Indiana Society of Chicago owes its start to George Ade

The Indiana Society of Chicago has met in Chicago once a year for 105 years, and is an organization comprised of politicians and business professionals who are either Indiana-based or affiliated with Indiana schools, companies or institutions.

The purpose of this annual gathering is, basically, to socialize and renew friendships and business connections, as well as honor the State of Indiana and its various businesses and academic institutions.

Governors and mayors from both Illinois and Indiana are frequently in attendance for this annual gathering, but I have noted recently that of the 600 plus attending ( the number used to be more than 1,000), fewer than 10 percent know who, what, why or how it all started.

Enter George Ade - Hoosier, author, humorist, playwright and co-founder of the Indiana Society of Chicago in 1905, along with his good friends John T. McCutcheon and Edward M. Holloway.

George Ade was born in the small rural town of Kentland in 1866, and attended Purdue University when it was so new that upon his arrival, Ade commented that "the plaster was still wet in the corners."

In his own words, he "was not a brilliant student, but was at the top of his class - alphabetically."

While at Purdue, Ade met John McCutcheon and the two became lifelong friends, while both made significant contributions to Purdue that are still evident today - i.e. Ross-Ade Stadium and McCutcheon Hall.

Ade's writing career began at a small newspaper in Lafayette, before he moved to a large Chicago paper, The Chicago Daily News, and eventually became a world class author and playwright.

In 1904, Ade was the first playwright to have three plays running simultaneously on Broadway in New York. George Ade was at the peak of his career in the early 20th century, and became one of the most popular writers in America.

He hosted U.S. Presidents at his own Hazelden Golf Course in Brook, traveled the world, and one evening in New York settled a controversy as to whether he was a playwright or a farmer.

Ade said he had investigated and learned that in Indiana he was regarded as a playwright, and in New York City, he was known as a farmer.

Ade, McCutcheon, and Holloway founded the Indiana Society of Chicago at the time when Indiana was second only to New York in published authors. At the initial dinner, Ade commented, "I came to Chicago, but I could not get away from Hoosiers. In fact, you cannot get away from Hoosiers no matter where you go."

His legacy, and the Indiana Society of Chicago, continue to this day, and as Ade would say: "Here's to Indiana, a state as yet unspoiled! Here's to the Hoosier home folks, a good deal more sophisticated than they let on to be!"

Dave Ryan is the executive director of the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce. The opinions expressed are his own. He can be reached at dryan@lakeshorechamber.com or (219) 931-1000.