 Out of fear Dewey bought the land adjacent to the Lake Placid Club to prevent Jews from purchasing it.In 1904 the New York State Board of Regents received a petition demanding Dewey's removal as State Librarian because of his personal involvement in the Lake Placid Club's policy of excluding Jews and other religious and ethnic groups.While the Regents declined to remove Dewey, they did issue a public rebuke, and in the summer of 1905 he resigned as a result.