The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-12-14

lassie age, during the reign of Queen
| Anne, and of the increase and develop
| ment in the reading public:" with the
| first newspapers and the writing Of scien'
tftc works in English.
| In conclusion, Miss Sargent said: Gas
we look back, we find man ever strug-
| Cling upward. Not here and there il
the deep gorges, hut all humanity is lift
| ed, as 1t were, to higher levels.
Following Miss Sargent's paper, Miss
Plummer OF the Child Culture club, read
an extract describing something of the
growth of music during these years
Mrs. N. s. Gardiner OF the Monday club,
read character sketch of Shakespeare,
and Miss Rice sang an English glee by
Purcell entitled "Nymphs and Shep-
nerds, +" as an example OF that epoch.
Miss Polister, an associate mem Der, In
q bright, vigorous way, opened her paper
| By applying the different classes used by
geographers in charanterizing the ma
tions, to the varions phases of the read
ing public, ending by a clever generali-
emphasizing the hope that it will still
more grow.
One little point clearly showed the In
| tsrest of the women present in matters
educational, for Miss Polister's inciden-
tai mention of the ignorance which we
tolerate in, some of our voters, called
forth the only round of applause in the
midst of the paper.
Miss Polister said in part. as to the
period from the romance period to the
present:
"This period is marked as the revolu-
tionary period. The keynote first struck
in America for liberty resounded across
the Atlantic and set the example for 9th
or nations to rebel against the usurpat1on
OF power by the few in authority.
"The people partaking of the spirit OF
the times have made this revolutionary
spirit prominent in everything, and In
no field do they find greater score vi
action than In the field Of knowledge
One of the chief forces that keeps the
desire for reading alive is the schools
These institutions of learning have made
great progress during this period; this
progress is especially noticeable IN the
public schools.
"This century has been eye witness to
stupsndoas progress made in newspaper,
periodicals and magazines both IN the
matter printed and the style in which
1T is presented to the public.
The next means Of obtaining read
able matter IN though the public library.
The pubic library in its modern sense,
that is library for the uss Of the people,
| is another OF the outgrowths Of the revolt
ution."
In Miss Rice's selection for soma of
today, she touched true chord of local
pride in giving Mr.. G. W. Marston s
song, Falmouth is Fine Town." and
| there could have beeh but few in the au-
dience who did not have a real thrill
over the poor, lame, sick man, who was
longing sIor his hin countree.
Mrs. Clarke went to the chair at the
close Of Miss Rice's song, to call the at,
tention OF the m Getting to matter OF
business, as to ways and means com
mittes which WAS to be appointed by the
chair, end for which she had asked the
time till the meeting to give the names.
They were as follows: Mrs. Hiram Jones,
| Travellers club; Mrs. G. W. M cody,
Monday club; Mrs H. W. Bryant, x. l..
club; Mrs. F. G. White, Excelsior club;
Mrs. x. A. Hunt, tho Mut1al Improve
ment club.
Mrs. Jones, the chairman, asked the
presidents of the clubs to remnin for
few minutes conference at the close of
the meeting. IS
Miss Inez Blanchard, as chairman OF
the bureau Of reciprocity, asked the la
dies II they knew OF any paper, among
the clubs, on the modern essayista, rs q
lady from one of the small towns had