Reprinted from the Autumn 1959 issue of It is magazine, Jack Tworkov recorded these written snapshots from the early 50s of thoughts, impressions and observations.

April 26, 1952

The enthusiastic clash of ideas that takes place in the Club has one unexpected and, in my belief, salutary effect  it destroys, or at least reduces, the aggressiveness of all attitudes. One discovers that rectitude is the door one shuts on an open mind.

The Club is a phenomenon  I was at first timid in admitting that I liked it. Talking has been suspect. There was the prospect that the Club would be regarded either as bohemian or as a self-aggrandizing clique. But now I�m consciously happy when I�m there. I enjoy the talk, the enthusiasm, the laughter, the dancing after the discussion. There is a strong sense of identification. I say to myself these are the people I love, that I love to be with. Here I understand everybody, however inarticulate they are. Here I forgive everyone their vices, and I�m learning to admire their virtues. How dull people are elsewhere by comparison. I think that 39 East 8th is an unexcelled university for an artist. Here we learn not only about all the possible ideas in art, but learn what we need to know about philosophers, priests, poets, musicians, mathematicians, dancers, necromancers to come to us, talk to us, to educate and entertain us. Now it is my ambition to hear a tycoon fro Wall Street speak to us about finance and a prince speak to us about royalty, simply because it occurs to me that these two topics have not been touched upon yet at the Club.

September 25, 1953

The Puritans were willing to uproot themselves and their families and face every conceivable dangercross a vast and unknown ocean, wrest a virgin shore from savage folk, undergo starvation, sickness, and sudden deathin order to build a society in their own image. They were confident of the outlines of the future.

Today their daughters dance in Bikini suites on the shores where their ships landed. They accomplished much, those ancient Puritans, but little of what had been closest to their hearts. They were but one event

in a criss-crossing of chains of events of such magnitude that what lay within the orbit of their imagination could only amount to very little. There is no foreseeable future. Man acts on his own environment but his deeds do not necessarily accomplish his heart�s desire. In 1917, no Marxist could have imagined the shape and color of the first socialist country and seen the Soviet Union of today. If he could have, he probably would not have raised his hand to make his dream come true.

If the Pilgrim had been shown a vision of the America of 1953, he would never have boarded the ship.

But America is from our view infinitely better that what the Pilgrim could have built if he�d had his will for 300 years. In fact we thank God he did not succeed.

Destiny�s fools are the avant-garde. A man cannot make his life, but whatever he makes-that�s his life. And since we never make and cannot make the same things, everything keeps on changing.

September 14, 1953

All that exists is contained.

The transformations from seed to grape to wine mark a succession of containers.

Blood is contained. We are a vessel for blood. Let the blood out of the container and life ceases.

What contains-contains semen, blood and wine-is as nearly a miracle as its content. And the transfer from vessel to vessel, from fruit to flagon, form parent to offspring-a chain of vessels-is the business of life and industry. And the sanitary industries for the removal of waste, of decay from the body, from the house or the city, are a system of transferring from vessel to vessel.

Considered in this thought is the idea of individuality. The egg contained in the egg-shell-thus a boundary-is separated from all other eggs. The blood contained in the body-contained, not running out all

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