Birmingham state herald., 1896-03-01
A CITY OF CLUBS.
Literary and Musical Associations of Birming- ham Are Numerous and Pitched on a
 High Plane.


 munity that can clabm so many or such
 excellent clubs as our own town. We
 have clubs of every kind, social, commer-
 cial literary and musical. all organized
 and managed according to the approy ed
 methods of this aggressive. advanced
 nineteenth century Every new year 1 fiuds us with larger number of clubs | than the preceding twelve months and with stronger public sentiment in their | favor. The two musical organizations, 1 the MendelsSohn society and the Bir- | mingham Music club, have large lists | of members, embracing both men and l women. The Mendelssohn society is the | older of the two, and has accomplished 1 much good in our city by cultivating the
 musical tastes of our people and creating
 d widespread interest in musical matters | The Birmingham Music club is of much | more recent origin having been organ l ized this winter, but 1t is already an inn
 portant factor in our music-loving town
 and is destined to increase and strength | en as the seasons come and go. Both l ofthese clubs are governed and managed
 upon similar plans. with the membership | divided equally between men and wo- | men.
 The literary clubs of Birmingham are | many in number, and are of immense | value in elevating the standard of in | tellectual interests in the community. iic OiucSl SSSt NOiIdH , CluD ttttt | we have is the Cadmean Literary circle | composed of thirty married women. It was the pioneer woman's club and was | organized in 1886 by Mrs. William Hardie | of this city. This club begins it's sessions | the first Friday afternoon in October | and every week, except Christmas and | Good Friday, the circle is entertained at l the home of a member on Friday after | noons until early in May. Each year a 1 course of study is selected by the circle | and the work of the individual mem- | bers is apportioned by the literary leader | This leader is chosen each year at the | time of the annual election of officers. | No president of the Cadmeans circle can succeed herself. The officers are presi- dent, viee-president and secnetary, who | is also treasurer Original papers are | read at the weekly gatherings of the | circle, and selections are also read bear | ing upon the topics under discussion and | questions of public moment are thorough | ly investigated and studied by the mem- | berS of the Cadmean circle.
 The Clionian circle is the next in age | among our women's clubs, and is one of | the most important in the city. The plan | of organZat ion and study is very similar to that of the Cadmean circle, but it's membership Is not so large, being limited to twenty. It was organized in 1894, and has rapidly forged to the front in club life. The literary features are of high order and the work of the members is thorough ana nroRreSSlNe.
 The Edgewood Literary circle is an other strong aggregation of cultivated, intellectual Birmingham women, with plans, methods and organization similar to those of those of the Cadmean and Clionian circles There are twenty-five members, with a constant interest in the best thought and progress of the day. The Edgewood club holds weekly meet ings al the different homes of the various members, when literary programmes, embracing original essays, selections and discussions engross the attention of the women. After these exercises, in all of | the womens clubs, refreshments are served, which brings about social con- dition that adds greatly to the pleasure of the sessions and draws the members into closer bonds of sympathy and affection. The Nineteenth Century club Is composed of young women with a literary leader, | who is always a married woman. This | club was organized last year, and is now | in a f1ourishing condition There are | twenty members, and each one is deeply | concerned about literary work and the progressive thought of our day. This | club also conyenes once a week. on | Wednesday afternoons. The Highland | Book club. composed of twenty women, nearly all of whom are marriedd. meets | every fortnight, as does the Edgewood Literary club, with the various members. | The Highland Book club was originally intended to be a book club pure and sim | pie, butts scope has been so enlarged that l the same methods and the same class of studies obtain in this as the other lit erary clubs of Birmingham. The Lit erary Clique of 95, as it's name implies. was organized last year among the young girls of our city. This club is ac- complaining much under the able direc- tion of competent leader, and it's fort nightly gatherings are productive of | much pleasure and profit to the fifteen girls who constitute it's membership. St. PauFs Biblical and Literary Society of Birmingham is d large and fiourishing club composed of men as well as women. | It was formed in the autumn of 1894, and, | for convenience sake, was sub-divided | into several smaller circles, each having a president and secretary. This society, which is made up of cultivated men and women of the Catholic church, have studied. not only church history for the | first five centuries, but early English lit- erature, the Saxons, in their old home stead; the invasion of England, the po- | ems of Beowolf and Caedman and sev eral-of Shakespeares plays. The presi- | dent of this notable club is Miss Mary Cahalan, principal of Powell school The Clio club of the Birmingham High school is another fiourishing literary or ganzation composed of studious girls, | whose bright intelIects are being con stantly cultivated under the highest pos sibla academic advantages.
 The Chautauqua circle has continued | for years to meet every Saturday even | ing at the home of Judge and Mrs. J. J. | Banks, where interesting papers are read upon subjects of importance and in- | terest.
 At Pollock Stephens institute there are | two very fiourishrg literary societies. | the membership of which is made up of | the brightest and most ambitious girls of Birmingham. One, is called the Pierian Literary society, the other the | Hippocrenean Literary society, and the entertainments given jointly by these | clubs, with programmes composed of vocal and instrumental music, recita- | tions and selections from the writings of distinguished authors. have been among | the most attractive club efforts of our | city.
 This autumn another large literary club was formed. the Aurora Literary | circle which is remarkable for several | things. It has a membership of thirty | five. the course of study Is thorough and elevated, and not member of this | circle is more than IA years old. The ma | jority are younger even than this. The circle is modelled upon the plan of the | older clubs. and the organization is all | ryoJ. es.