BOOSTERISM

Civic Philosophy

Although the concept of "boosting" a town or region began in the late nineteenth century, the phenomenon of boosterism reached its peak of popularity during the 1920s. Boosterism was a civic philosophy that aimed to advertise towns and cities, promote economic development, foster tourism, and increase civic pride. Business, boosters claimed, was an indispensable part of society: commercial development led directly to improvements in all aspects of life in a town or city. This philosophy manifested itself loudly and brashly during the decade. Citizens, boosters insisted, should have "pep" and aim continuously to "push" their communities' advantages. Anyone criticizing elements of local life were likely to be labeled "knockers" and opponents to progress. The phenomenon of boosterism was a product of the changing nature of American economic life. The sharp increase in commercial occupations such as sales, management, and advertising left more and more men in an ambiguous social position. They fit neither the traditional category of professionals, such as doctors and lawyers, nor that of skilled craftsmen. The philosophy of boosterism gave these Americans a sense of purpose and value in their communities. The emphasis placed on community service by civic clubs and chambers of commerce allowed businessmen to consider themselves motivated by more than personal financial gain; it allowed them to claim an important contributing role in their towns and cities.

Service Clubs

During the 1920s the number of civic and service clubs for businessmen grew rapidly. The Kiwanis Club expanded from 205 chapters in 1920 to 1,800 in 1929. The first Lions Club was founded in 1917; by 1930 there were more than 1,200 worldwide. The Rotary Club—the oldest service organization in the country—had been founded in 1905 and saw its ranks swell to 150,000 members by the end of the 1920s. Although these clubs were established to foster fraternity among local businessmen, as they grew they increasingly emphasized community service as part of their purpose. The Lions Club, for example, became well known for campaigns to raise money for the blind. The Shriner's Club united behind an effort to aid crippled children. Other activities of the clubs included monthly luncheons featuring motivational speakers and group songs and programs designed to promote belief in business and commerce. For businessmen, the service clubs offered a means of establishing friendship with their peers, furthering their own commercial interests, and contributing to the improvement of their communities.

Chambers of Commerce

More formal than the service clubs were the hundreds of local chambers of commerce that flourished during the 1920s. At the turn of the century most chambers of commerce had existed solely to improve the business climate in their respective towns. Over the course of the decade the organizations increasingly took on the role of advancing social cohesion and enriching municipal life. Chamber activities were varied: erecting street signs; organizing local celebrations such as festivals, field days, and parades; conducting campaigns for fire prevention and civic beautification; and erecting billboards to promote their cities' attractions and historical sites. Sociologists Robert and Helen Lynd reported that during a single month in 1924, 151 different meetings sponsored by 41 organizations were conducted in the chamber of commerce building in Muncie, Indiana. By the end of the decade chambers of commerce had become a permanent part of American civil life.

Intellectual Backlash

As boosterism became popular among the nation's businessmen, it drew attacks from writers and other critics. Service clubs and town promotion campaigns, they claimed, typified the conformity, tastelessness, and greed which underlay American society. Sinclair Lewis, who satirized boosters in novels such as Main Street (1920) and Babbitt (1922), became the leading voice in the antiboosterism vanguard. Lewis and other satirists focused on the trappings and excesses of boosterism—particularly on the slogans and rhetoric of service-club members—and rarely discussed its more serious characteristics. As a result, boosterism is remembered today as a pejorative term for the offensive aspects of business culture in the 1920s. The noise and silliness of booster rhetoric would be tempered by the Depression, but the essential philosophy behind boosterism remains widely accepted.