The Chautauquan

“ I think we shall gain members here to the C. L. S. C., and I shall do all I can. I think we ought to have a strong circle here. I work in the railroad shops, and I read The Chautauquan to the men nearly every noon.
Colorado.—I am, like many another member of the C. L. S. C., a “busy mother,” but I have always been able to find time for my required reading, and for a good deal more that seemed to be suggested by the readings. To say the course of systematic reading is a delight to me, is to but feebly express my appreciation. It is a continual benefit, and an abiding stimulus to self-culture. ”

“ Whoever could buy, borrow, or beg a copy of Green, rejoiced—we hope that no Chautauquan, in his hunger for literature, stole one, but we are not sure. People otherwise honest have been known to retain borrowed umbrellas and books.
In the Class of 1882 eight thousand four hundred names were enrolled, for the members brought home from Chautauqua the good news, and families, neighbors, and friends everywhere sent in their applications. Later we shall learn what proportion of these followed the course through the four years and marched under the arches to their Recognition as graduates. ”

“ New York (Glen Falls) .—We think we are now numerically strong enough and combine enough enthusiasm to deserve a good sized corner in an issue of The Chautauquan. Our Circle, in which we all take pardonable pride, is on a very solid footing, and each succeeding meeting shows an improvement on the one before. The pioneer member was Mrs. Charlotte W. Craig, to whose zeal in pursuing the readings single-handed among us can truthfully be attributed the successful start. ”

“ Illinois (Pana) .—Our local circle was organized in October, 1879. The class now numbers fourteen ladies, meeting at each other’s homes weekly. Three are post-graduates, and two or three others of the Class of ’82, who intend sending in their papers soon. We are not, as a class, this year taking the full course, but using The Chautauquan. We find the work very pleasant and instructive, and enjoy it too much to give it up. We have had no entertainments except social teas among ourselves.
Michigan (Flint) .—A local circle has been organized here for reading and study. ”

“ To be an efficient and useful organ of the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle has been its aim. The enthusiastic reception with which it has met leads us to believe that it has not failed. We say enthusiastic reception, for The Chautauquan finds, on looking over its visiting list, that it numbers tens of thousands. It goes into every one of the States and Territories to regular subscribers; also across the Atlantic, in Europe, it goes to England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Sweden, Germany and Italy ”

“ It will interest the whole membership of ’86 to know that Principal Fairbairn, of England, the distinguished lecturer on Philosophy this season at Chautauqua, accepted with great satisfaction, an election as honorary member of ’86, and entertains the warmest interest in his class.
Two who have won names in song are among our regular members, and have been elected class poets. One is the author of “No Sect in Heaven,” the other has written admirable verses for The Chautauquan, and for other publications. ”

“ Nothing so holds us in fellowship with the people of “the little mother-land” as our reading their literature, and their reading ours, without translation. Their writers and speakers are thus our true kinsfolk, nearer to us than French or German can be. Mr. Arnold, known well rather than widely, has position among English thinkers of our day, such as demands for the readers of The Chautauquan a reasonable understanding of him and his work. ”

“ They are forty thousand strong. A mystic circle binds them round, and every link within the golden chain is set with pearls. O, for some mystic tongue of fire, that I might the better speak the glories of our chosen muse! The world-renowned ‘Chautauqua’ may not sparkle o’er our heads as a constellation in the skies, but if true Chautauquans we prove ourselves to be, we shall far outshine the stars in the kingdom of his love forever and forevermore. ”

“ It has wide arms and a generous heart. The season will be what its patrons choose to make it. We are confident that they will choose to make it the best of the series.
EDITOR’S NOTE-BOOK.
The fourth volume of The Chautauquan closes with the present number. In the month of August we shall issue at Chautauqua the Assembly Daily Herald, with its numbers of invaluable lectures, its racy reports and varied sketches of Chautauqua life. For the advantage of our friends we make an attractive combination offer of the fifth volume of The Chautauquan, and the Assembly Daily Herald, for $2.25. ”

“ Miss Naomi S. Hiatt is the secretary of this circle, and Miss Lavinia Eden the vice-president. The exercises consist of answers to the questions for the week in The Chautauquan, of answers to five surprise questions prepared by each member, of comparing notes, and of the leader’s review on the required readings for the week. The members by turn conduct meetings each Tuesday evening, at Mr. Frank Read’s house. Their daily reading and study seem difficult and tedious, but the interest in such work awakens and increases with each meeting. ”

“ This was accomplished by the earnest work of some of our last year’s members, who were at Chautauqua during the past summer. We meet once a week. We follow the plan of work laid out in The Chautauquan, and enjoy it very much. Our meetings are always opened with one of the Chautauqua songs, followed by the reading of a responsive service, then we talk about the week’s reading, or have some one appointed to question the class, and occasionally we have an essay or two. We celebrated Bryant’s day by a little entertainment consisting of selected reading from his works, essays, and music. ”

“ The chapters we had on geology in The Chautauquan suggested an idea to me that might be carried out with little trouble. In some of the local circles there are many who are able to classify and give interesting particulars of the rocks they may pick up by the wayside, but many are not so fortunate. I doubt not those few chapters in geology led more than one to say, ‘I wish I could classify this and this fragment of rock.’ I do not mean rare and curious specimens, but that rough and bare rock by the roadside. ”

“ This year they held a very successful memorial service in honor of Longfellow’s day, and more recently have had a valuable lecture, with experiments, on chemistry.——Fourteen persons are reading the Bryant course in connection with The Chautauquan, at Munnsville. The circle did not undertake work until January, so adopted a short course for the rest of this year rather than try the regular course. We hope to find them at work on the regular course next fall, with their hopes of a larger membership gratified.
“Our Junto” is a circle within a circle. ”

