Guide to the Records of the Agora, 1928-1985
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- Records of the Agora
- Creator
- Agora Club (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- Collection Number
- MSS#38
- Extent
- .75 cubic feet (2 boxes)
- Date
- 1928-1985
- Abstract
- The Agora was a men's social and educational club in Pittsburgh, Pa. These records include correspondence, administrative material and meeting minutes of the Agora and its precursor organization, the Pittsburgh Torch Club.
- Language
- The material in this collection is in English.
- Sponsor
- This finding aid has been encoded as a part of the Historic Pittsburgh project, a joint effort of the University of Pittsburgh and the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Funding for this portion of the project has been donated by the Hillman Foundation.
- Publisher
- Heinz History Center
- Address
- 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
History of the Agora (1928-1985)
The Agora was a social and educational club that provided professional men the opportunity to exchange ideas about both each other's professions and general concerns in contemporary society. The club sponsored lectures and discussions which covered a wide range of topics including history, political science, physical science, and philosophy. The Agora began in March 1928 as the Pittsburgh Torch Club, a chapter of the International Association of Torch Clubs, Inc. In March 1930 the Pittsburgh Torch Club withdrew from the International Association primarily because of the prohibitive cost of membership in the governing body. The club was reorganized as the Agora and became a purely local organization.
The organization's bylaws limited membership to men from specific professions, including: actors, architects, artists, authors, certified public accountants, chemists, clergymen, dentists, educators, engineers, journalists, lawyers, musicians, physicians, and United States Army and Navy officers. The number and type of members were also limited by the bylaws which set limits on the total number of members, between 125 and 150, and restricted a single profession to no more than twenty per-cent of the total members. Still, the majority of members were lawyers, educators and physicians. The Agora generally met the fourth Friday of each month, except the summer months and December, at the University Club in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood and averaged from ten to twenty members at the meetings. These meeting usually consisted of a brief business meeting, a speech on a specific topic, and group discussion. These speeches occasionally mirrored contemporary events such as a November 1935 lecture on the constitutionality of the New Deal legislation, a February 1937 lecture on Flood Control in Pittsburgh and a 1939 lecture on the National Socialist Party in Germany. Because of declining membership and rising operational costs, the Agora ceased operations and held their last meeting in March 1985.
Scope and Content Notes
These records include administrative material, correspondence, minutes and other sundry material. The most comprehensive body of materials is the Agora's meeting minutes, which document most of the operation of the Agora and include information on location and time of meetings, members attending, a summary or transcript of the speaker's presentation, and a description of any discussion. The content of the minutes varies from one secretary to another, especially in the coverage of the topic of discussion. In the mid to late 1930s, the secretary recorded transcripts of the lectures, which provide great insight into lectures on such issues as the New Deal and the rise of the National Socialist party in Germany. At best, the entire text or a thorough outline are included within the minutes. Other material in these records provide a more limited view of the organization's activities. Of note is correspondence relating to the Torch Club's break with its governing body and membership information. Researchers should thoroughly examine these records, especially the minutes, to fully grasp the wide breath of issues and topics discussed at Agora meetings.
Arrangement
The Agora Records are housed in two archival boxes and are arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
These materials were received in one accession.
Acc. 1987.50, Gift of Charles Furtney, (Records. Mr. Furtney was a long-time member of the Agora and gave these records to the Historical Society on behalf of the Agora.), 1987.
Preferred Citation
Records of the Agora, 1928-1985, MSS #38, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by James Munizza in July 1989. The records were rearranged and the inventory was rewritten by Corey Seeman on July 26, 1993.
Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Jennifer Marshall on July 23, 1999.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or publish, please contact the curator of the Archives.
Subjects
- International Association of Torch Clubs, Inc. (Buffalo, N.Y.)
- Pittsburgh Torch Club (Pa.)
- Clubs -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
- Educators -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh -- Societies and clubs
- Lawyers -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh -- Societies and clubs
- Physicians -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh -- Societies and clubs
- Men -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh -- Societies and clubs
- Political science -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
- Science -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh