The Thousand Egg Club

Do you eat at least 1000 eggs a year? If so, you're a member of the 'Thousand Egg Club.'

The club was created by the National Poultry and Egg Board in 1957. Several political figures who swore to eat 1000 eggs a year were given certificates of memberships. But as far as I know, the general public couldn't send away for a certificate.

I usually eat two eggs for breakfast every day. But I doubt I eat enough eggs in addition to that to reach 1000.

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle - Mar 27, 1957

Glen Falls Post-Star - July 31, 1959

Posted By: Alex - Wed Oct 02, 2024 - Comments (2)
Category: Clubs, Fraternities and Other Self-selecting Organizations, Eggs, 1950s

The League of Honest Coffee Lovers

The Pan-American Coffee Bureau was a marketing organization that represented coffee growers from Central and South America. In 1959, it created and promoted the "League of Honest Coffee Lovers." This was a pseudo-grassroots league of Americans rallying to demand stronger coffee.

Apparently American coffee had been getting weaker and weaker. In 1950 it was common for restaurants to brew 46 cups from a pound of coffee. By 1959, by adding more water, they were getting 64 cups from a pound. The Pan-American Coffee Bureau wanted to stop this trend.

The League of Honest Coffee Lovers was, itself, just a flash in the pan. But the Pan-American Coffee Bureau had a huge influence on American coffee culture. It's credited with creating the term "coffee break" and getting lots of people to take them. It popularized the year-round drinking of iced coffee. And ultimately it did get Americans drinking stronger coffee.

More info: Lens Coffee

Life - Jan 11, 1960

Those who agreed with the goals of the League of Honest Coffee Lovers could send away and get a certificate of membership.

Posted By: Alex - Sat Sep 28, 2024 - Comments (4)
Category: Clubs, Fraternities and Other Self-selecting Organizations, Advertising, Coffee and other Legal Stimulants, 1950s

Citizens Against Lawn Mower Madness

Mike Tidwell of Takoma Park, Maryland founded Citizens Against Lawn Mower Madness (CALMM) in the early 1990s.

He's moved on since then, and is now head of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

I think his first group had the better name.

Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune - July 23, 1994

Greenville News - Aug 21, 1994

Posted By: Alex - Mon Aug 05, 2024 - Comments (4)
Category: Clubs, Fraternities and Other Self-selecting Organizations

Trick Gun for Secret Society Initiations

Imagine the sheer delight of the person being initiated, when the realistic looking gun is pointed at them, a loud explosion occurs--but only water emerges! High-larious!

Full patent here.

Posted By: Paul - Wed Apr 24, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Clubs, Fraternities and Other Self-selecting Organizations, Guns, Patents, 1900s, Pranks

Trick Chair

Bang! And down goes the victim!

Full patent here.

Posted By: Paul - Tue Apr 09, 2024 - Comments (2)
Category: Clubs, Fraternities and Other Self-selecting Organizations, Patents, 1900s, Pranks

Apostrophe Protection Society

Protecting the apostrophe since 2001, since its a threatened species: apostrophe.org.uk

Posted By: Alex - Fri Dec 15, 2023 - Comments (5)
Category: Clubs, Fraternities and Other Self-selecting Organizations, Languages

The Association of Angry Young Women

Nov 1957: Anita Nock announced her intention to form an "Association of Angry Young Women."

Melbourne Age - Nov 26, 1957

Later reports indicated that her association didn't attract a lot of members.

Vancouver Sun - Feb 25, 1958

However, a news report from a few months later suggested that the Association did exist, in some form. The "Monaco incident" referred to involved Lady Docker tearing up a paper flag of Monaco after she learned that her son wasn't invited to attend the wedding of Prince Rainier of Monaco and Grace Kelly. Hearing about this, Prince Rainer had her banned from the entire French Riviera.

London Sunday People - May 11, 1958

Posted By: Alex - Sat Oct 28, 2023 - Comments (0)
Category: Clubs, Fraternities and Other Self-selecting Organizations, 1950s, Women

Herbivorize Predators

The Herbivorize Predators organization was founded "with the goal of discovering how to safely transform carnivorous species into herbivorous ones." Its members believe that this will promote the well-being of all sentient beings and prevent the suffering and untimely deaths of prey animals.

They acknowledge that their mission is controversial but feel that "now is the time to conduct research on potential ways of herbivorizing."

It's certainly an ambitious goal. I think they'll have their hands full just trying to herbivorize humans.



Another critique from the Ecology for the Masses blog:

Posted By: Alex - Wed Jul 19, 2023 - Comments (0)
Category: Animals, Clubs, Fraternities and Other Self-selecting Organizations, Food, Vegetarians and Vegans

Ugley Women’s Institute

The Women's Institute, according to Wikipedia, is a "community-based organisation for women in the United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand." The first Women's Institute branch in the UK was established in 1915. And by the 1920s the village of Ugley in Essex had its own branch, making it the Ugley Women's Institute.

The jokes began soon after. An Apr 13, 1945 column in the Saffron Walden Weekley News notes:


By the 1950s the members of the Ugley Women's Institute had apparently grown tired of the jokes. Newspapers reported a name change:

Evansville Press - Mar 24, 1956

However, I find that the same story then kept popping up throughout the late 1950s and 1960s, always reported as if it was breaking news, which makes me wonder if it was true in the first place. In the UK Register of Charities the organization is still listed as the Ugley Women's Institute.

Wisconsin State Journal - Sep 9, 1962

Incidentally, the village of Ugley also has an Ugley Farmers Market. And the town of Loose, in Kent, boasts the Loose Women's Institute.

Posted By: Alex - Wed Jun 21, 2023 - Comments (2)
Category: Clubs, Fraternities and Other Self-selecting Organizations, Odd Names, Women

The Queen of Love and Beauty at the Veiled Prophet’s Ball

The Veiled Prophet Parade and Ball was a yearly civic celebration in St. Louis, Missouri, over which a mythical figure called the Veiled Prophet presided. The first events were in 1878. The parade and ball were organized and funded by the Veiled Prophet Organization, an all-male, secret society[3][4][5] founded in 1878 by prominent St. Louisans.

The organization chooses one member to be a Veiled Prophet who conducts meetings and oversees activities but not necessarily for one year, spokesman Allyn Glaub said in 1991. They were a highly select group culled from the area's business, civic and governmental leaders, "the people who run St. Louis and St. Louis County."

See the 1938 Veiled Prophet below.



The Wikipedia article on the ball itself here.



A list of all queens.

Posted By: Paul - Mon May 08, 2023 - Comments (0)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Clubs, Fraternities and Other Self-selecting Organizations, Disguises, Impersonations, Mimics and Forgeries, Parades and Festivals, Regionalism, Nineteenth Century, Twentieth Century, Twenty-first Century