History: Handsome Man Delegated To Solicit Women To Mount Sinai Civic in 1918

Page four of the Port Jefferson Echo ran a little item of interest in July 1918 about soliciting women into the Mount Sinai Civic Association.

The idea, which at the time probably seemed entirely reasonable, was to woo unsuspecting women into civic membership through the irresistible charm of the best looking man.

“Women should be admitted to membership into our Association,” the item said. “Why not delegate the handsomest man to solicit applications for membership among the eligible ones?”

Why not indeed?

We’re not sure whom this chore ultimately befell or how successful this endeavor was but to be sure, it begs some further questions:

Were only eligible women being solicited for membership?

What about ineligible women? Were they forbidden from membership or was it assumed they would just fall into line without having to be sought out by this Long Island Casanova?

One imagines an early 20th Century version of Mr. Grey contracting young maidens to civic membership in return for – we’ll leave that for the imagination.

The meeting was to take place on this day almost 100 years ago. You can read the story for your self here (and attached to this article) but among the items on the agenda were work on a sea wall along Shore Road, the unseasonable weather and road repairs.

The Civic Association was a spirited bunch who, according to this story, thought that criticism was “wholesome and hearty.”

“Some people have a penchant for criticism,” the story said. “Let them give vent to their feelings at this meeting.”