This individual effort has been supplemented by a great deal of newspaper work. Through the past year very many valuable articles on the C. L. S. C. have appeared from time to time. The Daily Arkansas Gazette, of Little Rock, recently contained such an article from the pen of Mrs. Myra Vaughan. It gave all the details of our work, correctly and interestingly—an article that everybody would read, and having read would ponder. These efforts have told. The number of new circles claiming our recognition this month is the best proof of their success. Listen while we run through the list: A club called the “Clio” club has been formed at Newport, Vermont. There are sixteen members, and the meetings are held weekly. The club has a corresponding secretary, and would be glad to open communication with other circles.——At Woodstock, Vt., seven ladies organized, on September 19, the “Mayflower” circle. They began on Garfield’s Day, with a celebration—an admirable plan—and on November 10th observed Bryant’s memorial day. A bit of personal effort comes with our report, which is worth saving. The lady to whom the circle largely owes its life is the mother of five children, two of whom she teaches at home, while she does all the work for a family of eight. Still she finds time for the C. L. S. C. Another demonstration of our old proverb about “a will” and “a way.”——A letter from Newtonville, Mass., says: “We have started this year a local circle, and hasten to inform you of the fact which gives us so much pleasure; although our number is at present small, being but thirteen, still we are in earnest, and interested in our work, and propose to go through. Our number is made up of very busy people—housekeepers, teachers, young men of business, etc. We attended—that is, most of us—the Framingham Assembly, and there became filled with enthusiasm which terminated in the foundation of our circle.”——Another Massachusetts circle is heard from at Ipswich, whence the secretary writes: “This fall a C. L. S. C. was formed in our town in time to begin work October 1. We organized with about fifteen members; since then our circle has steadily increased, additions being made at every meeting, until now we are thirty in number. We follow, with slight variation, the programs laid out in The Chautauquan. The chemical experiments are performed, and the Bryant memorial day was observed. We are young yet, but we start out under quite favorable auspices, having an intelligent and enthusiastic president, and a circle of busy, wide-awake members. You may hear from us again.”——Last year a few persons at Rockville, Connecticut, subscribed for The Chautauquan and read its numbers with growing interest. This year the fervor was unabated, and steps were taken in October to organize a local circle. They number at present thirty-one members, including one or two graduates—twenty-five belonging to the general Circle, class of ’88. The present prospect is of much profit and real enjoyment in the literary field, during the winter months.——In the quiet old town of Bristol, Rhode Island, upon the borders of the beautiful Narragansett, a number of persons have been pursuing the Chautauqua course of reading by themselves. “Last autumn the idea of forming a local circle was advanced. A preliminary meeting was held October 23d, and the ten Chautauquans present agreed to form a circle. As we are all busy people, with no spare time, we shall hold our meetings but once a month, but we intend to make every meeting a decided success. As Bristol is noted for having within its limits the classic hill where Philip—not of Macedon, but of Narragansett—lived and died, we call ours the ‘Mount Hope’ circle. We hold our meetings at private residences, as this gives them a more social air, and those who have any part assigned them feel more at ease than if in a public hall. At our meeting on November 13th, twenty-one members were present, and responded to roll-call by quotations from Greek authors. Brief papers were read upon mythological events; an interesting biographical sketch of Bryant was also read, and a humorous poem, written for the occasion. Vocal and instrumental music also found a place. The enthusiasm manifested was a promise of future success. The ‘Mount Hope’ circle is exceptionally fortunate in having for its president, Mr. George W. Arnold, the librarian of our excellent ‘Rogers Free Library.’ His familiarity with this choice collection of books, and his ability to place before us just the reference needed at any time, is of inestimable value to us as readers and students. We have, in our membership, representatives from every Protestant church in town. Many of us are teachers, either in the Sunday-school or in public schools, or in both. We are confident that the C. L. S. C. is a power for good, and in the words of an old Sunday-school hymn, ‘We’re glad we’re in this army.’”——In that pleasant summer resort by the sea, Westhampton, N. Y., a few “Pansies” have been studying together, but this year they generously opened their doors, and by their genial influence have drawn together a pleasant set of twenty-one young people. Much good is naturally looked for from this circle. “Already,” writes a friend, “beneficial results are manifest.”——At Buffalo, N. Y., the “Alyssum,” an offshoot from the old circle in that city, has been well organized. They have a plan in their program committee which seems practical. At each meeting a new member is appointed. The former chairman drops out and the next in order takes the position. In this way each member of said committee becomes chairman in turn, serves at three committee meetings, and those who have never done such work have the advantage of seeing how others do before their turn comes. It works admirably. Each member is assessed ten cents a month for the nine months. The circle has decided it shall be the social duty of each member unable to be present to send notice of such absence to the hostess of the evening.——A fine compliment, evidently deserved, is paid the circle at Scranton, Pa., in the following letter: “It affords us pleasure to report the formation of a C. L. S. C. in Pittston, Pa. We have long felt the need of such an organization, but it was at a parlor entertainment given by the ‘Vincent’ C. L. S. C. of Scranton that we fully determined to have one of our own, and we are indebted to that circle for help and encouragement received in forming our circle. Ours, known as the ‘Riverside’ C. L. S. C., was organized in September, and has already reached the limit of its membership—twenty. We meet on Monday evening of each week, at the home of one of the members, and follow the program given in The Chautauquan. We are all delighted with the work, and are already satisfied that the time spent in the pursuance of the course could not be spent more profitably.”
