The first club was started by the Enquirer in 1923 at Mr. Wiley's suggestion. RFS drove around the country assuming the identity of Seckatary Hawkins grown up, and helped organize other clubs and chapters. He decided anyone could join who promises to be fair and square and live up to the rules of the club. He truly loved and understood children and how to communicate with them. RFS traveled the country attending club ceremonies and selling more Hawkins' features to newspapers.

Club Info on book dust covers shows: "several million members worldwide in the heyday". Purportedly there were 170,000 members in Cincinnati and 300,000 in Pittsburgh in 1930. Club membership applications were printed in the newspapers. Membership cards were issued and blue and white pin badges were awarded that sometimes gave admission to the wearer to movies. There were banners and flags with the motto inscribed. There were Seck Hawkins days at Coney Island. In the 1920's over 100 newspapers carried Seckatary. Combined circulation is reported at over 10 million daily.

The last date we see printed was 1954 in small Midwest papers.

Children, mostly boys, continually wrote in that they felt exactly like the characters in the stories, felt like members of the club group, and wanted directions to the real clubhouse on the riverbank so they could join up.

Jackie Coogan, child screen star of the Chaplin film, "The Kid", signed up as a member in 1923. Jackie was so engrossed in Seckatary's adventures that his father built him a clubhouse in the backyard.

There was even an actor, Ed Ritenbaugh, who played "Seck" for the Pittsburgh press in 1930 through 1950. He would MC five parties and movie outings for "Seck" club members every week. Screen stars like Dick Powell, and Ruth Roman appeared at times. They touted 500,000 members then. He didn't look much like RFS, but the 625 chapters and multiple clubs within chapters didn't mind.

The moral message was evident in every story as well as Club rules that were calculated to fortify juvenile idealism and consolidate parental approval as follows:

a) Always be fair and square.
b) Attend all meetings, or give excuse when absent.
c) Always leave word with your mother where you are going, so you may be found if wanted in a hurry.
d) No loud noise in the clubhouse. Wait till you are out on the riverbank, and then shout to your heart's content.
e) No fighting. - Members having complaints against other members must tell the captain, and the matter will be taken up fair and square.
f) Tell the truth. A boy who lies cannot be trusted.
g) Don't try to hide your mistakes. Look upon them as lessons and resolve never to be fooled the same way again.
h) Never give up. Don't think you can't do a hard task just because you have failed in previous attempts. Always try again.
i) Treat your fellow club members as you would want them to treat you.
j) Use common sense in everything. Look before you leap. Never make a move until you have considered every angle. Better to do nothing than do it wrong.
k) Try to learn one new thing each day, so that you will know more today than you knew yesterday. Knowledge is power.
l) Stick to your friends and they will stick to you. And a friend in need is a friend indeed.

These principals were constantly referred to in the adventure stories. The aim was to give every boy and girl reader a sense of responsibility and worth. Critic's comments attest to the effectiveness of the material. Later the pledges were contracts with members with more simplicity:

a."I shall always be fair and square, possessed with strength of character, honest with God and my friends, and in later life, a good citizen."
b."A winner never quits and a Quitter never wins" was popular with the members.

Club colors are Blue and White. This may be an adaptation of the USA patriotic red-white-and blue as well as some relations to Catholic vestments and to the historic Germanic ancestry.

There were parades, huge turn outs to picnics, special theatrical entertainments, clubhouses were opened. Songs were written, one memorable one by George F. Ritenbaugh Sr. of Pittsburgh called "I'll meet you down On the Old Riverbank"...With the Seckatary Hawkins Club... Where each young Tom, Dick and Harry....Larry and Hank...With not one of them a Dub...For the Pittsburgh Press...We must confess... Has nurtured us from just a tiny grub...So meet us down on the old riverbank...With the Seckatary Hawkins Club."

There were prizes for members who wrote the best essays - books, pins, plaster bookend images of Seck. The bookend specialist William P. McDonald of Rookwood Company, designed the statuette. Ed Hurley, the etcher of bookplate drawings recommended him.

