The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1909-12-16
Chautauqua
An Educator
Personal "reminiscences and Views
Of the President of Local
Chautauqua Circle.


Chautauqua Circle.
Paper Read Before the Cha,ttauquG Circle.
When the galleries on Sunday |
mornings interviewing men very often
hear these remarks: "What, me join
the Chautauqua? Well, guess not.
l cannot learn anything in that Circle.
Oh, no, Uncle John, it will not benefit
me the least bit" To all such remarks
I simply answer: "You must know
best, but you don't know what you are
talking about"
The Chautauqua Circle is a great
benefit to every man, no matter how
learned he may be- Even If he thinks
he knows it all he can still learn and
60 further and say it affords even great
or advantages than the prison night
school. The first four years was here
l attended both school and Circle and
I assure You Learned more in the Circle
than in the school.
The night school is a blessing to a
place of this kind. Any man who so
desires can at least learn to read and
write as well as many other things of a
useful and practical nature.
Fifteen years ago when came to
this institution l did not know much
about the English language. A few
common words were about all. AT that
time Assistant Deputy Warden Glen
non had charge of the Circle and the
music also came under his direction.
He had very good quartette in the
Circle and every Sunday after chapel
service practice was held in the chapel.
This quartette was of great benefit to
the Circle and will now take occasion
to say if my present plans are carried
out we will have plenty of music, both
vocal and instrumental. the coming
year. Assistant Deputy Warden Glen
non came to me one day and sal i'd:
"Jobn, want you to join the Cbautau-
qua Circle" told him I had not suf-
fclent knowledge of the English lam
guage to join literary society. He
replied: "That makes no difference, l
want you to take part in my quartette
as one of the members is going out.
You don't need to read the words, just
sing the music, they don't know the
difference anyhow" entered the Cir
Gle in 1895 and was a steady member
for nine years, without missing a meet
ing. You may imagine how I felt sit
ting here among these learned students
and unable to understand word that
was said. l soon made up my mind,
however, to learn the English language
or know the reason why. At each
meeting l took sheet of paper and
wrote down such words 1 could
handle and when returned to my cell
took my dictionary and studied their
meaning. have kept that up every
meeting since and am notsorry have
done so. got 90 enthusiastic about
these meetings thsf ] asked permission
one day to be allowed to write paper
well remember my first paper, and in
fact will never forget it. The title
was Education. read the paper all
right but it was half English and hall
German. The Critic, in his report, said
it was a good paper, for my first effort
q very good paper, only he did not un.
derstand word that / said. ther
decided to surprise that Critic the mex,
: time. And I did 80. The President o1
the Circle at that time could speak thu
Germanlanguageso hetold me to writ.
another paper and he would correct Il
8 for me. I wrote an article and gave il
to him. When / received the pape
: back was surprised. He had trans
. lated it from German into English an.
l was unable to resd it. Istndied tha
+ all winter When I read it before tn
/ Circle 1 was rewarded for my efforts b,
: the same Critic. who criticised my firs
lpsper.
Q Some twelye yesrs ago We had . Pres
'ident BY the name Of Percy Fullei