The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-23
LITERATURE IN INDIANAPOLIS.
The Early Literary Societies and Lecturers
Interesting Personal "reminiscences.

aeauisition and it is to the credit of our people
that they are so well sustained, even in the
pressure of political interest. There has always
been a disposition to encourage intellectual i'm
tprovement here, outside of the indispensable
provision of schools and school revenue. AS
early as 1881 the indianapolis Lyceum was
formed by the young men of that day-as no
ticed in the Journal, then but six years old
with the purpose of debating subjects that would
enforce study, investigation and reflection, and
of having lectures for general interest and in
formation. Who the lecturers were, or what
their subjects were, or how we'll or in-attended
the lectures were, we have no certain knowledge.
There are no surviving "old residents" now who
were old enough, ffty-three years ago, to have
taken an active part in such enterprise, and
consequently there is little known except from
an occasional reference in the two weekly pa
pers
Preceding the Lyceum several years, and
ticipating the coming Of the Legislature, the
citizens formed moot legislature" in which
the members assigned themselves to such COM
mittees as they chose AID elected a governor
about as often as they wanted new message to
suggest subjects of discussion or make fun.
For the messages were usually humorous docu-
lusons that would make laugh The sessions
were kept up weekly during the fall before the
real Legislature met, and all through the term.
Quite number of the members Joined it, and
represented there the committees which they
legally represented. 1t was said by those ia
miliar with the "mooJ" body and its debates,
that more than one public question was virtually
settled by the discussions there, the real Legis-
1ature getting wise suggestions and valuable in
formation from them. Though not maintained
continuously, the moot legislature" was &C.
casionalfy revived and made a pleasant and i'm
proving entertainment as late as 1894.
In 1885, the pupils of the 'Old Seminary"
formed literary society for debates and the
production and criticism of essays and held their
meetings in the school-house, weekly. For eight
or ten years it was a mere school-boy debating
club, with pretensions to interest outside of
the members, and very frequently to little more
inside. But along about 1872 the association di-
vided the Younger members going off by them
selves and meeting in a little old frame house on
the southeast corner Of Meridian and Ohio
Streets near the First Luthern Church, Rev
Mr.. Recks. This secession was satisfactorily
settled in a year So and the secederS went
back and with them came an enlargement of the
scope and membership of the society. 1t had al
ways been called the Union Literary Society,"
but was so exclusively school affair that no
body but the pupils knew its name anything
about it. The change admitted members who
were not pupils of the Seminary, and by 1876 or
rs the more active and efficient members were
all outsiders, and the connection with the ''Old
Seminary" abandoned altogether. Then the
name became more conspicuous and the assoeia-
ton assumed something of the standing held by
the leading literary societies of the day.
Among the outsiders" who became very at
tentive members in the next five or six years
were the late Judge Newcomb Oliver r.
Nr II Vim
gate, the late William Fl. Ricketts,, John Cavep,
Vinton S. Nunemacher, of New Albany tempo
rariy resident here) William GreaT, who, with
Lewis Wallace edited FTee-soil paper here in
the presidential contest of 1913 supported main
ly by the late Ovid Butler, John Duzan, city
editor of the Sentinel, and several others less
known unknown to the citizens generally
OF the original Seminary members there were. III
the latter days. Judge N. B. Taylor, Gen. John
Coburn, Rev Henry L Coe William Wallace
Major Joseph p Pope, Judge Charles a. Ray,
Rev. L. G. Hay, Rev. J. c. Fletcher, B. r. Sui
grove John Quarles and few others After
leaving the Seminary the society held its meet
ings, for a time in the former Masonic lodge
room in the third story of the Norwood Block
on the northeast corner Of Washington
and Illinois streets. Then it met for a
time in the northwest room on the first floor Of
the Governors house, in the Circle, and finally
before its dissipation--it seemed to pass away
like mist--in the back third story room of the
building then recently erected, on the corner of
the alley at the New York store and Washington
street Here cigar stump dropped IN a little
wooden box OF sawdust that did duty for the
cultured" euspidor of the metropolitan days,
made the beginning of fire that lacked but a
few moments more time TO have destroyed the
whole building Here the remains of the library
of the old ''Indana Historical Society" were
given to the ''Union," and when the latter dis
solved 1.-THE rack 1T left behind" these books,
and as many of its own, which wereseattered about
in the members hands and kept as there was
place to return them to- This was about
1850
Before the society removed from the "Old
Seminary" there several amusing tricks
played by the members on each other, the most
noted Of them being a piece of poetry passed
upon Mr.. Nunemacher. one of the critics, by
DR.. Jameson, as original 1t was one of Lovers
songs. Mr.. n. cut 1t up roughly, with a knife
whetted on brick bat as it were, and recon-
mended the supposed author to go to making
ard-soap, as it paid better than soft. The
revelation of the real authorship made a good
joke on Mr.. Nunemacher, but he stood his
ground like hero, and declared roundy that he
had said Of the stuff just what it deserved, who
ever wrote it. After the removal to the build
ing on Washington street, piece of verse put
in the anonymous box" by Judge Taylor Int
was believed) provoked reply in the same fash
ion from Mr. Sulgrove, and then Mr.. Duzan, of
the Sentinel, came in with a few ANONYMOUS
pieces that showed very considerable humor and
power Of humorous versifcation. In a sort of
contrast to Longfellow he called himself
'Chunkers Q. Shortchap" He was elder
brother of Frank Duzan, for several wears a
partner in Hannaman's drug store. He died of
consumption about the year 1858 Not long after
Charles Nordhod, now of tho New York Herald
succeeded him.
The lecture system was introduced here by
the Union Literary Society, and established
some half dozen years later by the Young Mems
Christian Association The first of the lectures
given by Henry Ward Beecher in his
church, now Circle Hall. in the fail of 1886
Later, free lectures were given before the society
OF its invitation. in the basement of Roberts
Chapel--site of the journal ofice-by Rev Dr.
Johnson of Christ Church; Rev. S. T. Gillett
who had been an officer in the navy in his
younger days, and witnessed an eruption of
Vesuvius while his vessel lay at Naples, which