16. Garfield Day—September 19.
How shall we arrange a program? It is a constantly recurring query for instruction committees. A skillfully planned program insures an interested society, but it is no easy undertaking for even a very wise committee to plan a series of exercises which shall be of just the right length, of pleasing variety, and on topics in which every one will be interested. Only a careful study of the reading of the month, a knowledge of the taste and ability of the circle, and considerable practice will guarantee a really good program. Many hints may be gathered, we believe, each month from the programs presented in The Chautauquan. At least, many circles report that they find them helpful. The Quincy, Ill., circle writes: “Those programs are a very great help to us.” At Kittery, Maine, where a circle of ten active members has been in operation for three years, they have adopted The Chautauquan programs, and express the belief that with them they will do better work than ever before. This modest little circle has never made itself known before, but in a quiet way has done much good with the “Popular Education” circular. At least one circle in another state owes its existence to its efforts. One of their amusements is the Chautauqua games, and they say that the use of these games has led to much close reading of the books and articles. The regular programs are used, too, at Shenandoah, Iowa, where a circle of twenty-five members, representing the classes of ’86, ’87, and ’88, are meeting weekly. The plan has proven very successful with them, they write. Bryant’s Day was celebrated by special exercises. This circle has found, as we believe all readers will, that bringing all the Greek studies into one year is a great help, instead of a drawback. The more one knows on any subject, the greater his interest. The Greek course of this year enables us to learn a great deal on that subject.
At Putnam, Conn., West Middlesex, Pa., and Dartford, Wis., circles report the adoption of these same programs. The organization at Putnam, numbering eighteen members, is of recent date, although there have been several young people there pursuing the prescribed course for the past five years. An interesting variation to their program is a paper called the Olla Podrida. It is made up of original contributions from the members, and is issued monthly, a different editor being appointed each time. The Middlesex circle is in its second year. It has had already an addition of four ’88s. Dartford circle of six members is a new addition to our ranks, and a very welcome one. We feel sure that the hope they express of gaining great benefit from the Required Readings will not be disappointed.
While many circles find the prescribed exercises satisfactory, we are glad to know that others vary performances to suit the talents and interests of their members. This is found necessary in the Bowling Green, Ohio, circle, we learn from a recent letter. They use the programs simply as a model, and work according to their talent. All the features of a first-class circle are found in this year-old circle at Bowling Green. They boast a goodly membership, an efficient president, a thorough organization, a constitution which all cordially support, and much social life. The first annual reception of our Bowling Green friends was given last summer. In September they wisely held their first meeting, that their plans might be laid to begin work the first week of October—a point which many of us would do well to bear in mind until next fall. Bryant’s Day was observed, and very flatteringly noticed in their local paper. Among the virtues which we infer belong to this circle we must include the missionary spirit. They have in mind the conversion of their whole county to the C. L. S. C.
The same plan in regard to programs is followed at Ludington, Mich., where there is a new circle of twenty-seven members, called “Père Marquette”—a magnificent beginning. Our correspondent writes: “We enjoy our reading and our weekly meetings very much indeed; the only regret I have is that I have let so much time slip by before taking the course.”
Some of the programs sent us contain novelties which when introduced into a purely literary program are very agreeable diversions. One which is capable of being made very entertaining we find in a program from a newly organized circle of thirty members—nearly all ’88s—at Norwich, Conn. It is character personation (“Who am I?”). The well known game, “Characters,” is another number on one of their programs. The response to roll-call by quotations on Bryant’s Day was improved by stating after the quotation an interesting fact from the life of the poet. The Norwich members are certainly to be congratulated on the variety in their exercises.
Another Connecticut circle which has a particularly good plan for its evenings is the “Quintette” local circle, of Sharon. They have but recently organized, and report their plan for work as experimental; successful, too, we prophesy it will be. The secretary informs us: “We intend to learn the questions and answers in The Chautauquan, and recite at our regular meetings, held every two weeks. For the present we in turn are to read aloud selected articles from The Chautauquan and ‘Cyrus and Alexander;’ after each reading discussing in general conversation, what has been read, commenting on pronunciation, looking up references concerning people and places mentioned, and trying to inform ourselves thoroughly about what has been read.” That plan of preparing programs a month in advance, and giving to each member a printed copy has been adopted by the “Longfellow” circle, of North Cambridge, Mass. This circle has begun its second year with extraordinary vigor, the membership being largely increased.
One objection that may be urged against the majority of the programs is that they are too long. It is difficult to make them short. There is so much we want to talk about; so many charming selections to read, such a wealth of subjects for essays, it is not strange that sometimes we tire out ourselves and our guests by overdoing matters. To avoid this try the plan of the Sacramento, Cal., circle, which introduces midway in the evening a “recess of fifteen minutes.” It will prove many a time a saving clause. Another feature of their plan of work may furnish some one an idea; it is that a committee should prepare a set of questions, distribute them one week, and that at the following meeting, the answers, as original and concise as possible, should be read. The circle which has given us these two ideas enrolls itself among the strong and enthusiastic circles. Their year opened most promisingly, six new names being added to their roll. “We all,” they write, “seem to have caught the true Chautauqua inspiration, and it has fired our hearts and elevated the character of our work.” To the hints on programs which the letters of the month have given us we must add two programs, which seem to us particularly good; the first one comes from the circle at Baltimore, Md., now in its sixth year, and is of the Bryant memorial service:
WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT—BORN NOV. 3, 1794—DIED JUNE 12, 1878.