Series V: Alumni Association
Scope and Contents Note
The Alumni Association was formed in 1928 to "assist the Boys' Club Trustees in the successful management of the Club." Open to all former BCNY members, the Alumni Association contributed both funds and volunteer services to current BCNY members. Papers include meeting minutes, correspondence, newsletters, event programs, and other material relating to the activities of the Alumni Association.
Also included are the reminiscences and scrapbooks of George Flatow, an early Club member and one of the founding members of the Alumni Association. Flatow wrote detailed descriptions of and anecdotes from BCNY's early days, and also profiled club members from that era, describing their contributions to the club as well as their subsequent careers. Notable examples include soccer star Nathan Agar; Aaron Chwatt, better known as comedian and actor "Red Buttons;" racecar champion Ralph DePalma; and vaudeville comedian Edward Hastings Ford. While they are personal recollections, rather than a reliable factual record, Flatow's writings offer a unique perspective on the Club's early history and on the experience of urban life in early twentieth century New York City.