The St. Louis Jaycees began with the idea that youth should not be a barrier to personal development or participation in your communities development and decision making. From its humble beginnings as a dance club in St. Louis, Missouri, the organization has grown from one young man's vision to an international movement offering young people the opportunity for hands-on leadership training and experience in local, state, national and global development. A young man called Henry Giessenbier founded JCI in St. Louis as far back as 1915. Henry had a dream that through civic action young people could become active citizens; “great purpose of fellowship, advancement and everything which would make a good boy a better boy, a good student a more proficient scholar and a good citizen a better citizen." That vision became a reality when on October 13, 1915 at the Mission Inn in St. Louis, 32 young men formed the Young Men's Progressive Civic Association (YMPCA). Giessenbier was elected the first president. The group quickly became involved in St. Louis civic affairs and won respect from authorities for efficiently handling tasks assigned them. In under six months the membership grew from 32 to 750. After many name changes YMPCA became known as the St. Louis Junior Chamber of Commerce or St. Louis Jaycees. By this time the local St. Louis organization had sparked a movement that first expanded across the nation and then the globe.