Seckatary, The Movie:
The Milwaukee Journal's WTMJ radio sponsored a silent movie - "Home Run Hawkins" with an all-club cast -every actor a member. True, each team had nine players and some reliefs, but the stands were filled to overflowing with members. This was filmed in the Kemper log cabin and Cincinnati Zoo surrounding grounds. My dad and Uncle John played small parts in this. The movie is lost to us. No records of these films were ever found. What a catastrophe! Later the Enquirer made another movie and lent it to the Pittsburgh Press which showed it all over Pennsylvania.

The temporary end:
The most popular opinion is that Seck really wanted to do the radio shows, but the newspapers' leaders of the day feared the competition of radio so much that they envisioned the extinction of the printed word. The ultimatum was "love us or lose us". Radio won the battle, but Seck lost the war. Nearly all the newspapers dropped the Seckatary.

Another version was that the depression and the paper shortage killed the Seck movement. (ref: Cincinnati Enquirer article 7/19/49.)

But the Fair & Square club is still alive and well on the internet site www.seckatary.com which started in 1999. Anyone can join for free if they promise to be fair and square and live up to the rules of the club. Just like the old days.

THINGS RFS LOVED:

His Sweetheart - Julia Buckley Darnell was 5 foot 7 with brown hair and steel blue eyes. Always thin and graceful. Always strict, prim and proper. Quite a cook was she, after RFS pushed her to understudy with his mom, and grandmothers.

Julia is descended from a line of the Turkey Island, Virginia Randolphs and a cousin 6 times removed of President Thomas Jefferson whose mother was a Randolph.

Julia B' was a fair beauty who had all the boys running in many directions - but something about RFS was irresistible.

When they were courting, RFS wrote many long letters while Julia B was away on vacation - all tied with ribbons and bows and illustrated in different colors. We don't have any of the replies from Julia, but RFS complained in his letters that she didn't write "fat" letters as he did.

Married life - began with elopment - Wednesday, 2/10/15 in Augusta, Kentucky at St Augustine's Church- yes, he was a bit of a super-salesman, turning the head and better judgment of Julia Buckley Darnell, the most eligible bachelor-ette beauty to run away with him to the disdain and initial displeasure of the Darnell clan. He was 25 and she was 21. She was the prettiest ever - he the coolest ever! Julia's cousin, Mrs. Newton W. "Mag" Evans helped with the elopment and stood up for them along with her husband. Julia used the pretense of "going to the Zoo" when she left home that day. With the help of her cousin, Mag Buckley Evans, the wedding was secretly arranged. Julia notified her parents in Covington by phone directly after the ceremony - Florence Darnell heard, " Hello Mamma, this is Mrs. Schulkers speaking." Imagine the reaction of a prim and proper mother to that news. The wedding was at St. Augustines Church in Augusta, Kentucky. Reverend Romanus Van der Vorst officiating. The parents printed a "Covington" marriage announcement that was sent to friends and family. An interesting aside is that some of the more illustrious ancestors of the Darnell's had also "committed" elopments.

Her parents were not ready for them to marry - didn't think he had the breeding - even after 8 years of courting. But they quickly changed their opinion of the simple newspaperman when they really got to know him.

We have retained several love letters Robert sent to Julia B when she made some trips with her aunt to Chicago and to visit her grand parents in Paris, Kentucky. He wrote with special purple ink and made little illustration drawings. Many pages were folded into tiny booklets tied with ribbon and headed each "chapter" with red ink. This was truly one of the most ardent love affairs in history. Both these people were strong, self-willed individuals, but together they became a whirlwind force that knocked the socks off the public. They were destined for one another - fated if you will. Nothing could stop this union of mind, body and spirit that continues today - I can still feel it!

As it turned out, the Darnell's grew to love this young man as a true son, and the favor was enthusiastically and bombastically returned. As we look at the family tree of the Darnell's, we see the art of elopment was practiced many times in the earlier generations. These Darnell, Railey and Randolph girls would have their choice of a man!

In an area of Kentucky known as Ducker's Station, in Woodford County or sometimes called "Germany", Robert made an illustrated trip booklet of a Darnell reunion trip. He was an ardent admirer of his in-laws and in the month starting September 6, 1915, Seck concocted a pleasant collection of photos, poems, newspaper articles and writing to commemorate a Darnell family excursion to the ancestral hinterlands in Kentucky. A casual reader of this treatise would think he was more related to the Darnell's than his wife. Here we see the first reference of a "Cliff Cave" on the Kentucky River bank that Charles Darnell played in as a child. This is in the Versailles area.

