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The Jaycee History
Henry Giessenbier
Why It all began when a 22-year-old St.
Louis bank clerk and Herculaneum Dance Club president set out to attack such wild new
dances as the grizzly beat, tango, and fox trot.
From this modest beginning, Henry Giessenbier's dance clubs moved forward and on October
13, 1915, 32 young men formed the Young Men's Progressive Civic Association, turning
its attention to civic affairs. In 1916, the Y.M.P.C.A. changed its name to Junior
Citizens, from which came the nickname JC, or when spelled out, Jaycees.
The JCs were quickly noted by various civic-minded businessmen and in 1918 became
affiliated with the Chamber of Commerce and changed its name from Junior Citizens to the
St. Louis Junior Chamber of Commerce, after which the fame of its civic work began to
spread.
The idea was contagious and, in January 1920, chapters in 12 cities met to form the
National JC organization with Henry Giessenbier as its first president. After battling for
its existence during World War II, the U.S.J.C.C. boomed and today there are more than
6000 clubs and nearly 300,000 young people across the country.
A world alliance of JCs was formed in 1944 in Mexico City, with the founding of the Junior
Chamber International with the avowed purpose and one obligation of a "way toward
world peace." The J.C.I now consists of a network of 107 free world nations with more
than 350,000 members on its rolls
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