Another new Chautauqua circle is reported in Sullivan, Ohio, from which place a lady writes: “I think our members all appreciate the value of this great educational movement and have the success of the work at heart. We number but five members, but have met regularly since October 8th, the time of organization. We celebrated Bryant’s Day, spending a most delightful evening in the study of Bryant and his productions.”——A local circle of five members has entered upon the work of the class of ’88 at Montezuma, Ind. Full of enthusiasm for the present, and determination for the future, we do not for a moment doubt that they will be able to accomplish the good report which they express themselves so anxious to have ready in 1888.——Two readers in the village of Onarga, Ill., last year, were the leaven from which has risen this year a prosperous circle of eighteen members. Busy mothers and teachers, young ladies at home, and one professor make up their membership. Their methods and plans we hope to hear of in the year.——Three new circles are reported from Michigan: The “Mayflower” of twenty-two members, all “Plymouth Rocks,” at Schoolcraft, where, as they write, they are brimming over with Chautauqua enthusiasm; a circle of a dozen energetic young people organized by the Rev. and Mrs. L. F. Bickford, at Pontiac, and at Climax a very enthusiastic circle of ten members organized in October through the effort of J. H. Brown, a member of the class of ’86; the nine remaining members belong to the class of ’88. They follow the plan given for local circles in The Chautauquan.——Two circles are reported from Iowa—a state which always has a C. L. S. C. report. At Cherokee, owing to the energetic efforts of a young lady graduate from the State Normal, a local circle of eleven members was organized on Bryant’s Day. Though the plans of the infant association are still indefinite, great hopes are entertained of its ultimate success. From Alta, also, a friend writes us of the “Summit Gleaners,” a society lately organized. They began with four members, but have quickly increased to eleven, and hope for more. Two or three of their circle are members of the “Pansy” class; the rest are of the class of ’88. They follow the course prescribed in The Chautauquan as near as possible, for, as they write, they find it better than anything they can suggest.——In October last a local circle was organized in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Special credit is due the Presbyterian minister of the place for working up an interest in the “Chautauqua Idea.” He undertook it at the suggestion of an earnest Christian lady belonging to his church, who has been reading the C. L. S. C. books for more than a year. They have in the circle thirty members, nearly all of whom are reading the books, and more are joining all the time. The circle is popular. The course of reading is well received by their most intelligent people.——Missouri presents the last new circle—a class of seven members formed at Mound City. The books have been secured, and they are now ready for work. All have started with a determination to finish the four years’ course.
The circles of other years are writing us of much that is interesting and suggestive. Many of their bits of circle history and circle social life are so good that we feel a little envious; for example, of the good fortune of the circle at Brantford, Ontario, Canada, where they were recently honored by a visit from Chancellor Vincent. The organization at Brantford, which town, by the way, is a former reserve of the Six Nations, dates from October, 1883, and numbers twenty-one members; “up to the standard” they must be, for they write: “Last month we tried some of the chemical experiments given in The Chautauquan, some of which proved quite successful. Another evening we tested an experiment made by our hostess in cooking potatoes after one of the rules given in The Chautauquan, and they were pronounced by all to be excellent.”
A name we have, too, this month, which is particularly pleasing to those of us who read the “Art Readings” of last year. It is the “Dorionic” Circle, of Biddeford, Maine. From its start the circle has been much interested in Greek history and literature. In comparing the two leading types of Grecian character, the Doric and the Ionic each found enthusiastic champions. Excellent qualities were discerned in both, and in recognition of the value of the combination the circle decided to call itself “Dorionic.” This circle, formed November, 1883, has had a prosperous and pleasant experience. It now numbers sixty, with new members coming in every evening. The Bryant memorial exercises were of special interest. The president of this circle is the Rev. B. P. Snow, president of the class of ’86.
