District of Columbia (Washington).—On November 14 last a local circle was organized at the Foundry M. E. Church, and some twenty-five persons, mostly ladies, joined. Others have joined since, until now our membership numbers thirty-five. Great interest is manifested, and the outlook is encouraging. We are somewhat behind, but we are doing double work and soon expect to be abreast of the thousands of others who are pursuing the same course. We have the geological diagrams, and a special interest is being taken in geology. We are all led to thank Dr. Vincent and Mr. Miller for introducing this movement, and their dream must have been realized on August 12, last. In this age of enlightenment, all who will may drink deeply at the pure fountain of science. With the C. L. S. C. spreading all over the earth, ignorance is a voluntary misfortune.
Ohio (Dayton).—We meet every two weeks, on Tuesday evenings. Our circle this year has thirty members. Last year we had a course of four lectures given at a public hall: (1) Prof. Short, of Columbus, Ohio, “The Antiquity of Man;” (2) Prof. Broome, of Dayton, on “Ceramics;” (3) Rev. H. L. Colby, on “Architecture;” (4) Prof. Roberts, “Art and Painting.” These lectures were well attended and much enjoyed. The programs for the evenings we meet are something like the following: Prayer by the president; roll call and reading of the minutes of the last meeting, by the secretary; we learn the questions and answers in The Chautauquan, taking fifty for a lesson, and these are asked and answered by the society; then we have readings and essays, on the subjects we have been reading for the two weeks.
Ohio (Cincinnati).—The Rev. Dr. Vincent being in Cincinnati last month, attending the meeting of the Chautauqua Trustees, the various local circles in the city, and from the regions round about, engaged him to give a lecture in St. Paul’s Church. At the close of the lecture Dr. Vincent was presented with a basket of exquisite and rare flowers by the members of the C. L. S. C., and then, called by classes, the various circles retired to the lecture-room to welcome Chautauqua’s chief. The royal salute was given, added to a song of greeting. Dr. Vincent experienced great pleasure in meeting Chautauquans—whether singly, in squads, or by thousands—and stated that the enterprise is enlarging, twelve thousand new members having already been added to the former score. It is not the design to make great scholars, but to excite desire for thorough scholarship. It is to increase the list of students in our colleges, and to instruct the unread and untaught that Chautauqua makes her boast, and also in the review of former studies. A social half hour and a hand-shaking ended the auspicious occasion, the ladies and gentlemen of the C. L. S. C. expressing unfeigned pleasure derived from it. A number of C. L. S. C.’s from a distance were present, Indiana and Kentucky being represented. Some of these visited the members of the Cincinnati circles for the first time, and expressed themselves much pleased with the method of conducting the C. L. S. C. work here, and commended especially the sociability of the members.
Tennessee (Knoxville).—This is the second year of our local circle at Knoxville. Our membership is small, numbering only ten this year, but we are very enthusiastic, and all the work assigned is promptly and thoroughly done. The recitations are principally conversational. We have just finished the “Preparatory Greek Course,” and read in connection with it the Earl of Derby’s translation of the “Iliad.” We chose Derby’s translation not because we differed with Mr. Wilkinson as to its value, but because it was the only one to which we had access. From Greece to the stars will be quite a change, yet we are glad to leave war and bloodshed for a time. We meet Monday night of each week at our president’s home. Visitors are always welcome. Our circle is so small we have never attempted to give public entertainments or lectures, but we try in other ways, especially by means of personal influence, to help on the good work and gain recruits to the C. L. S. C. army. We send greetings to our sister circles and wish them success.
Indiana (Aurora).—Our circle was organized in April, 1882, and we held our meetings and read during the summer months to make up the course. We have twelve regular members, all ladies. The president opens the meeting by reading a chapter from the Bible, then the secretary reports, after which the program for the evening is taken up. The reading for the next week is assigned by the president, and our aim at each meeting is to review the reading of the past week. This is done by papers relating to the reading, or a synopsis of the readings. Questions are assigned and answered, and we spend considerable time in discussion. Our meetings are always informal, and are conducted in the conversational style.