Fatherhood - how he loved being a father. It was my observation that he loved each of his four children in a unique and ardent way. Although you might expect that he would have a favorite child, I could never discern any inkling of favoritism. He didn't seem to push them or be critical to any of them. He just took them as they were and offered his encouragement to whatever they decided to do.

Children were:

Robert Franc Schulkers Junior, my father, 11/19/17-4/6/72 - Born on Park Avenue in Latonia, KY. Child prodigy -Artistic pianist. Composed first musical score at age 9. Also played organ, accordion, composed, etc. Nightclub entertainer. Worked with Johnny Long orchestra. Childhood sweetheart and wife Marion Holly was the singer in the "Bob Darnell Duo" band. She was the most gentle and wonderful mother who guided us all through life. Much like the Seckatary descriptions of the universal "Mother". We miss her so!

Dad Graduated Walnut Hills High School- he was the drum major and had his own 8-piece band called the "Victorians". Raised three unruly sons to their credit. Truly "always fair and square"- a gentle gentleman. (RFS dedicated Knights of the Square Table to my dad). We were so shocked to lose him at so early an age. It is sad to witness your father's funeral, but so much more so for a loving mother to do. Julia B was outwardly a pillar of strength, but obviously destroyed inside. He is said to be the epitome of big brother - all the siblings loved him and his gentle ways.

Ruth Darnell Schulkers - Born on 5/15/21 at 3029 Harvey Ave, Cincinnati, Ohio - Attended Ohio State University, Theta Phi Alpha. Worlds best cook and mother ( 7 fantastic children), member Magna Charta Dames / D.A.C. / D.A.R./ Colonial Dames of the 17th Century. She is family historian, and still "as fair as a fairy" (RFS dedicated Ching Toy to Ruth) -a real class act. The most eligible bachelor-ette of her time (much like her mother, but more reserved and refined), she was somehow swept off her feet by a dashing, and very serious man who made her Mrs. Willard G. Bryant. Uncle Bill was always full of energy and knew the right thing to do in every circumstance. He never took no for an answer, especially when he knew it was the right thing to do. We respected this man immensely and were sorry to lose him to father time.

Julia Buckley (really Beatrice) Schulkers - Born on Stacey Ave, Cincinnati, Ohio 1/11/22. Birth certificate shows middle name as Beatrice. Julia B wanted Buckley, and Seck wanted Beatrice. This lively little lady was the star of every show. She was, and is, a performer - what we refer to as a "Hot Ticket" in Boston. She helped her father at 10 years old by reading the parts of "Eva La Valiere of Hollywood" (pronounced Eva LA Valeer) on the Seckatary radio shows. She and RFS played together in a couple of stage productions around Cincy too. Attended Walnut Hills High School, also a dancer of some renown during high school. She attended Ohio State; was Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. She worked in a little dress shop to earn spending $. The most popular girl with the most beau's she was always running around in her youth and playing little funny jokes, until, one day when she least expected it, her heart was captured by an engaging young man who could play her game even better than she did. Before he ha his own children, Ollie Sharman would play with my brothers and me as if he was one of the gang. We still remember the ever-present jokes and the feared-but-fun Indian burns he would give us - (we noticed that little boys love to scream with joy too, but don't tell anybody). We were so sad to lose him, but thankful for the times we shared. Judy and Ollie had 3 beautiful, model children you would have to see to believe. She is my "best girl", my real Godmother, and still a "little flower girl". (RFS dedicated The Chinese Coin to Judy)

