Nineteen-Ninety doesn't seem so long ago. General Manuel Noriega surrendered power in Panama, a U.S. Appeals Court overturned Oliver North's Iran-contra conviction, Iraqi troops invaded Kuwait and seized petroleum reserves, setting off the Persian-Gulf War, Mikhail Sergevevich Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and Sammy Davis, Jr. died.

At The Symposium, participation and dues continued to be perceived as problems. In April, 1991, President John Whitehead gently chided the membership for the apparent lack of interest in participating in the affairs of The Symposium. This was precipitated by the fact that a complete slate of officers for consideration at the next meeting had not been obtained. He especially urged the newer members to share in the leadership responsibilities.

And in December of that year the Treasurer, Frederick Gilman, recommended that the dues for 1992 be established at $200 based on the financial report sent out with the meeting notice. It was moved, seconded and approved that the dues for 1992 be set at $200 and be so reflected in the constitution.

Meanwhile, thoughts were turning to memorializing the past. In March, 1991, President John Whitehead raised the topic, which had come up several times before, of how to document the wealth of material contained in the many presentations before the group, to some extent captured in the past minutes of the organization. Wilson Sturdevant described these minutes as "historical gems" that should at least be sent to the Trenton Public Library for safe keeping and possible future study. It was also suggested that selected minutes could be made available by Xeroxing. A. J. Larrecq noted that there may be some students interested in researching these minutes for history projects, and that we should contact Rider and Trenton State Colleges.

Jack Sill indicated that he believed printing some of the minutes of past Symposium proceedings would be quite expensive. He suggested that the brief history presently included in the Membership and Bylaws book could be expanded to include some of these outstanding programs.

The next mention of this project is found in the minutes of the meeting of October, 1992 (18 months later). At that meeting, Jack Sill reported that a committee consisting of himself, Ed Swann and Fred Gillman would meet to review the old minutes and documents in our files and propose a plan to summarize and consolidate this material in some fashion to preserve the history of The Symposium. After another year had passed, Fred Gilman, at the October meeting in 1993, reported that a committee was working on the history of The Symposium, sifting through 90 years of old minutes. Jack Sill, the chairman of the committee, advised that a student will be putting the minutes on word processing. The resulting publication, "Ninety Years of The Symposium" was presented to the group at the October 5, 1994 meeting, but the minutes were never converted into electronic form. "Ninety Years of The Symposium" contains a 2-page history of The Symposium, updating those published sporadically in the pamphlets mentioned on pages 47 and 48, a complete list of program topics and speakers and a list of officer and members through June, 1994 along with a copy of the then current Constitution.

In other action at the meeting of October, 1993, Jim Freda announced that the Commandant of Fort Dix has extended an invitation to members of The Symposium to attend a live fire demonstration including air support to be held October 16, 1993 beginning at 8:30 AM. However, no further mention of this event is made in the minutes so we cannot determine at this late date whether the members took advantage of the opportunity.

It was apparently at the meeting of May 6, 1997 that a decision was made to separate the office of Secretary/Treasurer into two separate positions. George Pearson, who had held the office of Secretary/Treasurer for one year, remained Treasurer and James Johnson was appointed or elected Secretary, effective October, 1997. There is no mention of this action in the minutes of that meeting and no constitutional amendment was ever passed to authorize this change. The current Constitution contains no provision for the separation of the office into two.

In November, 1997 President Bob Applegate outlined a proposal for the purchase of sound equipment for use at Symposium meetings, "the cost of which ($2,712) to be shared equally ($1,356 each) by the Trenton Club and The Symposium. Discussion included the bottom-line question: "Do we need it?" The President responded by saying that there had been a number of comments concerning difficulty in hearing. A consensus supported the need and the membership voted, with one negative vote, to authorize the purchase." At the following meeting, on December 3rd, the new sound equipment was used for the first time.

