Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh).—On the evening of Thursday, January 25, the C. L. S. C. graduates of Pittsburgh and Allegheny had their first reunion and banquet. In August last, at Chautauqua, a committee was appointed of Pittsburgh members to take steps for the formation of an alumni association in that city. An organization was effected subsequently, and the following officers elected: A. M. Martin, president; Miss Mary Oglesby, vice-president; Miss Sarah J. Payne, secretary; and an executive committee composed of the preceding officers and Dr. J. J. Covert and Miss Frances M. Sawyers. The reunion and banquet was held at the Seventh Avenue Hotel. The members and guests began to arrive early, and before the supper hour of nine the parlors were filled with persons having bright faces and happy manners. The social feature was not the least attractive one of the evening. The banquet was served in a private dining-hall, and forty-two persons sat down to the feast. The table was elegantly set, and was beautiful with fine linen, glass, and fruit. The menu was made up of all the rich and rare delicacies usual upon such occasions. After the last course had been served, the president of the association, Mr. A. M. Martin, who was also master of ceremonies, welcomed the members of the association into the new relations of this fraternity. He said, “I bid you a hearty welcome to the higher plane on which you have now stepped. We are to-night, so far as I know, the first alumni organization of the C. L. S. C. that has ever met to pay honor to our alma mater. I bid you doubly welcome to the higher halls, loftier columns, wider arches, and grander views she now opens to your sight. We here, I believe, boast of a larger number of the more than seventeen hundred graduates than any other one place in the world. I bid you thrice welcome to the honorable distinction of leading the advance in this progressive march. Once more I welcome you all to the enjoyments of this night, and I rejoice with you in the happiness of the hour. I am glad to be here, and if the faces about me are any index of your feelings, we are all glad to be here. I hope that at every future reunion we can echo that sentiment with the same genuine heartiness of to-night. As we meet to enjoy the pleasures of social reunion, we create memories that shall be new starting-points for fresh achievements. Memories that bring gladness to the heart are among the richest boons the Father has bestowed upon His children. The good cheer of which we have partaken, the sounds of the words spoken, the friendships we have formed, the faces we have met, will live as happy memories of this night in long years to come.” Then came the toasts as follows: “Our lady teachers—the hope of the C. L. S. C.;” response by Professor L. H. Eaton. “The faithful few;” response by Miss Margaret McLean. “The Class of 1882, the pioneers of the C. L. S. C.;” response by Miss A. E. Wilcox, with an original poem. “The Hall in the Grove;” response by George Seebeck. “May we always be able to look forward with pleasure, and back without regret;” response by Miss May Wightman. “Dr. J. H. Vincent, the greatest novel-ist of the age.” When this toast was announced calls were made upon the president, Mr. Martin, to respond. He, in reply, said: “Dr. J. H. Vincent is a man whom it is a delight to honor. He is the originator, the head, the inspiring spirit, the rare genius to whom we all look as members of the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle. He is one of the greatest novelists of the age in the old and better sense of the word, in that he is an innovator and an asserter of novelty. He attracts our attention; he surprises us; his methods are unusual; there is a freshness in his plans and ways of doing and saying things that delight us. But above all, he touches humanity where it most needs quickening. With broad human sympathy he comes in contact with lives where the heart throbs beat the strongest. With deep earnestness he reaches down to the very foundation of the impulses that govern men and women, and seeks to direct them in higher and better channels. He possesses eminently what some one has called ‘sanctified common sense,’ and brings it to bear on all phases of life. He is the greatest novelist of the age in that he presents living and enduring truths in a way
* * * * which, daily viewed,
Please daily, and whose novelty survives
Long knowledge and the scrutiny of years.”
