The Ethical Culture Club, organized in 1906, held its original meetings on Sunday and "was to be a substitute on a basis of liberal theology for church going." These early days not withstanding, the Forum, as it became known after October 14, 1910, was essentially a meeting for the free discussion of any topic of interest. Topics included, child labor laws, the establishment of a public library, promotion of a league to enforce peace, and the use of metric measures. Many of these topics, particularly the building of a library, actually became calls to action. The Forum was made up of members from both South Dakota State College and the town, with the majority being drawn from the college. According to William Powers, Forum historian, the outside membership was distributed among different professions, including clergymen. Membership seems to have been limited to men, with the added provision that all members were expected at some time to present a paper. Governance of the organization was made up of a president, vice president, and secretary treasurer. There were also two standing committees for programs and for membership.
From the description of Forum / Ethical Culture Club records, 1908-1928 (1919-1928) (South Dakota State University). WorldCat record id: 41701931