F. Glenn Breen, who had been a member of group since 1971, died on April 6th, 1998. At the meeting in May, President Applegate called for a moment of silence, which was the usual acknowledgment of the passing of a member. However, in an unprecedented (and never again repeated) action, the membership voted unanimously positive on a motion to send a contribution of $100 in his memory to the F. Glenn Breen Memorial Scholarship Fund.

At the same meeting, a committee consisting of John Wood, chair; Jack Sill and Alfred Abbotts recommended that a gift of $1000 each be made to the Trenton YWCA and YMCA. The membership voted to do this as a good will gesture to the Community. At the next meeting, in October, 1998, the Secretary announced gifts by The Symposium of $1000 to each of the YWCA and YMCA of Trenton.

The minutes provide no explanation for this sudden burst of generosity on the part of the membership. The Treasurer's report of May 6th shows a balance of $7,383 in the club's account and it is perhaps this relatively large balance of cash on hand that encouraged the actions. It should be noted however, that it was never repeated and, in fact, was subsequently criticized by some members.

In December, 1998, President Bill Beitel introduced a proposal to increase The Symposium's membership limit from 55 to 60. He proposed that it be announced for the second time at the January 6th meeting for further discussion and e voted upon at the meeting of February 3rd. The motion for this schedule was approved by the members and, in February, 1999, the motion carried by voice vote, with 2 votes in opposition and no abstentions, effectively setting the Club membership cap at 60

President Beitel announced, at the meeting of April 7, 1999, that Jake Nevius was retiring as Symposium Speaker Chair. He is quoted in the minutes as saying, "Jake has done a marvelous job in what is intrinsically the most demanding of Symposium Club responsibilities. We thank him profusely!!" Jake had, indeed, done a great job for a number of years. However, he should have had help. The Constitution requires the appointment by the President each year of a three-man Program Committee (as well as a three-man Membership Committee). For many years, these duties have devolved on volunteers and the Secretary/ Treasurer respectively rather than being carried out in the manner specified in the Constitution.

Apparently William Nester volunteered to take over the responsibility for identifying speakers for the group's meetings. During the summer of 1999, he wrote to the membership:

"The Symposium continues today because of the strength of fellowship among its members and the good quality of its programs. In order to continue interesting and good programs, the officers would like to know which individuals you would like to hear and what topics addressed.

"Please indicate on the reverse side of this letter suggested topics (issues) and potential speakers. Note whether you have head the speaker and best he/she can be contacted."

The minutes of October 4, 2000, report on a meeting filled with club business:

• First, there is mention of an attempt "to bring our history up to date as it has been five years since the last update. This will be in addition to the Roster that we are accustomed to receiving. Jake Nevius is working on this update."
• Then there was a proposal by John Wood, the in-coming president, to increase dues by $25. The current $200 dues schedule had not been increased for eight years. Tom McMahon pointed out that monies were recently donated to a local charity and that charitable donations should not jeopardize the club treasury. The discussion of a dues increase was tabled for the next meeting.
• There was also a proposal advanced that the first meeting be in September rather than October. John Wood made the membership aware that a constitutional amendment would need to be passed because the bylaws state there will only be 8 meetings per year. The proposal to change the constitution to allow for an additional meeting in September was defeated. A proposal for an additional meeting in June was also defeated.
• Finally, a proposal to invite wives or significant others to one meeting was rejected.

At the meeting of March 7, 2001, the activities of The Symposium took on an added dimension. Walter Bien announced preliminary plans for a Symposium field trip to the New Jersey Pine Barrens. The plans were successful and at 8:00 AM on the morning of May 23rd, eleven members set out on the "First Annual Jersey Devil Field Trip."

In April, 2002 came the announcement of the Second Annual Jersey Devil Field Trip. It was a canoe trip down Wading River. It took place on Wednesday, May 8th and, though not mentioned in the minutes, if my memory serves me, there was a report that at least one of the canoes turned over after the occupants became tangled in some low-hanging tree branches.

The third and, as it turned out, final field trip was to be another canoeing session. It was scheduled for Tuesday, May 13, 2003. However, at the next meeting of the group, in October, it was announced that the trip had to be canceled due to inclement weather.