Professor Eaton next proposed the toast, “Mr. A. M. Martin, our worthy General Secretary of the C. L. S. C.—the day star of our Pittsburgh branch,” and called upon Professor C. B. Wood, who responded. The other toasts of the evening, and the names of the persons who responded, were: “The very young men of our Class who have faltered not, nor fainted by the way;” Miss Frances M. Sawyers. “The hopeful outlook;” Mr. George M. Irwin. “Our city press;” Miss Mary Oglesby. “The Chautauqua Idea, the unchained Prometheus;” Dr. J. J. Covert. The dresses of the ladies were tasty and becoming, and some of them especially elegant. Flowers were worn in profusion. It was nearly midnight when the enjoyable occasion came to a close.
Pennsylvania (Philadelphia).—The Haddonfield local circle has entered upon the second year of its existence, and in looking back over the labors of the past year we feel abundantly satisfied with the results. Our members are without exception composed of those who have had the advantages of a liberal education, and have been constant readers since their school days, but have felt the want of a systematic course to pursue, and have found in the Chautauqua Circle this want in a certain measure supplied. We have not only endeavored to follow in this instance the letter of the law, but the spirit also, and in so doing have taken the subjects up as a study, committing to memory and reciting to our preceptor, in reply to his questions, every work that has thus far come before us. In this way “Quackenbos’ Ancient Classics,” as well as other works, were thoroughly studied the past winter and reflected much credit upon the members for the close study they gave to them. From this severe discipline we have not deviated and propose to continue it to the end. The fruits of such application are already visible, and the great desire which is expressed to confine our studies longer to one subject than the plan permits is evidence enough of the thirst for knowledge it engenders. The only fault we have to find with the reading is that it is too desultory, and does not dwell sufficiently long on one subject to satisfy the interest which is awakened, the time of the members not permitting them to pursue their reading out of the beaten path. The number of our members is twelve. It could undoubtedly be largely increased, but we feel satisfied that numbers in our method of study would not bring corresponding strength and might prove only a source of weakness. We congratulate Dr. Vincent and his co-workers in the noble cause in which they have embarked, and which has long since ceased to be an experiment, upon the awakening of thousands of minds to a love of acquiring knowledge, and that above all in the interest of Christianity, and we hail that great army of co-laborers, who, like ourselves, are brought under its benign influences, and doubt not that this influence will radiate from every circle for good.
Pennsylvania (Pottsville).—There has sprung into existence, in our midst, recently, a flourishing local circle. It is the outgrowth of an informal conversation held by the worthy wife of our esteemed pastor, Rev. B. T. Vincent, with members of the Normal class of Bible students, in connection with the M. E. Church, during the early part of last November, in which the aims and purposes of the C. L. S. C. were very fully explained and set forth. That an increased interest might be created in such studies as are embraced in The Chautauquan readings, a strong sentiment was at once manifested by those present, including members of various denominations, in favor of organizing a local circle. After several preliminary meetings had been held, our circle was formally organized on the 19th of last November, by the election of a president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. As the result of this effort, we have in our Mountain City to-day a circle numbering fifty-two earnest, working members, about one half of whom are also members of the general circle. In addition to our elective officers, we have a committee on work, consisting of five members, appointed by the president, whose duty it is to arrange the work of the circle, make a sub-division of the required readings, and assign topics in advance to the several members, whose duty it is to present the same at the next stated meeting of the circle in the form of an essay, lecture, or recitation as each may deem proper. By this method each member has his or her share of work to perform, and all become interested and active working members. Our meetings, which are held semi-monthly, on Saturday evenings, are opened by a member reading a selection from the Scriptures, followed by prayer and the singing of the “Gloria.” The minutes of the previous meeting are then read, and business matters relating to the circle attended to; after which the essays on the various topics are read, or lectures delivered. We endeavor as nearly as possible, to so limit members that the delivery of the essays and lectures shall not occupy more than one hour. We have then, previous to dismissal, a half hour devoted entirely to a lecture on the science of geology, by our president, Mr. P. W. Sheafer. In this respect we are peculiarly favored. Mr. Sheafer is not only a practical geologist, but from his prominent official connection with the last geological survey of the State, is enabled to give us a much larger, more varied and valuable store of information in a science, which to us, living as we do in the very centre of the vast beds of anthracite coal, is peculiarly interesting and important.