Knoweth the tenderest leading,
Knoweth how certainly God
Our need and our craving is heeding.”
The “Garfield” circle, at Lewiston, Maine, a new circle of seven members, gives us a delightful glimpse of their C. L. S. C. hour: “Our president is a dressmaker, and ‘we girls,’ or at least four of us, work for her. We have reading in the shop nearly every day, forty minutes or more, and then talk of what we read. Almost a Socratic school in a dressmaker’s shop! Friday evening of each week the shop takes on another look. The work is put away, the table drawn out, the bright cloth laid, the lamps trimmed and burning; the members take their seats and place at the ‘table square,’ and for two or three hours we spend a refreshing and enjoyable evening. We find the programs in The Chautauquan very useful, but always have to add to and rearrange the parts, for we all want to do something for the next meeting. Arrangements were made by the presidents of the ‘Garfield’ and ‘Scott’ circles to have a union meeting on Longfellow day. We spent a delightful evening. The work was divided between the two circles, and we all felt much benefited by the meeting. We heartily recommend the occasional union meeting.”
There are over twenty-one regular members in the “Alpha” circle of Melrose, Mass., though it was started only last October, and any amount of enterprise. The secretary writes many appreciating words of the C. L. S. C.: “This is my fourth year,” she says, “but I can echo the sentiment expressed by some one in the last Chautauquan—‘Once a Chautauquan, always a Chautauquan’—and rejoice to think that it is by no means my last year. I hope to send you annual greetings from our circle, for we anticipate a future for it.”——A share of the honor which is bestowed upon the circles of ’88 certainly belongs to the “Hestia” circle, of Leominster, Mass. Their motto, Festina lente, they are faithfully carrying out. In addition to the Chautauqua course, they are taking a systematic course in botany, which they expect to enjoy very much this coming summer. One of their number is a zealous student in botany and chemistry, and is a great help to them in these branches, performing all the experiments, and explaining the difficult points.
The “Gardner” circle was organized in Pascoag, R. I., last November, with a membership of seven, which rapidly grew to its present number of twenty-two, all, with the exception of two, “Pansies,” of the class of ’88. The circle was named in honor of Mr. E. P. Gardner, of Norwich, Conn., to whose inspiring words it owes its formation. The interest of the members is steadily increasing, and although few of the number are persons of leisure, yet the earnest work accomplished by this circle, we are confident, would cheer the hearts of those who love the C. L. S. C.
A second circle in Plainfield, N. J., has met with a cordial recommendation from Dr. Hurlbut. There is no lack of enthusiasm in the new circle. The members are thoroughly pleased by the readings, and give a hearty support to the work, writing many interesting papers. At a recent meeting it was decided that the circle be hereafter known as the “Hurlbut” circle, in recognition of the assistance which has been received by them from the able C. L. S. C. worker, the Rev. J. L. Hurlbut.——At Philadelphia, Pa., so a note informs us, the “Arcadia” circle was organized in February, with a membership of five, and a promise of gathering in more.——On February 16th, through the efforts of Mrs. Dr. Seeley, a circle of the C. L. S. C. was organized at Jefferson, Ohio, which at present numbers thirteen members. It is the first circle organized in the place, although two of the members are graduates of ’82.——The C. L. S. C. of Ellsworth, Ohio, has never before been noticed in The Chautauquan. A circle of seven members was organized there more than a year ago. Each made an effort to enlarge the circle this year, but succeeded in obtaining but one new member. It is a country place, and the members are scattered, but meet occasionally; although they can not meet often they are busy workers.
This little note from Iowa explains itself: “We are glad to announce an organized local circle in Iowa City, of eleven members. At our first meeting we received an invitation from the Nineteenth Century Club, to attend a lecture given by the president of the State University. Subject: ‘Our National Constitution.’ We are all enthusiastic over the C. L. S. C., are working now for a large membership to begin fall work in time.”——At Hopkinton a circle was formed last October of fourteen members. A bright, interested circle it is, too, quite up to the times in the variety and quality of its fortnightly exercises. The special days afford much pleasure to the circle. College day was spent in a half day’s visit to their flourishing local college, Lenox.
At the confluence of the Vermillion and Missouri rivers in the town of Vermillion, Dakota Territory, a new circle came to life in November last. The circle has an active membership of twelve, consisting of lawyers, teachers, printers, university students, milliners, business men and their wives. Among the special features of the circle may be mentioned that of thorough interest in the readings; special effort to acquire accuracy in pronunciation; the utmost freedom in conversing about, and discussing questions that incidentally arise during the evening’s reading; essays on the important facts of the subjects considered; and the roll call, the responses thereto being made by reciting mottoes, wise sayings, proverbs, quotations from the poets, brief descriptions of foreign countries (the assignments for this exercise having been made at a previous meeting). At its next meeting the responses will consist of three minute biographical sketches of eminent American statesmen.——Still another new circle sends greetings from the heart of the Rockies. A class of three has been formed at Gunnison, Colorado, and neither the small number nor their far-away home dampens their ardor. They are “greatly interested, and feel a thousand times repaid.”