Vermont.—The “Invincibles,” of Bradford, organized their band of seven only last March, but they have found the undertaking so pleasant that the secretary has written us a glowing account of their work and methods. She adds a couple of personals too good to be lost: “Our president is Mrs. A. M. Dickey, who graduated in 1882, one of the first two C. L. S. C. graduates in Vermont. She is energetic and self-sacrificing, and with her for our leader we are sure to succeed. One of our members has a drive of four miles to attend meetings, and during the past two years has lost but one session. This will be appreciated by those who know Vermont in winter. It is a sample of the ‘Invincibles.’”
Massachusetts.—We shall expect great things from the New England, and particularly the Massachusetts, division of the C. L. S. C. this year. The wonderful enthusiasm which animated the Framingham Assembly ought to keep the circles at the front the year through. Certainly they have begun well in their reports, at the head of which we want to put the modest announcement of the faithful class of ’82, sent us by their secretary, and let it be a warning to their successors, that they must take care or they will be outdone by the veterans: “At the Framingham Assembly, class ’82 held several meetings. The following officers were elected: President, Mr. Alfred Pike, Holliston, Mass.; Vice Presidents, Dr. E. M. White, Boston, Mass., and Mrs. M. J. Farwell, Brocton, Mass.; Secretary, Mrs. M. A. F. Adams, East Boston, Mass. Mrs. M. J. Farwell will write a poem for our reunion at Framingham next year, and a hymn will be written by Mrs. Rosie Baketel. Rev. O. S. Baketel, of Greenland, N. H., was elected president of the Society of the ‘Hall in the Grove.’”
Boston reports two circles unknown to us before. The “People’s Church” and the “Berkeley” circles. The first is under the leadership of the pastor of this famous church, Rev. J. H. Hamilton, and, although organized only a year ago, is a most enterprising circle. As yet it is small in numbers, there being scarcely twenty-five members, but it makes up in enthusiasm what it lacks numerically. This circle issues a paper semi-monthly, called the People’s Church Chautauquan, the editorship being undertaken by each member in turn, the other members furnishing articles upon such subjects as the leader may assign. This lively little body is not satisfied with prescribing routine programs, but it plans and carries out a different program for each evening, and in this way the exercises do not grow monotonous. The program for the evening of the Shakspere Memorial was especially interesting.
The “Berkeley” circle was formed in the fall of ’82: again in October of ’83 the circle was reorganized, meeting alternate Wednesday nights, and “although,” as they write in their letter of June last, “many things seemed to conspire against us, and we lost several members from various causes, and although the rain and alternate Wednesdays seemed synonymous, yet our circle ‘still lives’ and grows. Amongst our number we have a Harvard graduate of ’80, to whom our success has been largely due during the year just now at a close.” We hope it will not be long before the faithful “Berkeleys” will report their forty members gathered together for another year of work. A circle undaunted by loss of members and rain storms has the right sort of mettle.
There has been lying on our table all summer the following charming testimonial (received too late for the July issue) from Readville, a part of the town of Hyde Park, a short distance from Boston. It paints so happy a picture of home study one loves to linger over it: “Mother and I are the only ones here in Readville who are studying. We have all of the books, encyclopædias and books of reference. We read to each other and comment on what we have studied. Hardly a day goes by but most grateful words of praise for what the C. L. S. C. is doing, fall from our lips. We enjoy The Chautauquan exceedingly. It is a library in itself. A great deal of the work is review to me, but is just what I want. Believe that none of the thousands of Chautauquans are more grateful than mother and myself.”
And to follow this we have a “Pansy Triangle” of farmers’ daughters, two of whom belong to Cumberland, Rhode Island, the third to North Attleboro, Massachusetts. Busy girls, and living far apart as they do, yet they find the time and make the exertion necessary for frequent meetings. “Our girls,” indeed, are beginning to take a very prominent part in local circle work. From every quarter we hear of their busy coteries. The latest is the Tottenville (Staten Island, N. Y.) circle. They organised a year ago, and at the close of last year’s readings reported themselves more enthusiastic (if that could be) than they were in the beginning. Once in every two weeks they met at the house of some member of the class and spent two or three hours in talking over the readings; each member prepared a list of ten questions on one or several of the readings required; these questions were answered by the class from memory if possible. Sometimes in connection with the questions one of the Chautauqua games was played. Thus the meetings passed quickly and were thoroughly enjoyed by each member.
A pretty program containing the exercises arranged for each weekly meeting of the month has been received from North Cambridge. It is printed by hectograph on an engraved card, thus making both an inexpensive program and a pretty souvenir of the month’s work. Large circles which have their exercises arranged for each evening will do well to consider this manner of arranging their work.
Rhode Island.—In the beautiful town of Pawtucket, busy with mills and factories as it is, there was organized last January a local circle of fifteen members, which has been doing most excellent work. “Enthusiastic Chautauquans,” they report themselves. We trust we shall hear from them often during the coming year.