Square Businessmen Resolve Their Problems, Conduct Complete Social Program in 39 Year Old Tradition

Once a month for the past 39 years a group of business and professional men in Harvard Square have met to discuss common problems and to have a good time.

The Harvard Square Businessmen's Association is now an active organization with some 100 members. Represented in this number are most of the stores within the Square area as well as many of its professional men. The CRIMSON and the Alumni Bulletin are the only Harvard firms included.

Usually a trade association accomplishes little, but this has not been true of the Square merchants. In recent years the organization has been responsible for Christmas decoration, improvements in local traffic conditions, increased parking facilities, and a full-fledged publicity campaign aimed at attracting suburban buyers.

Later Hours for Rush

The most recent activity of the association has been a request to local merchants to stay open at night from December 12-23 to handle adequately the Christmas shopping rush. According to N. Russell Cazmay, secretary of the association since 1919, most of the members stores will have late hours at least twice weekly.

Founded in 1910, the association is a sectional civic organization "intended to create fair trade among Square merchants and to stimulate non-political civic projects." Similar groups exist in Central Square and elsewhere in Cambridge.

In its earlier years, the group had about 40 members, but it has grown steadily. At its monthly meetings business experts are brought in an speakers, and their talks are generally followed by long question periods.

Two Original Members Remain

Only two charter members are still in business in the Square. These are Edwin R. Sage, owner of Sage's Grocery Store, and Edwin B. Powell, of Powell Printing Company. A third charter member, J. Frederick Olson, retired from business last spring, but is listed as an "ex officio" member.

Cazmay joined the group in 1912 and became its secretary seven years later. The late Frank Knapp of Leavitt and Peirce joined about the same time and until his death this fall was extremely active in the group.

Since 1910 the association has had more than 30 presidents. Sage was one of the first heads of the group, and in recent years his son, R. Rodney Sage, has held the same, post. Other presidents have included Knapp, George E. Cole, of the Coop, and Richard A. Dow, local real estate man.

Slate is President

The present organization is headed by Bob Slate, proprietor of the Massachusetts Avenue stationery store. He is assisted by more than 35 members who serve in other executive and committee posts. The association works in close cooperation with the Cambridge city government and Chamber of Commrece.

Aside from facing business problems, the Square merchants participate in many social functions. Before each meeting competitors can be found in the bar of the Hotel Continental engaged in good-natured conversation.

After school closes in the spring, the association holds an outing to which most of the members and their employees go. After noon of this day, stores and offices in the Square are closed for business. Athletic events of the day include a golf tournament, horseshoe contest, softball game, and touch football games.

Secret Formula

During the afternoon, however, most of the men cen be found around an amply filled punch bowl on the sidelines of the baseball field. Traditionally, Stanley Semers of the University Theatre prepares the mixture with a formula which has sidetracked many celebrants.

At night a banquet in held, at which the prizes for the day are awarded, and a show is held.

Though this annual outing began only 15 years ago, it has since become the highlight of the association's social program.

Parking a Problem

Today the association is especially concerned with the parking and traffic situations in Harvard Square. For the past few years the group has attempted to secure land adjacent to the Square for parking facilities. Lack of adequate space has developed because commuters to Boston leave their cars in the Square for the day and use the subway to travel into town.

The installation of parking meters has lessened this practice but has created problems equally disturbing. A one hour parking limit causes Square shoppers inconvenience. Parking space is still difficult to find, and this lack hinders Suayo business