Massachusetts (Boston).—A Chautauqua Circle has been formed by some of the young men of the Warren street M. E. Church. There are thirteen members at present. We have only taken up a part of the studies this winter, but intend to unite with the Central Circle at Chautauqua next fall, and take all the studies of the C. L. S. C. course. We have named our circle the “Highland Inner Circle of the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle,” and mean to take advantage of this excellent opportunity for improving our minds.
Massachusetts (Rockland).—We organized a Local Circle last October; have a president, secretary, and committee of three to arrange programs for our meetings which are held twice a month at the homes of members. We have Chautauqua games, readings from The Chautauquan, and usually recite fifty of the questions. We have also had many abstracts on characters in Greek history, and on the lines and houses of English history. We have kept memorial days, had sketches of their characters, and carefully prepared readings from Longfellow and Shakspere on their memorial days.
Massachusetts (Cambridgeport).—Our circle was organized last October, with thirteen members, four gentlemen and nine ladies. We meet on the fourth Wednesday of the month, at the houses of the various members. All have been greatly interested and instructed with the studies of the past year, and most of us have been particularly interested in astronomy. A short time since we spent an evening in practical work with the telescope; we had a good glass, the night was bright and clear, and we were able to get fine views of the Moon, Saturn, Neptune, the nebulæ in Orion, the Bee Hive, and several double stars. I suppose this to be the proper place to make suggestions as to improvements in our circle. One difficulty that we find is the fact that we have no means of knowing who in our community are members of the C. L. S. C. unless they come forward and make themselves known. Our local circle has been looking this matter up, and we find quite a number of members not connected with any local circle, and so unknown to the other members in the city. If every member would connect himself with a local circle, or at least give his name to a circle, would it not serve to bind us together more closely?
Massachusetts (Newbury).—We have a local circle of forty members, twenty of whom do the whole or a part of the reading. Charles J. Rolfe, an earnest member of the class of 1884, did much to interest the community in the C. L. S. C. course. Our first meeting was held on the 7th of October; Mr. Rolfe was unanimously chosen president. Besides the regular studies we try to make the meetings entertaining by means of music, reading, spelling matches, etc.
Connecticut (Thompsonville).—The Thompsonville C. L. S. C. was organized in October last under the direction of Rev. F. S. Barnum, and started with fifteen members. The original members have continued zealous students, and nearly every meeting witnessed accessions until the number has reached more than forty, all of whom testify to the great value as well as interest to them of the winter’s work. A “public” was held at the close of the first two months’ studies, and also a second “public” at the end of studies for January. Essays and addresses made up delightful evenings for the audiences assembled. On the second occasion astronomy alone was the subject, and topics were assigned to ten members of the circle. The ladies read essays, and the gentlemen delivered brief lectures illustrated by diagrams, essays and addresses confined to six minutes. Instrumental and vocal music increased the pleasure of the exercises. Nine members of the local circle have joined the main circle, and others propose to do so. The next year a much larger number propose uniting in the work.