The minutes of the April, 2001 meeting contain an interesting description of the role of the officers of The Symposium and provide an opportunity for some historical perspective. Here is the quote from the minutes: "John Wood reviewed the role of officers and explained that by Constitution the secretary normally assumes the role of secretary and treasurer but for pragmatic reasons the vice president has assumed the role of treasurer. There was a question from the floor in regard to the vice president also assuming the role of program committee chairman. It was clarified that the vice president does not necessarily assume the role of program committee chairman. After discussion it was also clarified that the program committee chairman does not follow the established order of officer progression."

In fact, as mentioned above, the offices of Secretary and Treasurer had already been separated, though unofficially. The position of program committee chairman has not, apparently, been explicitly filled since sometime in the mid-1960's (the last mention of the position in the minutes was on November 7, 1967). The Constitution requires the president to appoint two three-member committees (Program and Membership) upon his ascension to office, but the last time this activity was mentioned in the minutes was in January of 1967. There is some evidence in the minutes that the vice president did, indeed, serve in the role of a one-man program committee, at least during the late 1970's and early 1980's and thereafter the responsibility appears to have fallen on just one man - Jake Nevius. Furthermore, as we have seen, there has never in the history of The Symposium been an "established order of officer progression."

Further evidence that the club was drifting away from close adherence to its Constitution comes in the minutes of the meeting of October 3, 2001, when it was pointed out that "there are 53 active members and 3 honorary members while the limit of membership is 65" As we have seen, the Constitution limits the active membership to 60.

At the December meeting in 2001, it was reported that John Wood had published his second book of poems. Jack Sill recommended John as "poet in residence" and the recommendation was unanimously approved by the membership.

Due to another crisis in the finances of The Symposium, on May 5, 2004, "It was agreed by the members present (32) that George Pearson would send out invoices for membership dues over the summer and include a supplemental assessment for $65, making this year's annual dues a total of $290. The goal is to increase membership and bring dues back to the $225 level by next year. In fact, one new member was added during the year.

On the eve of the centennial of The Symposium, an article celebrating the fact and entitled "Wanted: Good Company and Learned Discussion: The Symposium Fraternal Group marks 100th Year" appeared in the Trenton Times.

A century ago, choices for an evening's amusement were limited. To fill the void, founders of The Symposium of Trenton gathered for the first time Dec. 14, 1904. The initial members were "fourteen men of vigorous intellectual interests and social tendencies" according to a history published in 1994. They hoped to create a regular evening of socializing and learned discussion.

Today's world offers a multitude of entertainment choices. But the continued existence of the club as it celebrates its 100th anniversary attests to the ongoing allure of good company and the chance to learn something new.

Dr. John Wood, a retired cardiologist and Symposium member for 28 years, explains he is drawn by "the collegial fellowship and the chance to listen to things outside your own discipline so you don't have tunnel vision."

Many members first attend as guests, as did Tom Sheridan, a neighbor of Wood's. Sheridan now serves as club secretary. He seconds the doctor's opinion that the monthly lectures are mentally stimulating. "You always come away with something," he says.

Symposium President William Sheehy, whose firm Sheehy Associates of Hamilton provides employee benefits and financial planning services, explains The Symposium was a learned society in its early days and it remains true to its roots. Sheehy, a past president of the Boys & Girls Club of Trenton/Mercer County and winner of Trenton Rotary's "Service Above Self" award in 2003, freely admits the focus of The Symposium is not service to others. It has "no socially redeeming value other than the entertainment of its members," he quips.

The group meets for dinner at The Trenton Club on the first Wednesday of the month. A speaker and a discussion period follow, providing members with a weighty topic to chew on after their meal is over. Members take a hiatus during the summer.

The 55 members have an easy camaraderie. Joseph Teti, president and CEO of Triangle Your Creative Center in Lawrence, is the group's immediate past president. He jokes about the members' ages, most tending well past their middle years, calling them "hyper-mature."

