A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

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Entry from November 25, 2004
Big Brothers (Big Sisters)
The "Big Brother" organization got its start in New York City in 1904. The organization now includes "Big Sisters."

The honorary street sign on East 30th Street and Third Avenue is: "BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF NYC WAY."

http://www.bigsnyc.org/welcome/history.cfm
It was almost a century ago, in Lower Manhattan.

A boy's life hung in the balance, the weight of an 18-month reformatory sentence about to crush his future. Then Ernest Coulter, Clerk of the Court of Special Sessions of the City of New York, made his famous plea:

"There is only one possible way to save that youngster, and that is to have some earnest, true man volunteer to be his big brother. To look after him, to help him do right, to make the little chap feel that there is at least one human being in this great city who takes a personal interest in him, who cares whether he lives or dies. I call for a volunteer."

It was December 3, 1904, and when the first gentleman stood to volunteer, Big Brothers of New York City-founding member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America-began. Coulter's audience, a New York City men's club of business and community leaders, immediately saw the strength of this brave new idea, and by the end of the day, he had gathered 39 volunteers-and salvaged 39 futures.

Today, Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City reaches over 4000 young people every year.

24 October 1908, New York Times, pg. 8:
The Big Brothers.
(...)
A most commendable movement has been started but recently in this city called The Big Brother Movement, which is for the purpose of giving the tenement boy who has come in conflict with the law and consequently released from the Children's Court, a chance to become a better citizen. This movement originated indirectly from the work done by the Children's Court, with whose noble aims you no doubt are familiar, and was suggested by its Deputy Clerk, Mr. Ernest K. Coulter, its most enthusiastic supporter.
A. F. M.
New York, Oct. 22, 1908.

3 May 1952, New York Times, pg. 21:
COL. COULTER, LED
BIG BROTHER DRIVE

Founder of National Movement
to Help Boys is Dead at 80 -
Quit News Field to Start It

Col. Ernest K. Coulter, founder of the Big Brother movement, died on Thursday in his home, Rilldel, Santa Barbara, Calif., according to word received here yesterday. He was 80 years old.

His founding of what is now a national movement to help boys dated from an evening in 1904 when he addressed the men's club of the Central Presbyterian Church here and challenged it to stop studying civic betterment and "do something about it."
(...)
In 1902, he quit newspaper work to help organize the first Children's Court of this city. He was for ten years Clerk of the Court. During that period he studied law in order to better handle the legal phases of child protection. He received an LL.B. at New York Law School and in 1912 went into a law partnership with Charles G. Bond.

He was named general manager of the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in 1914.

(Trademark)
Word Mark BIG BROTHERS
Goods and Services IC 042. US 100. G & S: YOUTH COUNSELLING SERVICES. FIRST USE: 19041203. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19041203
Mark Drawing Code (5) WORDS, LETTERS, AND/OR NUMBERS IN STYLIZED FORM
Serial Number 72393816
Filing Date June 3, 1971
Current Filing Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Registration Number 0943786
Registration Date September 26, 1972
Owner (REGISTRANT) BIG BROTHERS OF AMERICA CORPORATION D.C. 341 SUBURBAN STATION BLDG. PHILADELPHIA PENNSYLVANIA 19103
(LAST LISTED OWNER) BIG BROTHERS OF AMERICA CORPORATION BY MERGER WITH D.C. C/O BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF AMERICA 230 N. 13TH STREET PHILADELPHIA PENNSYLVANIA 19107-151
Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Type of Mark SERVICE MARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Affidavit Text SECT 15. SECT 8 (6-YR). SECTION 8(10-YR) 20030623.
Renewal 2ND RENEWAL 20030623
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE

Posted by Barry Popik
Names/Phrases • Thursday, November 25, 2004 • Permalink


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