Chillicothe, Ohio, has, in the Walnut Street M. E. Church, an enthusiastic band of twenty-two workers, who report themselves as “progressing finely.” At a recent meeting a lecture on the “Art of Speech,” by the able Episcopalian rector of the city, was greatly enjoyed by the class.
It must be that a millennium has reached the circle of Erie, Michigan. If there is another circle in the country that can say as much, we should like to know where they are and how they do it. The Eries are forty-five in number, and though some of the members live six miles apart, and the meetings are held at the houses, yet through all the past long and dreary winter there was an average attendance of more than three fourths of the membership. “And,” thus writes our correspondent, “each member is expected to do whatever the committee may assign him. We never have a failure. The program is always carried out to the letter.”——At Casnovia, a circle of nine was organized in October last. Like nearly all our students, they are extremely busy people, but yet thorough in their work. They hold informal meetings for discussions and conversation on the readings of the month.——The first of January a circle was organized at Milford, Michigan, composed of twelve ladies, not all of them ’88s, there being a sprinkling of graduates and seniors to give direction to “Plymouth Rock” enthusiasm.——“One more Michigan circle” is heard of at Jonesville. The circle started out with twelve members, and is keeping up a working membership of nine. The meetings are very enjoyable, every one taking part in the most interesting and informal way.——Last October a wave of Chautauqua enthusiasm passed Dundee, Michigan, which resulted in organizing a C. L. S. C. of six members. They call the new organization “Longfellow’s” circle, and hope with the next year the numbers will increase. The circle has observed all memorial days, which have proved of great benefit and interest.——Evidently the “wave” has not left Michigan yet, for we have just received a card telling of the organization and election of officers of a new circle at Greenville. Success to their efforts.——A sample of the work which the C. L. S. C. helps the student to do, the Grand Rapids, Michigan, circle furnishes in a recent program. The exercises included, in brief, papers which took “broad, quick views.” Articles upon Thucydides, Socrates, Plato, Herodotus, Sappho, Greek Mythology, British Association for the Advancement of Science, American Soil, Life of Longfellow, and a review of Longfellow’s novel, “Hyperion.” This circle has made a big stride since last year, its membership having increased from twenty-three to thirty-seven.——The new pronoun which troubled some of our students has been employed by a correspondent from the circle at Jackson, Mich. Perhaps his zeal to fill up this “long felt want” in language will make more clear to our readers the use of “thon.” These circle notes are very suggestive: “We meet weekly at the home of one of the members, a system we have found to be an improvement on that of meeting in a public hall. Chautauqua’s special sphere of influence is in the home; it is here ‘thon’ expects to do work which will be lasting, and eventually permeate every department of life. It will then be easily understood why ‘thon’ should find home and its associations a more congenial place of meeting than a public hall. Our meetings are conducted much in the usual manner, except, perhaps, our mode of managing a ‘discussion.’ To this feature we make special claim as being the originators. The leader of these talks, whose duty it is to ‘keep the ball rolling,’ is, with the subject, chosen a week beforehand. Each of the members is expected to inform ‘thonself’ on the topic thus allotted, and to be prepared to give an opinion or ask questions. Richard Grant White’s language articles, ‘The Art of Speech,’ and ‘The Temperance Teachings of Science,’ have already been dealt with in this profitable and interesting way.”
We are glad to be able to introduce Indiana this month with a clipping from a private letter to the lady here so honored:
“Wabash, Ind.
“I want to tell you how our local circle of the C. L. S. C. honored itself last night in deciding to be called the ‘Frances Willard’ circle, and, furthermore, to observe your birthday as a memorial day.… We have in our circle, as you may suppose, a number of ladies active in the work of the W. C. T. U. Our circle numbers thirty-two. It was organized in ’79, but never christened until last night. The vote on the name was unanimous.”
