The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1900-11-15
The Belfast Book Club.

Perhaps retrospective glance at the Bel
fast Book Club, which is just closing its
| 2Sth wear, NAV not be uninteresting to those
who for so many years have enjoyed its
benefits, and added their share toward its
maintenance.
In the winter of 1872 meeting was held
| at the Unitarian parsonage, and the society
formally organized under the name of the
! Belfast Book Club, to consist of twenty
| members, each paying the sum of five dol
lars for the first year, and four dollars for
each succeeding year that they should re-
main members. Twenty books were to be
purchased three times during the year,
| printed list of the names of the members,
with the rules and regulations, was to be
pasted in the books, and every Saturday the
members received a book from the person
| whose name preceded theirs, and they in
turn passed theirs to the next on the list.
A certain number of magazines also were
| subscribed for which each member retained
| four days, and passed to the next reader.
AT the close of the year the books and maya
zines were to be sold at one-half the cost.
chase the books and magazines, and Miss
Rebecca S. Palfrey was appointed Secre-
tary and Treasurer for the year.
| January 10, 1872, the first instalment of
| books was delivered to the following mem
| bers: Nehemiah Abbott, William c. Mar
shall, Lewis w. Pendleton, Joseph William
| son, Cazneau Palfrey, David n. Utter,
| William I. Colburn, J. Warren White, Mrs
j. P. Furber, Miss Fannie E. Chase, Miss
Mary Patterson, Miss Abby II. Faunce, W.
G. Frye, J. G. Dckerson, Capt. f. II. Her.
riman, c. P. Hazeltne, H. 0. Alden, Cakes
Angler, G. r. Sleeper, Philo Jersey.
| Nine magazines, The Eclectic, Radical,
| Littell's Living Age, Galaxy, Every Satur-
day, Appleton's, Atlantic, Harper's and
| Overland, were subscribed for.
| At the close of the year a balance of SOL
| II remained in the treasury, some changes
| in the members and in the magazines took
place, and the club started on it's second
| year with much enthusiasm; but at the
close, the munitcent sum of % cents was
found in the treasury. However, the fact
remains that the Book Club had come to
stay. In 1878 the price was raised to $3.50
and some magazines discontinued. In 1882
, the membership was increased to twenty
six and two books each week issued dur
ing the year. The magazine list was also
increased, and comprised the Art Jour-
nal and North American Review, Popular
Science, Living Age, Nineteenth Century,
st. Nicholas, Atlantic, Century, Harper's
Monthly,-two cOpies-and Literary World.
Next month the Club enters on it's twenty
ninth year, with two books each week and
fifteen magazines. Among its members is
Miss Fannie Chase, who has had a contin-
uous membership. Others on the list who
became members the second and third year,
and have continued without interruption,
are Mr.. c. B. Hazeltine, Mrs. Ellen Castle
and Miss Carrie White. The list has also
included Revs DR.. Palfrey, D. n. Utter, j.
T. Bixby, f. Crowningshied, j. A. Savage,
j. NJ. Leighton and A. A. Smith.
| Nearly $500 books have been circulated,
which comprise memoirs and letters of dis
| tinguished persons, biographies, travels,
historical works, and all the popular novels
of the day.
About six thousand dollars have been
paid into the treasury, but careful manage
ment, time and labor, have been required
to sustain it. Several years ago it was
found necessary to increase the price to five
| dollars, but when one takes into consider
alton that amy one of the standard mag
azines costs from three to five dollars per
year, d fee of five dollars seems very trtling
| for the value received.
| The Club has proved a source of pleasure
and profit to the members, past and present,
and the promoters of the enterprise may
we'll feel proud of their achievement. A..
S. f.