The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1913-11-06
Troy Corner Reading Club. Its
Past and Present.
7 From the Pittsfeld Advertiser. |

ehere people spend most of their even
rs at home and where few, if any,
easements or entertainments either
-ood or bad come, the need is felt for
-1od reading matter in the home and
GOOD, wholesome entertainments and So
"A gatherings where old and young can
gngle and pass an evening together
WITH profit and pleasure. In the little,
vet hustling town of Troy an organization
which fills this need is being run very
slccessfully and the purpose of this ar
.c.e is to tell others about its past his
its future plans.
In the fall of 1884 SIX young men with
-ar wives and two single gentlemen
freed to buy each a book and lend it to
the others. When all the books were read
turn they were to be returned to the
5wners, providing they did not wish to
try the idea any farther. But it was
ut long before their neighbors and
ends, finding out what was going on,
nted to join them, and the club grew.
rgone Who wished to read the books
only to buy one of his own and lend
he others.
such was the beginning of the Troy
ruer Reading Club Library. 1t grew so
pdiy that in time it became necessary
form A permanent organization. Of
rs were chosen, a constitution and by
rs We're adopted and the books given
rio the charge OF a librarian. The
e. etings We're held at the homes of the
mbers every month, where the hostess
tYr the evening provided brief literary
9gram and some simple refreshments.
he remainder of the evenings were
4ssed with music, games and general
good time. Regular yearly dues were ar
ranged for and committee was appoint
each year to select and purchase new
Joks. The aim has always been to Sc
let such books as We're pure and whole
same, together with a proportion that
we're historical and educational, realiz-
Z that their influence was to live and
fleet the character and lives of TIE
1oys and girls of Troy for years to come.
] he meetings were so popular that it be-
anne necessary to limit the membership
10 fifty.
To increase the funds occasional sup
pers were served, with literary and musi-
sa entertainment, and the public invlt-
81. There was an antiquarian supper,
an oyster supper, hulled corn supper, a
1razy social and supper and a poverty
social with pie supper. All these add
Fl to the social life in Troy and brought
the people together in wholesome,
way that was helpful to all.
The memory Of those days is a bright
SPOT in the lives of those who now look
9sck upon them.
AS the years passed membership grad
wv floarnacaI h of fo
!y cares, members moving from town
md also by the death of several men,
,-rs For a number OF years but few
lettings We're held, but in the fail of
10 there seemed to be sufficient de-
m and for some sort of literary and So
7al club to warrant the reorganization
# this once popular Troy Corner Read
Club.
Seven members of the old club, barely
ough for a quorum, n ct three years
% and elected to membership num-
b of the younger people and placed
the offices in their hands Meetings
y re held once each month at the homes
f the different members. The club and
Is meetings increased rapidly in popu-
arity and new members were received
each meeting. Before the end of the
T1st year it was found that the club had
grown SO fast it was impossible to ac-
commodate it in the homes of the men,
1ers. Larger quarters were necessary
and the Grange Hall was engaged for
the meetings. Here the club meets
as before and from the seven
who met for reorganization the club has
grown to a membership of one hundred
and forty. Few clubs have such
smoothly running plan for making each
meeting interesting and still not putting
too much work on few. The members
are divided into committees whose duty
It is to arrange entertainment and pro-
gide the supper for one meeting. No
member is asked to serve on commit
zee but once a year. In this way the
york is evenly divided and the members
are willing to put their best efforts into
making their meeting as good or better
than those before it. At each meeting,
after the regular business session,
good literary program is given, consisting
If music, songs, readings, charades.
7ialogues and short plays. With the
Afge membership and the splendid spirit
3t cooperation among the members the
nrograms are always good and are con-
nually growing better. supper is
served in the dining hall each night and
very one enjoys good feed which al
Ways tastes little better at time like
lhls. Ice cream and cake is the usual
hing Ill summer, but in the fall and win
ter pie suppers, baked bean suppers and
good hot oyster stews with all the trim
mlngs are in demand.
Not content with the good it is doing
at present the club has this year launch
ed an excellent five nights entertainment
course, the first concert of which comes
Saturday evening, Nov. LIST. While
towns of this size usually run about a
500 course, if any, Troy, this year, will
have course costing 5000. The club is
not getting this course as money max
ing scheme, for if they had been they
would have run less expensive course.
but they are running it wholly with the
the idea of giving the people something
line in the entertainment line and equal
to what people in larger towns are get
ting and giving it to them at first cost.
This is quite an undertaking for town
of this size, but the demand for tickets is
and shows that the people are
willing to support good thing when a
good thing really comes along. The
course includes the Maurer Sisters
Quartette in singing, whistling and or
ehestra program with humorous reader;
Pitt Parker, the famous cartoonist and
humorist; the Winthrop Concert Com
pany, including reader, soloist and plan