From Albion, Indiana a friend writes: “We have organized a circle here consisting of twenty-four members. Prof. E. C. White, superintendent of schools, is our leader; and is greatly interested in our circle and its work. We meet each week, at the residences of the members, taking them alphabetically. The majority of the teachers in our public schools belong to the circle, and all the members are much interested in their work.”——And still another from the same state, from Fowler, says: “We organized in October, 1884, with nine members; the circle now numbers fourteen members, of four different classes. One item of each program is a question drawer, questions to be taken from suggestions of the weekly readings. If any question is not answered by the circle, it is assigned to some member to be answered at the next meeting. I find this stimulates all to read carefully, as no one can know just what part of the week’s reading is to be investigated. This is a most interesting feature, and we can get those to engage in this who will do nothing else. We have two members living at a distance who are only present in person occasionally, but always present in manuscript when on program, so we call them our ‘paper members.’”——A Chautauqua circle was organized at Ligonier, Indiana, in October, 1884, with a membership of seventeen, and named the “Ligonier Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle.” In it are represented three denominations. The programs are so varied as to avoid monotony in the exercises. One night the committee gave topics for brief essays, on another, questions to be answered at next meeting. The members of the circle pronounce the prescribed course of study excellent and interesting in its details, and feel grateful for a plan so far-reaching and so beneficent in its results. Bryant’s, Milton’s, and Longfellow’s days were observed by devoting to them and their works the entire evening. A knot of cardinal and old gold ribbon constitutes the circle’s badge. The circle is highly pleased with the motto “Let us be seen by our deeds,” and many of the members express themselves satisfied with their name, “Plymouth Rocks.”——We have received the list of names of the members, fifteen in all, which form the circle of Brookville, Ind. We are hoping to receive some of the Brookville circle’s experiences soon.
The “Peripatetics” of Chicago, Ill., is an organization formed last fall. There are twelve members. The circle, we fear, is not using the local circles’ reports right, if, when they read them, they feel almost discouraged at the little they have accomplished. The whole spirit of Chautauqua is, “what has been done can be done,” and our work is mainly to show by actual example what has been done. The “Peripatetics” have too many opportunities for doing superior work, living as they do, in such a city as Chicago, to grow discouraged.——The death of Richard Grant White has been a great loss to Chautauquans. His admirable “Studies in English” had met the warmest reception, and when they were cut short by his death all our readers felt they had met a personal loss. It was this feeling that led a Chicago circle to add to their resolutions of respect passed upon Mr. White’s death, a clause stating that as a feeble expression of their regard and, as a token of respect to his memory, their local circle be hereafter known as the “Richard Grant White.”——For novel diversions, commend us to the “Alpha,” of Quincy. This circle has sandwiched a great amount of fun in with its solid work this winter, nor has it been to the injury of the work. On College day they had a sleigh ride, not long after a mock trial; they have introduced a paper, the Symposium, which gives an opportunity for numberless hits, and on Valentine’s day the Symposium furnished the entertainment, each member having sent to the editor an anonymous piece of poetry.——A circle was organized in Sterling last October, and has now nine members. They have no officers, and each meeting is conducted by the lady at whose house it is held. Their informal way of doing things has some advantages. An invalid member is mentioned, who, like many others, finds relief in affliction by having something to do, and doing it religiously.
On one of the last evenings of September, a few Morrisonians met and organized the “Alpha Society,” of Morrison, Illinois. They number fifteen, and have accomplished much by the winter’s work. The plan has been to take the outline of required reading, as laid down in The Chautauquan, and prepare the lesson as thoroughly as possible by the use of books and encyclopædias. At the meetings the class recites the lessons learned the week before. Occasionally they have an essay, or select reading.——A circle of twenty members was organized in Jacksonville, Ill., last October, with the Rev. H. E. Butler, pastor of Congregational Church, as president. They have given special attention thus far to the Greek course, enlarging the reading, and bringing in other authors as far as possible. Now that the Greek is nearly finished the circle is bringing chemistry into prominence.——The “Oakland” circle, of Chicago, Illinois, was organized in February, 1884, and belongs to the “Pansy” class. It has a good constitution, and hopes to survive till the graduation of its members. This circle is composed entirely of ladies, among whom are representatives of six churches in the South Division of the city. The meetings, which are held semi-monthly at the houses of the members, are well attended. Absent members are informed by postal cards of the place of the next meeting, the parts assigned them on the program, and the author from whom quotations are to be given. Those who are absent three times in succession are expected to present a suitable excuse to the society. At the close of the year a reception was given, to which each member invited a gentleman friend. A fine literary and musical program was rendered, and refreshments were served. The guests, among whom were ministers, lawyers, army officers, and members of the Chicago Board of Trade, were called upon to express their opinions of the C. L. S. C. A most enjoyable evening was spent.
A flourishing circle has existed at Portage, Wisconsin, for three years. It is only one of three, however, for last year the pastor of the M. E. Church organized a circle which is still active, and this year the Presbyterian pastor started a third. The mother circle is undenominational, as best becomes her position. One feature of this circle’s year is its annual reception. Let the secretary tell how it is managed: “We have heretofore held a reception at the close of each year, to which were invited the people of the place presumed to be most interested in education. The exercises have always been highly commended, and our work well appreciated by those in attendance—indeed, we consider our best missionary work has been done by this means—and many members added through the instrumentality of a sugar-coated dose of hard work (or its results, rather). Many people would attend a party, to whom a literary meeting of any kind is a ‘delusion and a snare.’”