, 1908-02-07
WAS GOOD
MEETING
INTERESTING OPEN SESSION OF
LARAMIE LITERARY CLUB
AT CARNEGIE LIBRARY.
Rector Harris of Cheyenne Present as
Principal Speaker, Delivering Ad.
dress on Literary Clubs and Their
Relation to the Public-Music and
Refreshments in Addition.

At the open meeting of the Laramie
Literary club last night, in the auditor
ium of the Carnegie building, there was
a large audience present to hear Rev
Robert l.. Harris, rector of st. Marks
Episcopal church at Cheyenne, discuss
Literary Clubs and Their Relation tc
Communities" Prof. Ross Moudy, the
president of the club, presided, and
on the platform were Dean Bode and
Hon. Eli Crumrine. Mr.. Harris was
introduced by MI. Moudy and spoke for
nearly an hour.
Preceding the address Miss Grace
Peabody rendered a vocal solo and
Dean Bode a piano solo, and Misses
Laura Lee and Sorchie Moss played
following the address, Mrs. Latimer
being the soloist for that part of the
program. All the participants receiv-
ed marked recognition from the en-
thusiastic audience.
Functions of Club.
Mr.. Harris is a pleasant speaker, a
good voice and commanding presence
adding to the effectiveness of his ad.
dress. He held that a well conducted
literary club would tend to improve
the intellectual force of the commun.
ity. 1t can discus, by the very nature
OF its organization, any subject pre-,
scented, whereas an Industrial club. for
instance, Is limited to a certain line
CT subjects. The speaker urged the
moral upbuilding of the community
through the literary club. He said that
while the range of the ideal literary
club was as broad as human thought,
no man who cannot rise above preiu-
dice, who cannot control his temper
and who cannot give and take, is too
immature to become a member. He
must be able to meet his opponents
argument in kind and both must re-
member that a dispassionate discussion
convinces when an angry rejoinder
will not accomplish hat result.
Bible In the Schools.
The latter portion of the address was
devoted to a discussion of the present
Cay tendency to exclude the Bible from
the public schools. In some places the
matter has reached the acute stage
where the name of Diety is not permit.
ted among teachers nor pupils. The
question is brought to the pupils
through the teachers; to the teachers
through the school boards: to the
boards of education through the poll
%ticians, and to the latter class through
the people themselves, who are animal
ed by petty jealousies and lack of unan.
unity to accomplish the greatest good.
Gems of Literature.
The speaker did not urge religious
training. in the schools, as the time
was not ripe for that, but he insisted
that the Bible represented the best OF
Hebrew literature and the literature
of the Hebrew represented the pest in
the world, and the teaching of the po-
etry II song of that great people was
a moral necessity in the schools-no
finer specimens of written language
exist han some contained in the Bible.
The law is based upon it, the songs
of the people of today are but the
lnphN nf th- IIaIr,;a p-r;,;,-. - tLo
very beginning of time, and the drama
and higher arts have it for an inspir-
alton.
Made Good Impression.
Mr.. Harris is f%orceful n earnest.
He impresses his hearers that he has
given the matter close attention and
that he believes himself in what he is
saying. At times he essayed humor
with telling effect, his wit being clean
and wholesome. He made a splendid
impression upon the people of Laramie
and there was hearty applause when
he took his seat.
Sosial Session Follows.
Following the exercises in the audi,
forum, light refreshments were serv.
ed in the reading rooms and a social
session was held for some time. There
is a pleasing idea in the opening OF
this splendid building for intellectual
feasts as the one last night, and every
day more inc more the library will be-
come the center OF intellect in the com
munity.
PRESIDENT VISITS THE