The “Alpha” circle, of Rutland, Vt., has entered upon its fourth year full of zeal and enthusiasm. They commenced the year’s reading promptly on the first of October. In her report, the secretary gives an account of their special features. “We all craved additional information about the great men in Roman history, so at our last meeting we had five-minute sketches of Julius Cæsar, Scipio Africanus, Cicero, Camillus, and Pompey, and at our next meeting are to have as many more. We are also to have an essay on Roman women. A new feature with us is the question-box. Each member is requested to hand in one question upon some given subject, these are distributed and answered at the next succeeding meeting. We observed Bryant’s Memorial and passed a delightful evening.”
The vigorous circle which sprang into existence at the beginning of the year of ’83-’84 at East Weymouth, Mass., has had this year a very marked increase in its members. A public meeting was called early in October and its effects were soon evident in the dozen new names which were added to their roll. Much of the energy with which the circle has been enabled to begin its work is attributed to the inspiration which the members who visited the Framingham Assembly gathered from its inspiring meetings. This spirit seems to have spread through all New England. The circles are teeming with new ideas and swelling with numbers. At Gloucester, Mass., where the “Prospect” C. L. S. C. was organized in 1883, they have a membership of nineteen, and have begun the year expecting large things in the future. At Reading, Mass., a “Triangle” of young ladies is meeting fortnightly to compare notes and talk over the readings. They find the course valuable, and send us the encouraging word that soon they hope to unite the several readers in the town into a circle. And the “Hurlbut” circle of East Boston are writing a book—“A Cyclopædia of Animal Life.” Each member in turn prepares his or her paper with a good deal of care, obtaining information from standard works of reference. The writer must confine himself to four pages—letter paper size—and as he is expected to describe two representatives of the animal kingdom within this compass, he must select the most important and interesting characteristics, and condense his statements. The Cyclopædia is necessarily limited—but ten representatives of each letter of the alphabet. The members of the “Hurlbut” circle are learning strange and beautiful things concerning animal life.
Some of the “old circles” are new to us. Such is the one at New Canaan, Conn., whence a friend writes: “You ought to have been informed last year of the existence of a flourishing C. L. S. C. in this place. We have twenty members, with the promise of others. Our meetings are both pleasant and profitable, each member faithfully doing his part. During the past year we had some very interesting programs. Our members are enjoying the work. We are greatly pleased with The Chautauquan.” The growth and energy started during the summer is not confined to New England, either. There is a word from Long Island, which is as ringing as any Framingham report. It comes from East Norwich, where the circle was reorganized this year with a regular membership of eighteen. Their meetings are held in a very pleasant school house, and are rapidly increasing in interest. They take great pride in the circle, which they rightly consider one of the best in the land.
At Caledonia, N. Y., the year-old circle has returned to work. Nearly all the old members are back, and several new ones have joined, swelling the membership to twenty-seven. They must thoroughly enjoy the course, for they do all the work. The secretary informs us that the “Temperance Teachings of Science” have evoked quite a lively and interesting discussion which was entered into by nearly all present. They expect that some time during the winter they will be favored with some interesting chemical experiments, performed by a prominent chemist of Rochester.
The local circle at Harrisburg, Pa., was reorganized on September 30th, with an increased membership, the total number now being fifty, of which thirty-one are new members. Although the meetings of last year were very interesting and profitable, those of this year bid fair to surpass them in every way. The members appear to have decided to do thorough work and already its effect can be seen upon the meetings. The programs are varied and take in as much of the month’s readings as it is possible to crowd in and yet do justice to all.
Eleven large circles are registered in Washington, D. C. Each month we hear some good thing from them. An item from the Washington Evening Star says of the “Union” circle: “With the approach of the winter season the literary and social clubs of the city begin to attract attention, and none have begun the season’s work with more vim than the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circles, of which there are now several in the city, all owing allegiance to the central organization, whose headquarters are at Plainfield, New Jersey. One of the oldest of these Chautauqua organizations in the city is ‘Union’ circle, which meets every Thursday evening at the residence of the president. It has a total of nearly thirty members, all of whom are enthusiastic in the work, and each meeting’s exercises are of an interesting character. Some of the members of ‘Union’ circle will graduate in the four years’ course of reading next year.” And the secretary of “Foundry” circle writes: “‘Foundry’ local circle, of this city, enters upon the third year of its existence with thirty-five enthusiastic members. Our meetings are held weekly in the parlor of Foundry M. E. Church. We have followed some of the programs for weekly meetings in The Chautauquan, and have had interesting meetings. The evening of October 27th was given up to chemistry, Prof. Israel, of the Washington High School, delivering an interesting lecture on the subject, and performing the experiments explained in The Chautauquan for October, and some others not mentioned there.”