"Let Your Light Shine" 20230103 | Philander W Barclay

“Let Your Light Shine”

By Anna-Maria Manuel

Published January 3, 2023

Updated January 4, 2023 and March 17, 2024

Happy New Year 2023!

For those of us who make New Year’s Resolutions, here’s some food for thought from the Editorial Page of the March 21, 1914 Oak Leaves.

“Let Your Light Shine” described Philander Barclay’s work to keep children safe around the ever-increasing presence of automobiles on Oak Park’s streets. In addition to operating a bicycle shop and being the Village Historian (his hobby), Barclay cared about the public welfare in his hometown, from the dangers of railroad crossings [1] to mosquito abatement. [2]

In 1911, Barclay established his How to Cross the Street Club, [3] the “‘safety first’ campaign” referred to in the Editorial. [4] He had purchased a car, an E.M.F. 20 (or Flanders 20), in 1910 for $900. [5] He soon learned the dangers of automobiles—for both drivers and pedestrians. According to Barclay, he “had many, many bad frights from running children. They dart[ed] in front of the machine, often coming from behind other vehicles, and even the most careful driver [was] liable to run them down.” [6] He was “convinced that parents make a mistake when they tell small children to ‘run across the street.’ This practice, he believe[ed], [was] dangerous.” [7]

With Barclay’s effort and help from an Oak Leaves representative, the concept of his safety club for children received attention outside of Oak Park. [8] Charles A. Livingston from the Publicity Department of the Chicago Railways Company became interested in Barclay’s club and thought it was a “move in the right direction.” [9] Ella Flagg Young, Superintendent of Chicago Public Schools, “spoke favorably of the proposed plans.” [10, 11] In fact, during his meeting with Livingston, Barclay discovered that both he and Livingston had similar ideas about the prevention of accidents near streetcar tracks and while crossing streets.[12]

So, go ahead and “let your light shine” this 2023! Don’t hide your talent and skills. You never know where they may lead.

Here is the complete editorial as it appeared in the March 21, 1914, Oak Leaves.

Members of the How to Cross the Street Club in front of Barclay’s car, in 1911. [13] Photo taken outside of the Holly Block, 125-7 Lake St. (old numbering), 1124-6 Lake St. (in 1933). [14]

The members were:

Front row: Gladys Petroli, Miss Petroli (first name not known), Charles Johnson, Earl Drechsler, William Petroli.

Middle row: William Powers, Name of girl not known, Walter Ibach, Irene Petroli, James Parker, Miss Petroli, John Parker, Edwin Andree.

Back row: Grace Moy, Ruth Timme, Hazel Meisterling. [15]

According to Barclay, “Of all my old photographs, I prize this one more than any other, for the picture concerns many things. The little group of children were all my friends, some of them were customers in my little bicycle shop and most of them resided on Lake Street [where Barclay had his shops, for the most part]. Today (1933), these youngsters are among our most prominent citizens.” [16]

Photo from: Barclay Photo Collection, Album 4, pg. 62, photo 102, BB38C, Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest.

Sources and Notes

1. Barclay was quite outspoken about railroad-crossing dangers. For example, see the article:

“‘L’ Is Dangerous”; Oak Leaves; July 16, 1910; pg. 14. The article included a long list of accidents and victims from January 24, 1902 until July 2, 1910, which Barclay compiled from the Oak Leaves files.

Barclay also served on the jury of two coroner’s inquests dealing with deaths at railroad crossings:

“Dies for the ‘L’”; Oak Leaves; December 11, 1909; pg. 12.

“Killed by Train”; Oak Leaves; December 16, 1911; pg. 18.

“Juror in Protest”; Oak Leaves; December 23, 1911; pg. 9. Barclay served on the jury of the coroner’s inquest for Mrs. Gustav Kyburz, a train-crossing victim. Due to the criticism Barclay received from some people, he felt that he needed to explain his attitude during the inquest. According to Barclay, he asked many questions and wanted to ask more. However, key witnesses, like the engineer and train fireman, were present but not called to testify, until he protested. Barclay wanted the hearing adjourned until the chief engineer of the elevation, who was not present, could be summoned to testify. Barclay wrote that he would have liked to have questioned railroad personnel about other concerns, for example whether there had been watchmen stationed to protect people at the crossing. Barclay believed that the inquest “was grossly inadequate.”

2. “Swatting Mosquitoes”; Oak Leaves; November 26, 1927; pg. 6.

3. “Crossing Street, New Organization to Teach Children How to Avoid Danger to Life and Limb”; Oak Leaves; June 24, 1911; pg. 12.

4. “Let Your Light Shine” (Editorial); Oak Leaves; March 21, 1914; Unnumbered page. It is not known why the editorial said that the “‘safety first’ campaign” started “four years ago.” Judging by the article in Source [3], the club started in 1911.

5. Oak Leaves; July 16, 1910; pg. 2; and “First Safety Club Organized Here in 1911”; The Oakparker; Sept. 30, 1932; pgs. 5 and 40.

6. “Crossing Street, New Organization to Teach Children How to Avoid Danger to Life and Limb”; Oak Leaves; June 24, 1911; pg. 12.

7. Ibid.

8. “Let Your Light Shine” (Editorial); Oak Leaves; March 21, 1914; Unnumbered page.

9. “To Form Clubs”; Oak Leaves; August 19, 1911; pg. 12.

10. Ella Flagg Young; Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ella_Flagg_Young; accessed January 1, 2023.

11. “To Form Clubs”; Oak Leaves; August 19, 1911; pg. 12.

12. Ibid.

13. “First Safety Club Organized Here in 1911”; The Oakparker; Sept. 30, 1932; pgs. 5 and 40.

14. Barclay Photo Collection, Album 4; pg. 62; photo 102; BB38C; Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest.

15. Names from photo caption: "Oak Park's First Safety Club"; The Oakparker; Sept. 30, 1932; front page; newspaper clipping from Barclay Photo Collection, Album 4; pg. 62; photo 102; BB38C; Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest.

Spelling of Petroli (incorrectly spelled "Petrolia," in The Oakparker's caption) corrected in Barclay's typed description: Barclay Photo Collection, Album 4; pg. 62; photo 102; BB38C; Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest.

16. Barclay Photo Collection, Album 4; pg. 62; photo 102; BB38C; Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest.