The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-12-18
OHAUTAUQUA.
A LETTER FROM NEBRASKA.

Der of the Chautauqua Circle in the state prison
at Lancaster, Neb.:
Brother Chautauquans as well Brothers in
Misfortune: After service to-day organizer
Mr.. T. H. Leavitt. read your letter. suggesting
that some member of the Chautauqua class in this
institution, would write you of our progress for
the purpose of encouraging your class. will say,
that while need as much encouragement, if
not more. than you, only too willing to do
what we can, but would suggest that we hear from
you also once in a while in regard to your success
in the work.
We organized on the 5th of October; started to
work the same week with class of fifty-seven,
and have had three class exercises. Our pro-
gram, for Nov. 9Th was "Outline History of Eng
land'-questons in Oct. Chautauquan. covering
chapters three and four. Those who had had the
books perfect not failing to give the correct
answer to every question. Thirty minutes we're
given to those questions. Twenty minutes were
given to Our English The answers were not so
satisfactory owing to the distribution of the
books. We next had a five minutes talk on as.
tronomy. after which we repeated in concert the
four Chautauquan notices.
We did not do as we'll last year as we ought, ow-
ing to great many going into the class not know
Ing what it WAS And those who would have done
6oSo WIN "ouio NV JUL LUZ AcdT SOIuo VI tuo
boys would say they were getting religious. Now
this is all foolishness. for man read good
sound books, from which he can derive some ben.
cit without getting religious The reading did
last year in the Chautauqua books did me more
good than all the preaching heard in the last ten
years. So advise the boys to take hold of it,
and once they begin to read in earnest they can't
stop. for it is sound sense they are reading-not
dime hot;
them want to be bad man with long hair and a
big gun. but it will open up a new object in life
for them. don't think that there is one novel
comes in here where there was ten before
the organization of the c. L. S. c. class.
Well have got way off from my description of
our workings. Our circle is divided into nine
classes, or divisions. with full set of the required
books and Chautauquan Magazine for each di.
vision of six, so that each member of the division
gets different book each Sunday and a maya
zine once month. Every member gets each
book six times. and the magazine once then they
are returned to the library, and may be drawn by
anyone Our circle is led by two members of the
q. l.. S. G. in Lincoln who come out to us on the
second and fourth Sundays in each month. The
intention is to have each of our class take an
active part during the season, thus giving each
one something to study for, as he does not know
what time the committee may pick him out to do
some work, for which he of course must be pre-
pared or have to work that much harder to do
himself credit. We are assisted by Warden Hop
kins and other officers under him as much as
possible and keep within the rules. Of course we
have to work under great many disadvantages,
but we must all do the best we and try to make
men OF ourselves for our own good and to satisfy
those who are working for our benefit.
Now, fellow Chau tauquans, don't turn up your
nose at this for it comes from one of your own
Kind OF people, one who has been through the
mill and knows there is nothing in the life that
you and he have led but hard knocks. So let try
and make start this year for the better We
are going to do it here, and if you don't do your
best we will leave you before the year is out, so
let's at it. We are following the advice of Coun-
sellor Lyman Abbott as closely as we can under
the circumstances. ID To make time for reading
2) to learn what not to read. Skip the gossip,
and the scandal of newspapers. land we find that
we can keep pretty we'll informed of the outside
world with two of these), (3) do not discourage
yourself from reading because you cannot remem-
Der all that you read, az examine yourself on
your reading and if possible have every day SELF
recitation (5) avoid long courses of reading (6)
finally. remember that perseverance is the mother
of habit. and the only way to form habit of read
ing is to keep on reading until it has become
habit.
We were very much taken with your Chautau.
qua column in THE MIRROR, and think it shows
better work than any of can do here; but we
are going to try you one just the same Boys you
will find that you can keep out of trouble easier
and that your officers will be more lenient with
you when you do fall down. if they see that you
and yourselves. OF course some Of "de gang" will