The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-02-10
OUR BOOK CLUBS.
Many Societies For the
Study of Literature
Among Young
People.
"SELF-IMPRoVEMENT CLASS"
The Biiou and lis Members
Greek Letter Chapter at the
High School.

Among the smaller literary societies OF
of the city-and there are many-ares sew
eral composed entirely of young girls,
not yet introduced to society. The only
difficulty with these is that they are
usually somewhat short lived, the dawn
ing attractions of the social world prov
ing too much for the continuance OF serl-
Gus study. So, if the Chicago Fair author
tiles should, in this city as in New York.
make up q list of clubs and classes "of
more than two years standing" there
would not he a large proportion from the
younger ranks.
An honorable exception is the Alpha
Sigma. which points with pride to a five
years record, the largest ever made by a
girls society in the Jersey City High
School, where 1t has become an 'fnstitu-
tion." The fraternity" element has had
much to do with this, and iustifies the
twenty members and eighty alumnae In
predicting a long life for the chapter.
Miss Louise De Hart, the third OF her
family to hold Office in the society, is new
president, and will occupy the chair at
the annual Honorary Members Meet
ing'' next Friday, when in accordance
with, CUSTOM, all the graduates Will re !,
urn and conduct a meeting as they used
to do. ID
A PERFECT BIJoU.
Another society composed entirely OF
girls is the .'Bijou Literary Society,"
whose members are all under eighteen
years of age. IL meets every other frl-
day afternoon ut the homes of abe
Its members are limited. since only nine
81. ,,-,.b 1ralIp 1jcf hrrE than
bij0ur ought to be small to be valuable.
Its object is the study OF American
literature, one author being assigned for
discussion at each meeting. The CLUB
has spent much time over Holmes.
Bryant and Longfellow, to whom they
gave especial attention. For the past
month. however, literature has Ian
guished. since the CLUB had been prepal-
ing for its first reception, which occurred
at the residence of Miss Edna White, last
ON the part of the young
hostesses when they thought of the
magnitude of the undertaking, but to
their great delight everything went on
beautifully" as one of the guests said.
Now that this is past, though by no means
forgotten, the club must settle down
again to hard work" So said the Secre-
tary. The officers are:-Miss Fannie
Ungerer, President; Miss Harriet Hill.
Vice President: Miss Cora Lowell, Secre-
tarY, and Miss Edna White. Treasurer.
SHAKESPEARE UPTOWN.
Another society that has been doing
good work in a quiet way is the Shake
speare Glass" composed of ladies residing
OH the Hill. 1t has met during the
winter at the houses of members, where
it leads and discusses a previously Sc
lected play. and listens to essays,
upon subjects requiring further study.
The class is under the direction of Miss
Halleck. of Montclalr, a young lady of
rare attachments and a thorough interest
in the works of the great master. The
class is at present in a state of Inactivity,
as IL has Just completed its first term of
study, and will not begin the second until
the last of March or the first of April.
The Self-Inprovement Club Is com
posed of members and friends of the
Church Of the Good Shepherd. Grand
street and Summit avenue, and is another
of the many useful adjuncts to church
life and mental growth for which The
Rev. Henry A. Westall is directly or in
directly responsible. 1t meets every
Wednesday evening for the study of some
noted work of fiction, the present course
taking up the povels of Charles Dickens.
The method adopted is for each member
in turn to act as leader for the evening,
selecting those whom he wishes
to read essays on specified charac-
tiers, or selections illustrative of literary
style. Each leader makes it a point to
his or her evening new in its
methods. interesting in lis details and
instructive in its outcome. The club