs at this time and he used this organization as the nucleus of his new organization which was called the Young Men's Progressive Civic Organization. It was organized on October 13, 1915 with thirty-two members and the ideal of Public Service was stressed as the Major function of the association.

In 1916, Clarence H. Howard was elected president of the Business Men's League, (now the St. Louis Chamber of Commerce) and at his inaugural address he spoke of how the need existed for a Junior organization whose purpose would be to properly train young men and educate them along civic, commercial and industrial lines. Immediately Giessenbier and his group conferred with Mr. Howard and with his ideas and help, in providing quarters and financial assistance, the groups under Giessenbier are known today as the Junior Chamber of Commerce.

By the summer of 1919, it was apparent that here was a movement that should be organized in every city and state and welded into a national body. At a meeting held on October 23, 1919, it was decided to form such an organization and a committee headed by Giessenbier, was formed to carry out the work. Correspondence was immediately dispatched to every young men's organization requesting them to come to St. Louis for a caucus.

On January 21 and 22, 1920, such a caucus was held in St. Louis at which twenty-four cities were represented. Robert C. Lamar, vice president of the St. Louis Jaycees, addressed the gathering in the absence of Paul H. Young who was ill. Lamar read a letter from Young which said in part, "You are here, gentlemen, in the interest of a cause which to my mind is second to none. What movement could have more for its purpose, a more wholesome object, than to vitalize the energy of youth for an active an intelligent participation in the affairs of a city, state and nation?"

"The time has come when the young men of the nation must assume the responsibilities of a more representative participation in the affairs of our great country."

"To nationalize the Junior Chamber of Commerce idea that the nation may feel the fullness of the energy of her young men applied through clearly defined constructive channels towards a common goal--a greater America -is our purpose."
These men tackled the problem before them, the national organization, with the sincerity and enthusiasm and before the caucus was concluded, had perfected an organization, adopted a constitution, and elected officers and directors to serve until the convention to held six months later in June 1920 at St. Louis.

Henry Giessenbier was elected the first national president.

Since that time the number of affiliate member clubs have climbed until today there are well over 1,850 Junior Chambers of Commerce in the United States.

(To be continued)