John Randolph Schulkers - Born 4/6/26 at 3029 Harvey Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio, -a bit early (before the Doctor could arrive), he has always made his own timing decisions and been in a hurry. (RFS dedicated The Yellow Y to John) -Not "such a little fellow" any more. Top executive for the yellow pages. Great Husband, father of 3 great people, family patriarch extraordinaire', loving grandfather. He is everybody's best family friend and counselor. As we say in Boston town - "he never met a stranger". A chip off the old block, he looks and sounds like Seck and is mistaken for him on the streets of Cincy.  Graduated from Upper Arlington High School; attended Ohio State U; was Sigma Alpha Epsilon. A US Air Force pilot training candidate. Later attended University of Cincinnati to be with Sue who had chosen that school. When I was little and he was a teen, he would call me "Randolfski, the Russiano" after he read to me from Seckatary Hawkins Red Runners account of Androfski. I guess he wanted the little kid to be silent, especially around his best girl, Sue Grove whom he knew I admired (and who didn't?). Sue was a very famous and glamorous child TV actress and starlet who had just one "weak moment" - when she met "Jonny", who wouldn't let her alone- that "weak moment" has lasted lo' these 60 some years! (My Dad said we should have called him "Lucky" for his dependable margin of luck that began when he first set eyes on Big Sue). He has always "stuck by me", and is, without any doubt or exaggeration, my best "side-partner" since Seckatary and my Dad died. He is my mentor, confidante, friend, and happily, my real Godfather.

Grandfatherhood - he was the best for me and I have heard it echoed around the country from all my cousins and siblings, that we have all been blessed to have spent some time with this great man and his incredible wife. The encouragement he gave me personally was a primary factor in my development. When living in Florida, I had my first child, (named Julia, of course). Great-grandma and Great-grandpa just had to see her, so, in August of 1968, they paid our way to Cincy when Julia B (B for Baby this time) was not quite two years old. Seckatary didn't emerge from his study room much in those days, but one look and a hug from Julia Baby, and the romance began! This truly ferocious little child under Seckatary's tutelage could do no wrong, and no one could correct her, and no one else could hold her when Seck was around. And she even replaced me as Grandpa's "old side partner" who met at the old Sycamore doorway in the RFS study. They spent so much time together that Julia B and I had time to go shopping - a lot. I realized then that Grandpa's first and foremost interest would always be little children. I had grown up and could take care of myself now, so it was my baby's time to get Seckatary under her skin - Which she did. We had a wonderful week that I will always cherish, and Julia Baby is well infected with the Hawkin's stories and spirit. She is somewhat of an authority on the characters, has most of the books, and is always on the lookout to add to her collection.

He loved German foods - Ghoetta; "Farmer's Mett", (a hard salami), sandwiches with a little butter and dunked in coffee with touch of cream; white wieners; Coney Island chili dogs - popularly called "Coney's"; braunschweiger; liver puddin' with white toast and butter (dunked in coffee with each bite, of course); kale; sauerkraut and mashed potatoes; etc; and, oh yes, a little red wine. Other food and drink favorites were black and brown "cows". (A kid friendly mixture of almost equal parts of root beer or cola and sugar and milk).

Drawing: he put together many pictures and liked to construct signs on poster board, sometimes for pay. He was a part time mechanical drawing artist complete with the various compass, pencil, T-square, etc.

Words - Harbinger and arbiter and other words you never heard of. This was a well read and learned man who made benevolent sport of it. You wouldn't know it from his illiteration- "izing" of early stories like the Snow Fort and Our Club newspaper series.

Photography, both stills and hand crank home movies. He took lots of family photos and movies at numerous family get-togethers.

A typical family event was Kentucky Derby parties where mint julep's were fastidiously prepared and served with real mint leaf sprigs from Seck's home garden. Each person picked a favorite horse, $1.00 each was put up and the winner got the pot. He loved group singing at these family gatherings. When the children were small, he would rock them in a rocking chair and sing to them.

Fishing and hiking. We have little picture booklets of RFS and Julia B in 1913, 1914 and 1915, leading up to their elopement.

Poetry writing: we have several of the poems that rival the master poets as far as we are concerned. They are filled with love and regard for those he directed them to.

He loved rabbits - Dutch's were his favorite, but he also had Himalayans. He published 1918 -but written in 1915, RFS wrote a book, Raising Rabbits Right on the care, rearing and feeding thereof. Since he could find no concise authority on the subject, he wrote one himself using many of his own photographs in the book. Here we learn that the name "rabbit" is a bit of a misnomer, and should rightfully be referred to as a "Cony", from the Latin name, Lepus Cuni Culus. His father-in-law was a long time rabbiter as well. RFS always had a few bunnies until his much later years. His son, John carries on that lagomorphic tradition to this day.

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