Social club

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the video game community service, see Rockstar Games Social Club. For the hip-hop group, see Social Club Misfits.
For other uses, see Club (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Social group.
The Houston Club, a private social club in the U.S.

A social club may be a group of people or the place where they meet, generally formed around a common interest, occupation or activity. Examples include

Christian fellowships), science clubs and university clubs. The term can also refer to a criminal headquarters, such as the Ravenite Social Club or the Cage.[1][2]

This article covers only three distinct types of social clubs – the historic gentlemen's clubs, the modern activities clubs and an introduction to fraternities and sororities. This article does not cover a variety of other types of clubs having some social characteristics. Social clubs have commonly been used by the Mafia as meeting places, many mob crews even being named after the club that they are based out of (The Palma Boys Crew, The Gemini Crew, The Veterans & Friends Crew).

History

music-halls and clubs
, becoming places to be entertained, to drink socially and to play bar games. Working men's clubs are still prevalent across the United Kingdom, although not as popular.

Sociëteit in Palembang, Sumatra

In the Dutch East Indies, sociëteits were established in various cities.

Modern clubs include Urban Diversion in San Francisco, which opened in 2003 as a general adventure and activities social club, and the Groucho Club in Soho, London, which opened in 1985 as "the antidote to the traditional club." The "traditional club" referred to is the elitist gentlemen's club, a fixture of British upper-class male society. This is not to be confused with the modern use of the phrase, which is now a euphemism for a strip club.

Legalities

England and Wales

Clubs in England and Wales were not controlled by the licensing system until the

clerk to the justices of the petty sessional
division with this information:

  1. the name and objects of the club
  2. the address of the club
  3. the name of the secretary
  4. the number of members
  5. the rules of the club relating to:
    1. the election of members and the admission of temporary and honorary members and of guests
    2. the terms of subscription and entrance fee, if any
    3. the cessation of membership
    4. the hours of opening and closing
    5. the mode of altering the rules

United States

Social and recreational clubs may be considered tax-exempt

501(c)(7) organizations
under certain circumstances.

Organization

United Kingdom

Typically, a social club has a constitution which states the club's objects, its structure, location of its activities, requirements of members, membership criteria and various other rules. British clubs are usually run by a committee that will also include three 'officer' positions – chair, secretary and treasurer.

Social activities clubs

Views of the Toledo Commerce Club rooms as seen in "Bramble's views Toledo, Ohio: diamond anniversary 1837–1912"

Social activities clubs are a modern combination of several types of clubs and reflect today's more eclectic and varied society. These clubs are centered on the activities available to the club members in the city or area in which the club is located. Some have a traditional clubhouse, bar or restaurant where members gather, while others do not.

Events can include a broad range of activities, from sporting events and social parties to ballet, arts or book clubs. Unlike traditional clubs, they are not limited to one kind of event or special interest, but include a broad range of events in their monthly calendars. The members choose the events in which the club is going to take part, based upon the changing interests of the members. The members themselves determine the events they will attend of those offered.

Because the purpose of these clubs is split between general social interaction and taking part in the events themselves, both single and married people can take part. However, clubs tend to have more single members than married,[citation needed] and many clubs exist for only single people, only married couples or only people with certain sexual orientations (homosexuality, pansexuality, bisexuality or heterosexuality).

Membership can be limited or open to the general public, as can the events. Most clubs have a limited membership based upon specific criteria and restrict the events to members to increase their feeling of security, creating an increased sense of camaraderie and belonging. There are many examples of private social clubs, including the

New York Friars' Club
.

Social activities clubs can be for-profit,

function halls
which members, or sometimes the general public, can rent for parties.

A number of

Jewish community centers and other organizations, such as the YMCA, have social clubs for people with social anxiety and learning disabilities
. Membership in these clubs is limited to individuals with these conditions.

Sororities and fraternities

philanthropic
, hosting fundraisers for charities or on-campus events.

Religious clubs

See also

References

  1. ^ Connelly, Sherryl (July 20, 2013). "Real life 'Sopranos' exposed in Mike Russell's new book 'Undercover Cop'". New York Daily News.
  2. ^ Jeans, Chris; Russell, Mike (1988). "Confessions of an Undercover Cop". America Undercover. HBO. Documentary featuring the work of ex-New Jersey State Trooper Mike Russell, whose undercover work for the New Jersey State Police led to the arrests of 41 members of the Genovese crime family, and of corrupt prison officials, and a state senator
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