Thirty men attended a recent meeting. Although females are not precluded by the bylaws, The Symposium is and has been all male throughout its history. "The gender barrier has not been broken," says Sheehy, noting that it is not an impossibility in the future. Women have addressed the group as speakers, presenting lectures on topics as varied as Trenton's history and treatments for impotence.

Jake Nevius, of Newtown, Pa., whose surname may bring up memories of the now defunct Trenton department store, Nevius-Voorhees, once owned by his family, serves as the group's informal historian and is at work updating a history.

The membership role of The Symposium reads like a list of who's who in the Trenton area. Many participants are well versed in the city's history and lore and conversant about the family and business contributions of members and guest speakers.

Members include many past and current New Jersey notables such as Washington A. Roebling, whose company completed the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge; Rider University President Frank Elliott; Larry Rothwell, owner of Pennington Market; Charles Stokes III, former owner of the Home Rubber Co.; and Fran Leigh of Leigh Photo in Princeton.

More than 800 individuals have addressed the group since its founding, an eclectic assortment of editors and educators, mayors and manufacturers, scientists, soldiers and sociologists. New Jersey governors James Florio and Richard J. Hughes, prior to his election, have given talks, as have Trenton mayors Arthur J. Holland and Douglas H. Palmer.

Speakers who addressed The Symposium in its early years included New Jersey Gov. Edward C. Stokes who discussed railroad taxation; Civil War colonel John Schoonover of the 11th New Jersey volunteers, who talked about his experiences at Appomattox; and George W. Goethals, the chief engineer of the Panama Canal who gave a slide-show presentation. Clifford M. Holland, for whom the Holland Tunnel is named, spoke in 1924 about building the tunnel under the Hudson River.

Changing conditions in Germany was a topic visited repeatedly during the 1930s and early '40s. Speakers during that time also addressed the pressing problems of the Great Depression era, including Prohibition and rampant unemployment.

After World War II, members absorbed discussions of the new world order including the reconstruction of former enemies, Japan and Germany. Speakers during the second half of the 20th century included Henry Chauncey, who gave the education world the SAT and founded ETS; William P. Howe, who delivered an illustrated account of an Arctic bear hunt; and George Gallup, who spoke about opinion polling. Last year, character actor Andy Waski came in full dress-blue regalia portraying Gen. George G. Meade. Waski discussed the military strategy of the victor of the Civil War battle of Gettysburg.

Sheehy confides The Symposium has no plans for an elaborate celebration of its centennial. Although the future may bring still more choices for entertainment, he expects the pleasure in indulging in "unfettered intellectual curiosity devoid of any other motives" will probably hold for at least another hundred years.

All told, 321 men have accepted invitations of membership in the club. Of them, 136, or 42%, presented one of more papers at a meeting. However, this does not present the whole picture. During the first 50 years from 1904 to 1954, 60% of the members presented before the group while in the second 50 years (1955-2004), only 27% did.

The most frequent presenter was Virgil Kauffman, President of Aero Service Corporation, an aerial photography firm. Between 1941 and 1983, he appeared before the group eleven times. Hamilton Schuyler, whom we have encountered several times in this narrative, was not far behind. He made 10 presentations, the first in 1905 and the last two in 1925. Other frequent presenters were

Henry A. Cotton, MD, Medical Director, New Jersey State Hospital, 8 between 1909 and 1924
Linton Satterthwaite, Counsellor at Law and Founding Member, 7 between 1905 and 1921
William Libbey, D.Sc., Professor at Princeton University, 7 between 1907 and 1926
Edward C. Stokes LL.D., Former Governor, State of New Jersey, 7 between 1909 and 1932
Herman C. Mueller, President, Mueller Mosaic Company, 6 between 1918 and 1932
George N. J. Sommer, MD, Fellow, American College of Surgeons, 5 between 1918 and 1944
J. Duncan Spaeth, Professor of English, Princeton University, 5 between 1932 and 1952
Carlton W. Tillinghast, Director, NJ Taxpayers Association, 5 between 1951 and 1970