The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1921-05-12

l was CHOSEN by the members or our
Circle as your President and during my
two terms, as your President, have tried
to the best of my ability to faithfully serve
as your leader. Being president of a
literary circle has its handicaps for an
individual, who like myself, has only a
limited education. During the two sea-
sons that have served as your President,
l have considered it as time well spent.
1t has been a splendid school and I know
that I have pro6ted by the experiences
that l have encountered.
We are today at the thrty-frst ami
of this institution, which was founded by
Bishop John H. Vincent. Little did he
known when he outlined his plan for the
Chautauqua movement in this institution
that it would have such an extended
existence.
The Pierian Chautauqua Circle of this
institution and thousands of other coun-
tries are mourning the death of this noble
man, Bishop John H. Vincent, the founder
of the Chautauqua, whose death occurred
in 1920. He is gone but his spirit lives
on as evinced by the Chautauqua gather
ings AS a token of thanks and apprecia-
ton for the most successful and longest
in existence of Chautauqua circles of the
penal institutions in this country, George
E. Vincent, the President of the Rookie
Teller foundation, the son of the founder
of the Chautauqua, sent the Pierian Chau-
tauqua Circle of this institution in Decem-
Der, 1920, 1903 volumes of reference books
from his fathers library to form part of
our Chautauqua library and as memorial
to the founder of the Chautauqua.
Whereas: In view of the loss we have
sustained by the decease of the founder of
this Chautauqua Circle, we have still sus-
tanned a heavier loss, our friend-an
honorary member of our Circle, Jonas w.
Backland, ''the balance Wheel" of this
Chautauqua Circle. In the death of De-
putty Warden Backland this Circle laments
the loss of a man who was ever ready to
proffer the hand of aid; an honorary
member of this Circle whose utmost en-
deavors were exerted for its welfare and
prosperity. He believed in education, he
possessed education, and his aims and
motives were along educational and moral
lines.
Mr.. Backland was spoken of among the
inmates of this institution as a fighter for
any cause he thought just Loyalty was
the controlling power in his soul. He was
loyal to the institution, to friends, to in
mates, to right principles and to himself.
He was also noted for his kind and de-
finite answers in replying to questions
from the inmates. The passing of Mr..
Backand is especially mourned by the
older members of this Chautauqua Circle.
trust that the present officials will take
the same interest in the Chautauqua Cir
Gle as Deputy Warden Backland did, be-
cause l believe there is no other system
of education and reformation so well
adopted to an institution of this kind, con-
tanning as it does, its entertaining as well
as its educational features.
How much do we know and how much
have we learned outside of our own spe-
cial subjects in our respective classes dur
ing the season? Permit me to state that
you have, individually and collectively,
made splendid showing for the season,
which has been especially commended by
those who are interested in your welfare.
As. President of this Circle l wish to
thank each and every one of you for the
genial and sincere support that you have
so kindly extended to me in promoting the
work of the Circle, and l wish to en-
phasize my appreciation of the efforts of
those members who assisted in making
such great success of our quarterly meet
ings.