The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-10-02
THE LEOTURE SEASON.
FAILURE Of the Lyeeum Union.
Re-adopsion Of the Old Method-PrOb.
able LectureRs-s-EaelY Insu.
guraIiOn OF the Course
Changes, &c, &c.

These Deautlful autumn days ana pertecb
nights somehow have the effect to turn the
minds Of the people to the lecture season,
which must soon begin and continue
throughout the winter. If the lecture sys-
tenn is going into decline in Great Britain,
her Institutes passing into corporations of
art, &C., it still maintains its full measure
of popularity in, this country, and exerts
and carries all its Wonted influence and
power. The prompt and facils agency, the
press, does not seem materially to affect it,
much less does it threaten to supersede it.
Nor is there any immediate prospect that
this system will fail and go out in America.
people are essentially hero-worshiPpers
they crave nothing more than the sight OF
the representative men they read of in the
public prints, and this desire to see the
great mon promises TO keep green and Wig
orous for years, the lecture system, which
gives currency to these men.
We fancied that decided improvement
had been made in the practical workings
of this system, by the union of Lyceums'
which, it was announced, was effected last
spring. It viii be remembered that dele
gates from the Lyceums and Library Asso-
Citations of this city, Detroit, Milwaukee,
Indianapolis, Davenport, Ann Arbor, Ks-
vance, Ill, Jsnesville, Wis, Jackson
Mich, LspOrte, Ind, DOwAgisc, Mich, and
Chicago, met in the latter city on the 7th
of May, for the purpose of establishing q
Congress of Literary Associations in the
West, like the chain of Mechanic Institutes
which, twenty years ago, extended through
out England and Scotland. Il was thought
that, if such Union of Lyceums or Asso-
clstions were effected, the very best men in
the country could be induced TO assume
the role of lecturer, in consideration of de-
Iivering lecture before each LYceum ot
that Union, twelve or more in number.
Such men as Beecher will not como TO
Cleveland to deliver q single lecture short
of $500. But the prospect of running the
agreeable gauntlet of dozen societies
might be an inducement to such man, and
each Association could, moreover, afford tc
engage him, since his rates would be low
cred.
The matter was discussed, q Union wat
effected, and the responsibility of engaging
twelve first class lecturers for all the Asso-
Citations in the chain, was put upon the
shoulders of Central Committee resident
in Detroit.
But this bubble has burst, the Union hai
mysteriously failed, and there is nothing
left for the Cleveland Library Association
to do, but fall back upon the old method, tC
secure lectures for the course the coming
winter.
At late meeting of the Association it Wal
decided to have q course of twelve lectures
The vacancy Occasioned by the resignation
of the Corresponding Secretary, h. @. Luce
Esq, was recently filed by the appoint
ment of B. F. PeixOtto, Esq, a gentleman
who, from his long connection with the AS
sociation, brings ripe and rare experienced
TO the discharge of the duties of his posi-
ton. We believe he will use excellen
Judgment and taste in making up th'
corps of lecturers, and we know that if it Il
possible, he will engage only irst-class men
men about whom and their performance
there can be no doubt. He is now CORES
pondiug with Charles Sumner, Bishop
Simpson, Wendell Phillips, Bayard Taylor
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Rev. 81. ". Bel
lows, George William Curtis, Rev. E. II
Chaplin, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Rev. DR.
A. A. Willets, George Alfred Townsend, Col
Charles G. HAlpine (''Miles o'Reilly") Ma
jor General John A. Logan, james E. Muir.
doch, John B. Cough, Theodore Tilton, Rev
]. P. Thompson, Henry Ward Beecher and
others.
The first lecture nf the nnnPaA will n-nlA-
ably. be given on the 19th of October. The
lectures will be held Thursday evenings
The system of reserved seats will not bt
adopted this year. The hall will be opened
forty-fve minutes before the lecture COM
mences, and first there, first served. They
will be given in Brainard's Hall, as Cases
building will not be completed this winter
This hall, as all know, has been greatly inn
proved, there being now two modes O.
egress, one on Superior street and the othel
on Seneca street.
The city will soon be canvassed for the
sale oftickesSso the course. The rates will
be as follows: Course ticket for lady and
gentleman, FIVE dollars course ticket for
one, three dollars; single ticket, fifty cents