The “Raymond Circle” formed on January 1st, and composed of eighteen members, is the third class now in active operation at Lynn. Eight new circles from Massachusetts in one report!
At Greenwich, Conn., the members of the class of ’87 have organized the “Sappho Circle.”
Babylon, R. I., has a circle of over thirty, which has been in operation since last October. It is said that a dozen circles were formed in Providence, R. I., last fall; if this be true they have not all reported, although we have three reports of new organizations before us: The “Clio Circle” numbering forty-two, the “Whittier Circle” of thirteen, and the “Milton Circle” with twenty-two members. These circles all mention as one of their greatest social pleasures, the interchange of courtesies by the circles on Memorial Days. On Longfellow’s Day, “Milton Circle” entertained their C. L. S. C. friends in the city.
To the already goodly list of New York circles we have six new ones to add from the following towns: Bath, Cicero, Manchester, Pultney, West Galway, and Gouverneur. The circle at Bath has a membership of thirty, a full corps of officers, and a prepared program, which they find both pleasant and profitable. At Cicero the circle was not formed until January 1, but the reading has been so enjoyable that they have done double work to “catch up.” The circle of fourteen at Manchester have honored themselves by giving their class the name of the “Mary A. Lathbury Circle.” Miss Lathbury’s birthplace and early home was Manchester. At Gouverneur the circle has increased to thirty-eight members since its organization, and they seem particularly interested. The work has been done so willingly that the secretary writes: “It has been pleasant to note how ready the members are to respond when called upon to prepare articles for the society, and what thorough work they are willing to do, though they are all busy people.” In the report of their Longfellow memorial we were pleased to notice that they had a paper on “Longfellow’s prose-writings,” a subject which was almost entirely neglected in most of the programs. There are many fine things in Longfellow’s prose. An evening spent with the poet is hardly complete if it neglects “Outre-Mer,” “Hyperion,” and “Kavanagh.” The experience of the Gouverneur circle is that of many others when it writes: “One of the chief benefits which we derive from our meetings is that which comes from knowing each other better. Our circle is made up of people who would not often be called together by other interests, so that beside the benefit that comes from the reading and study, we have each added to our list of friends many whom we can not lose.”
The secretary writes from the circle of fifteen at Tunkhannock, Pa.: “I can say, not boastingly, but confidently, that but few, if any, circles are more wide awake or thorough in the course;” while from West Middlesex, of the same state, they send word that they are trying by careful study to hail their fellow students from the top round of the ladder.
A vigorous, growing circle exists at Reading, Pa. In March they held a public meeting which did much to extend public interest in the C. L. S. C. They prepared an excellent program, taking care to select subjects which would show the scope of the Chautauqua work, and presented it so entertainingly that many were aroused to interest in the work.
From Corry, Pa., the “Omega” is reported, and from Troy Center, of the same state, a member of the new circle organized there in January, 1884, writes of the influence of their reading: “Though we are country people we find both enjoyment and improvement in our reading. The meager knowledge of the farmer has widened into that of their more fortunate brethren. I doubt if some of the hopes, inspirations and longings that have been kindled by this winter’s studies will be satisfied by the old ways of spending the few leisure moments that come to us.”
Lancaster, Pa., organized a circle in December, the first in the city, and so called “No. 1.”
The Asbury C. L. S. C. in Wilmington, Del., numbering about twenty-five members, was organized September last. They write: “Our meetings, held semi-monthly, are exceedingly interesting, being conducted on the conversational plan, affording us an opportunity of hearing the opinions and ideas of the different members, giving us new thoughts, as well as impressing what we have read more indelibly upon our memories; we also have questions prepared by different members on some particular branch of our studies.”
We are always glad to hear of new circles in the South. This month we have an excellent item from Richmond, Va. A circle was formed there last November with a membership of six, and it has steadily increased, until they now have a membership of thirty, which comprises nearly all of the male teachers in the city and three of the principals. They have given two public entertainments, both of which met with marked success.