I like how you kept excluding prior clubs. :-)

The oldest documented clubs were Roman and Greek.  In fact most ancient
cultures had clubs of one sort or another.

The word "CLUB" was coined in the (post-Renaissance  European)   were
English because it was an English word. The one you mentioned was a
group buying meals for the group sometimes only the wealthy pays.

on-line is a 'new thing' in time and meeting with others on a periodic
and non-periodic schedule is enjoyable.  The international scope of this
is an added bonus of being on-line.

More a club since we pay dues and have stated meetings.  Open or public
or forum isn't like what the group does.

This sponsored feed from UGA enables correspondence other than in journals
and magazines.

Martin


marlo wrote:
> A perceptive question.  The oldest documented clubs (post-Renaissance
> European) were English and were informal periodic gatherings of friends for
> the purpose of dining or drinking together. Thomas Occleve (in the time of
> Henry IV) mentions such a club called La Court de Bone Compaignie (the Court
> of Good Company), of which he was a member. In 1659 John Aubrey wrote, "We
> now use the word clubbe for a sodality [a society, association, or
> fraternity of any kind] in a tavern."  Accordingly, Conch-L is not a club,
> but if it conformed to this definition, I wouldn't miss a meeting.
>
> On the other hand, you may mean that Conch-L is an online association of
> people united by a common interest or goal (shell collecting), and are
> implying that as such, based upon my aversion to shell clubs, I should
> follow my own arguments and drop out.  (That's meant to be a little joke.)
> Since it is apparent that Conch-Lers are rarely united on anything and share
> wide differences in goals and objectives for participation in Conch-L only
> loosely tied together by the theme of shells (remember the flying pigs?),
> I'd hardly call it a club.  It's much more a forum - a public place for open
> discussion.
>
> Marlo
> merritt island, fl
>
> ________________________________________
> From: Conchologists List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Michael LaFosse
> Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2007 4:37 PM
>
> Dear Marlo,
>
> Isn't [Conch-L] a "Shell Club," after all?
>
> Michael
>
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--
Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
TSRA, Life; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
http://lufkinced.com/

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