Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-08-26
AN ENGLISH SOCIETY.
WOMEN WHO KEEP INFORMED IN CUR
RENT LITERATURE.

Popular Writer.
An English woman, recently married |
10 New York lawyer. with a home in |
the suburhs is trying an interesting ex
pertinent in the way of a literary and
book lending Society The system she
has adopted has been used in suburban
towns of England and in many Of tine
larger provincial cities for more than
half century, In fact, there is a soci-
ETY. in Rochester England, which claims
to have had ii IN continual use for more
than 100 years. There il probably no
system exactly like it. however. in this
part Of the world.
The main object Of this system is TO
supply books TO women who have ample
time for reading and are eager TO keep
pace with all that is interesting in the
tremendous rush Of contemporaneous
literature a man with even moderate
income cannot afford to keep his wife
supplied with new books and magazines
IA they come ont. The cheapest new
novel, If 1t is worth anything, will be
sure To cost him 80 cents. In nine cases
out of ten the first price is more likely 10
be 81 80 To be sure, almost everything
nowadays ultimately drifts into the
cheap edition, but it is after the book
has ceased to be- fresh in the minds of
the public and people have ceased TO
talk about IT,
Women who live in the country and
in tho suburbs have more time for read
ing than women in cities. and withal
- sF,,4l
TO read. The time worn volumes IN the
local circulating library have been their
familiar friends from childhood. Ii the
husband snhscribcs 10 circulating
library in town and promises to bring a
new book home with him every night,
he is likely to grow weary soon and for
get all about it, An then when an in
telligent woman reads good novel she
I likes to talk to somebody about IL. Her
husband hasn't time to read, and the ac.
quaintances she visits have never even
/ heard of it,
The literary English woman found her.
self in this plight, SO she interested her
+ self in forming "A club similar to the one
she belonged! to at her English home.
The idea Ia II simple one. Forty or 80
persons in town organize book soci-
ETY.. That is the name usually given to
them in England 1t las been found
advisable 10 have at least 40 .nembers,
and not to have more than 80. The
Rochester society has adhered 10 this
rule despite powerful pressure 10 in
crease its membership, Applicants for
membership are kept waiting six years,
and sometimes more. for admission. A
society No. has naturally been formed
but the prestige remains with the pioneer
society which meets every week, winter
and summer. IN the Old Bull hotel. made
famous in the "Pickwick Papers" The
society hires room. cheerful and com
Portable, which is placed ut its disposal
one night each week The landlord al
lows the members TO keep large cup
board in the room in which 10 store
books
These books are in charge of IA secre
tary. The position il simply an honorary
one. but the members usually make tn.
secretary who attends to business very
substantial Christmas present. piece
of silver or some article of household
furniture perhaps. Tho members deter
mine by ballot what hooks shall be pur
chased. hut il deyolves upon tho secre
tary To buy them. He is supposed 70 &c
discount prices from publishers. This ]
} managed without difficulty, and TIN
publishers generally find itfor their owl
interest to remember the secretary abou
Christmas time. The result is that il
prosperous societies the position i
sought after. 1t is worth while to de
vote some little time to it.
Balloting to determine what new book
! shall be bought takes place once cacl
month. Ii twenty or more members fin
it expedient to purchase some new boo
or series Of books issued between ballot
ing meetings-such. for instance, a
Stanley's latest record of his travels O
, new volume of a popular encyclOpt
dia--the secretary must get II for ther
when they present request iii writing
But the members keep themselves =
we'll posted that books of tins kind ar
usually voted for in advance.
: All the money subscribed Is not dcvoi
!, ed to buying new books and magazine:
! In every society there are a few men
: bers who prefer to read and even rerea
Dickens Thackeray. Scott and numel
I Gus other standard writers. The want
Of these people must be and are provide
for To a reasonable extent. Each men
9 Der may draw three books at one tim,
but IL is not allowed TO keepany book Il
mere than II days. II it is book whic
Is Ia demand. the time is limited 10 on
= week
o Every two years the books belongln
! to the society are assorted by the seer
Is tary into lots of equal value and al
v drawn" by the different members in
= lottery Every member present has ii
!. right 10 drax one number. In tins wa
!. tie cupboard" Of the society is kept frt
!, from dead wood" and the individus
members are able 10 build ny 4 soil
little library Al home. Every memh,
eventually gets his money back in book
4 As To the east of running a society ,
b this kind. perhaps the best criteriu
would be the Rochester society. Fac
) member pays a shilling AT initiation an
a sixpence week dues II he gets benin
!. in his dues. he Is fined threepence for eac
!, week II he neglects it for more than
month, his name IL dropped. This Id
= rarely happened in the Rochester soc
(. ETY.. although the rules are rigidly Il
Il forced. The money collected in this wa
le has been found ample 10 run the socie;
le and keep the members abreast Of ne
literature.
The weekly meetings are largely d.
voted 10 discussion. Two or three Of q
4. n