“ From Markesan, Wisconsin, the secretary of “Climax” circle writes: “We are still in a flourishing condition. Although some who were with us last year have gone to new homes, we have new members to make up those we have lost. There are no very young students in the class, but one has to wear two pairs of spectacles to see. We have observed most of the memorial days, and found the programs in The Chautauquan very useful.”——What one zealous reader did is told in a note from Darlington: “Last year myself and daughter read the course alone. ”

“ He is an enthusiastic leader, and frequently entertains them with accounts of his travels in many of the places mentioned in the Greek studies. In its platform the circle is broadly Chautauquan, four churches being represented. A class in the “Spare-Minute Course” has lately been organized in Salt Lake City, composed mostly of pupils from the various schools in the city. Excellent work is being done.
We are heartily glad that our loyal Chautauqua worker, Mr. Burnell, brought out the Seattle friends who were consenting to hide their light under a bushel. ”

“ Our circle has increased, until now we are twenty-eight in number. Our meetings, held twice a month, are both pleasant and profitable, each member faithfully doing his part. We respond to roll call by quotations or class mottoes. We find the programs in The Chautauquan quite beneficial. The essays, recitations and music form a pleasing variety. We adopted the question match, also the question box, and find these not only amusing but profitable. This month we will try some of the chemical experiments in connection with a lecture. ”

“ The program always includes, also, some article or articles in The Chautauquan, which is read aloud by the members with frequent consultation of the dictionary. We observe the “Memorial Days” on the regular evening nearest memorial date. Exercises for these are also announced by the committee who prepare the regular program for the evening, and consist of a sketch of the author’s life by one member, a recitation of one of his works by another, and a short selection by each member. Our meetings are well attended, and all seem to enjoy them. We have taken for our name, “The Athenian Circle.” ”

“ For Chautauqua is growing! And its career is onward, and upward, and outward! It has planted itself in hundreds of cities and villages throughout the land, and in some other lands, and in thousands of social circles it has shown an influence and potency that is not only wholesome, but inspiring and wonderful. Well may the class of 1885 sing in behalf of the whole fraternity:
“No pent-up Utica contracts our powers ”

“ This time it was remarkable for its number of old people, for it seemed as if everybody who ever had been at Chautauqua made a point of returning to join in the celebration of the Fortieth Anniversary.
The service arranged by Bishop Vincent for the opening night was used for the forty-first time, and tears ran down the cheeks of old men and women who recalled the passing of the intervening years and gave their memento of esteem to the Chautauquans of bygone days when they joined the rest of [146] the huge audience in lifting their handkerchiefs in a drooping salute to the dead. ”

“ Chautauqua puts within your reach a privilege. I saw a man among your number this morning who was eighty-four years old. With that exception, few of you are sixty. There are not so many gray hairs here as there were this morning. In sixty years many of you will have gone; most of the men you find here on this platform will have gone, and you will have the privilege of taking their places. ”

“ In it nature dwells and God reigns. In it many a burdened soul has found in earnest thoughtfulness, freedom and rest. Many an unsyllabled vow, without human sign to mark it, has here brought peace and strength out of the silent but all-encompassing heavens, to prepare human souls for human and divine service in far away homes, and in coming days of struggle and sorrow. The most sacred center of the whole Chautauqua world is the “Hall in the Grove.” ”

“ As a result he has organized a local circle of over sixty, and it is still growing. He says: “Every pastor ought to visit Chautauqua. After being inspired he [168] should spread his enthusiasm among all his people. Let us cast out the devil of bad literature by giving the people good reading.”
The Johnstown, N. Y., local circle, includes among its officers a critic and an orthoepist—two excellent officers. Much exact knowledge of pronunciation, spelling, use of words, and forms of expression may be obtained at evening sessions, if critical and wise persons are selected. ”

“ Therefore should every man wait—should bide his time.—Longfellow’s “Hyperion.”
He is not dead who departs this life with high fame; dead is he, though still living, whose brow is branded with infamy.—Tieck.
[355]
C. L. S. C. WORK. By Rev. J. H. VINCENT, D.D., Superintendent of Instruction.
Readings for March: “Preparatory Latin Course in English,” by Dr. William C. Wilkinson; half of the book. Required Readings in The Chautauquan.
There is no Memorial Day in March.
There are many persons, members of local circles and individual readers, who do not join the central office at Plainfield. ”

“ Western Maine Chautauquans have the hearty good wishes of us all for a delightful summer session. At their March meeting, these friends passed a just and appreciative resolution of gratitude to Chancellor Vincent for the happy thought that conceived the Chautauqua Idea, and the untiring and well directed zeal that has made it so efficient.——At Woodfords, Maine, the “Arlington” circle of fourteen members held twenty-five meetings during the winter. Such zealous work justifies their claim that they possess the “enchanted number” for a circle. ”

“ President, our name is Chautauquans, and to Jamestown we come for the first time in ten years. We hope to come more frequently in the future.” [Applause.]
Governor Fenton introduced Mr. Marvin, who, after a little pleasantry, spoke concerning the idea broached by Dr. Vincent. “It has been said that the citizens of Jamestown have not manifested quite as much warmth of feeling toward the Chautauqua association which you have founded upon this lake, and which is in such a prosperous condition. This is not true. We have been in sympathy with you. ”

“ May I not plead for a little help to give light and life even to Arkansas?”
This is a matter to be thought upon, and I hope that you will think, and that your thinking will result in action. Miss Young and her friends will be very grateful.
A paper: “Knowing the desire of so many of the C. L. [291] S. C. graduates to place at Chautauqua some memorial of the first Commencement, a member of the Class of 1882 would suggest that the purchase of a bell, to add to the one already possessed by the association, would be a suitable and useful gift. ”