Charles LeRoy Lewis - Special Collections - University of Baltimore

LEWIS; 099 III:1:73
Lewis: Oh, well the moral and religious issue involved;
I mean you have to have good character to get in any of those
organizations. If you was in trouble with -the law or some-
thing like that, forget it. You have to be of good character,
one thing and another; you take in those days even though
had a pool parlor out there where had that saloon
now; if you hang in there you couldn't get in any of those
organizations. Although he rented the pool room from the
Junior Orders - they owned that bui1ding.Y~~ were with better
people; now before my time, be£ ore come around, the
visited each other; they go across town and all that in those
days. And according to the records and the older men I talked
to, it was mostly a walking case . . . walk over these other
lodges and all and learn different things, and they'd have
a little xefxeshment. And sandwiches and coffee, stuff.
And then they'd come visit you; occasionally we had them out
here. The lodge would visit us and we always had refreshments.
Even though they were small, them buildings, they all
had a kitchen and all. That's why they could do those things.
Today, the national organizations are vanishing, except for
the Lions and Optimists and different ones. And most of those
are where only two men in the same business can belong. And
the Optimists, two jewelers, two grocery men, two undertakers,
two lawyers, two doctors, two general merchandisers, The
same way goes for those other clubs. So, they're really
youx business leaders, and most of them work in the community;
most of them have a pet project. The Lions it's the Eye Bank,
the Optimists it's the Boys, and of course today I'd say