The Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle

BY MRS. A. E. GRIFFITH.

The Chautauqua Reading circle was organized by Bishop Vincent and Lewis Miller in 1874.

The idea was to furnish those who had no opportunity for higher learning an education. Parents who had children in college and wanted to keep in intelligent touch with their work and know what they were studying, have an opportunity to gain a broad and general view by reading this course.

It gives a general survey of the broad fields of knowledge, furnishes mental discipline and the books studied bring us in contact with minds of the greatest culture and strength.

Further advantages are: having a definite prescribed task to be accomplished in a given time prevents reading at random and neglect from indecision as to what next to read; and have the mind strengthened by increase in definite knowledge as each subject is treated by specialists and the leading talent of the world.

This is the American year in the course of study. The text-books are "The Twentieth Century American," by a correspondent of the London Times, living in Washington, D. C. His comparisons and suggestions in regard to the natural development of the relations between America and England and the similarity of their national interests are written with full sympathy and authority and have opened new fields of thought to the readers.

The other books, "Spirit of American Government," "Materials and Methods of Fiction," "Twenty Years at the Hull House," are just as interesting and instructive.

Half of our required reading is found in the Chautauquan. One of the most interesting of these articles is "As we see ourselves," a survey of the literature in which current American development has been embodied since the Civil war.

These books and the Chautauquan are in our city library.

The Atlantic circle was organized two years ago by Mrs. C. E. Risser of Des Moines.

One of the things that has made these meetings enjoyable is that they have been held at the home of Mrs. Mary Boorman, and her culture and hospitality added to the enjoyment of each session.

Diplomas are given for the prescribed reading and seals are added for special work. Many different courses are offered besides the regular year's work.

Although Mrs. Frank Nichols does not belong to the local circle, she had the distinction of having a greater number of seals than any other person at the New York Chautauqua and is a member of the class of '98.

Mrs. A. E. Griffith of the class of '85 is the president of the local circle.

From: Industrial Edition, published by Atlantic News Telegraph, Atlantic, Iowa, 1913, pp. 27.

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