The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-11-22
THE RALEIGH LYCEUM
A Move for Great Lectures at
Small Cost.
FOR THE CAPITAL CITY
A PLAN TO BRING COST OF Lee
TURES AND MUSICALS TO
15c. AND zoe.
FOR THE S0UfAERN LYcEUM CIRCUIT
Raleigh to be Part of Circuit and to Hear
Justin NC n.y. Mark Twain, Go.
KEENAN, ano.. e elsbris
at Nominal Cost.

The Raleigh Lyceum was organized
yesterday afternoon at a meeting held in
the directors room of the Citizens Nat
ional Bank.
The subject of the organization of Il
permanent Lyceum Association i'll Raj
eigh, for the purpose of giving a strong
course of lectures and musical entertain
ments annually at cost to the people and
thereby putting Raleigh into the Southern
Lyceum circuit was discussed with earn
estness and decided enthusiasm. Mr. III.
c.. Middleton, Secretary of the Southern
Lyceum Association, showed how i'll Au-
gusta, Ga, by a membership of six hun
dred in the Augusta Lyceum tall funds
being spent for entertainments the cost
of hearing the greatest lectures had been
brought down to 13 cents, and i'll Char
lesion to 1919 cents. This is done merely
by cooperative organization. Similar or
CARNATIONS exist in the following cities
forming a Circuit: Richmond, Lynchburg,
Norfolk, Va, Wilmington, Charleston,
Columbia, Savannah, Brunswick, Au-
gusta, Macon, Atlanta, Columbus, Rome,
Jacksonville, Birmingham, Knoxville,
Asheville, Nashville, Memphis, Louisville
and other cities.
1t was determined that this work
should be taken up in Raleigh. Mr.. Fur
man thought it was Il very important
matter. Mr.. Battle thought the city
should have just such an institutional
would prove great intellectual stimulus
to the community to bring Systematically
the great thinkers in all lines to this
city. The same sentiment was shared
by all those present.
Mr.. John G.. Drewry moved that a
permanent organization be effected, and
the motion was carried. The following
officers under the motion were elected:
r. HI. Battle, President; Rev. b.
Smedes, vice-president; +. B. Arendel,
secretary; 10. G. Brown, treasurer.
Directors: J. w. Bailey, DR.. JAS. Din
widdie, Prof e. p Moses, III. w. Jack
son, r. M. Furman, J. G. Drewry, w. Nj.
Russ, T. III. Briggs, n. b. Broughton,
f. III. Busbee. Dr. NJ. Nj. Marshall, DR..
Daniel, Prof. d. III. Hill, A. A. Thomp-
son, b. s. Jerman, w. S. Primrose, Rev.
Jno. r. White, DR.. r. III. Lewis, Col. A.
Q. Holiday, Rev. w. G. Norman, j. b.
Bachelor.
Executive Committee: J. w. Bailey,
Prof. Dinwiddie, Prof. E. p. Moses, III.
w. Jackson, r. NJ Furman.
Officers members ex-officio).
The following Ladies' Auxiliary Com
mittee was elected: Mrs ]. J. Thomas,
Mrs. w. A. Montgomery, Mrs. Josephus
Daniels, Miss Emmie McVea, Miss Fan
ME Heck, Mrs. Roscoe Num- Miss Min
ME Tucker, Miss Dinwiddie and Miss
Edith Register.
On motion it was decided that the
books of the Lyceum be opened at once
at the offices of Mr.. f. b. Arendell, sec
rotary, and Mr.. j. G.. Brown, treasurer,
for the reception of members. 1t was also
decided that no collection would be
made and that operations would not be
begun until 200 names had been enrolled,
in which case the fee $50 per year, would
be collected, and course of seven
lyceum entertainments of the best class,
consisting of lectures, authors readings
and musicals would be given, each mem
Der to be entitled to two % seats at every
entertainment. 1t was decided that
every member of the Board and Ladies'
committee, should be a committee Of one
TO take up and solicit the names of their
immediate friends for membership, the
organization being club rather than any
thing else. 1t was shown that since the
organization is cooperative every twenty
or twenty-five members added TO the two
hundred would mean an additional lee
turer or entertainment at no additional
cost. and that if 400 members should
enroll as many as twelve or fourteen
entertainments of the best profess .Onal
class would be given, thereby making the
cost per entertainment to the menDe,
very low The Executive Committee was
instructed to take up Immediately the
further steps necessary to complete the
organization.
This means that q strong lecture and
entertainment course VII be given in Raj
eigh this winter-if there is an enroll
ment in this institution D. club Of two
hundred within a few days. which doubt
less there will be and possibly many
more. BY this means a Srear entertain
ment is possible to the city at cost, since
the organization is entirely cooperative,
all funds from every direction being eX-
pended entirely for entertainments. 1t
has not been decided whether the mem
bership here will be limited or whether
admissions will be sold to the outside pub
lic-the executive committee will take the
matters under consideration. The mem
bership is generally limited to a certain
number, after which no other members
will be accepted-this is done in Augusta,
Atlanta, Macon, Columbus, Birmingham,
Asheville, Knoxville, and will probably
be done here. In a large majority
of the cities only a few outside admis-
sions are sold or none at all-the public
paying from three to four times higher
than the cost to members. This is done
because it is more desirable to have the
attendant as member.
The Raleigh course will be selected
from such men as the following: Justin
Mccarthy. George KEENAN,, Geo. w.
Peck, +. Hopkinson Smith, Hamilton w
Mabie, John Kendrick Bangs, Rev. Rus
sell Conwell, Rev. Geo. G. Lorimer, Rev
ID. J. Stafford. J. J. ingalls,, Henry Wat
terson, Jno. b. Gordon, John Fox, Jr.,
Rev. p. S. Henson, George r. Vending,
Ed. w. Box, J. B. DeMotte Augustus
Thomas, E. w. Kemble, Rev. n. ID.
r