Year: 1875

Deferred from last week


At time like this, when we are taking as il


were an inventory of our educational resources;


when we are enacting compulsory school laws


for our youth, and spending time and money
| to solve the problem of how to get our adult


masses to acquire through books and papers,
! the information so many of them stand in


need of; at such time, we think, that any
successful experiment in the direction indcat-
ed, is worthy of being made known. Right
here in our forlorn little village of Hendrys-


burg, we have settled one phase of the ques-


tion for ourselves and with highly satisfactory


results. A little more than year ago, some


of the young men of the place went to work


to found a Literary Club. They obtained


permission of the authorities to use commo-


dious room in the new school-house, which


they fitted up in good style, after which they


proceeded at once to draw up constitution


for their future government, under which they


went energetically to work. Now, this same


constitution has been several times changed, as


experience in the wants of the society sug-


gested, until we, who are working under it,


think it might serve as model to other sim-


lar societies, who could not do better than


profit by our experience. And now word as


to our government and lessons:


We meet twice a week-Wednesday and


Saturdays, for the return and distribution of


reading matter-the period between these days


being the time members are allowed to keep


out serials-two weeks being allowed for


books. These rules are enforced by sufficient
fines which are promptly leved on all who fail
to return what they have taken out at the
right time, or who in any way injure or de-
face the property in their possession. And
right here, let me impress it on all who think
of following our example, that our success has
been mainly dependent on the fact that we
have never yet allowed a single breach of dis
ciplne to go unpunished 1t would seem to
the inexperienced that the meetings above al
luded to, would do little or nothing to de-
veiop a capacity for public speaking or to
instruct in parliamentary tactics In reality
we find that in devising ways and means to
increase our library in enforcing discipline,
and in an endless number of ways, there are
sprung questions which call out all the mem
bers in the direction alluded to- As the meet
ings are private the most diffident members
are encouraged rather than disconnected, by
the familiar faces that surround them, and the !
result is that all have acquired the power of
speaking with fair degree of ease and self |
confidence. AS to our rescoures the Club |
takes the leading periodicals, viz: the Atlantic.
Scribner's, Appleton's journal and the Chris
tian Union. For those of our members who |
prefer lighter style literature we have the |
Ledger, N. Y. Weekly, Saturday Night and
Waverly. These serials are all obtained by |
the regular fees of the members which is 81 |
for every six months, there being required of |
them an additional 25cts. quarterly for current |
expenses these sums being sufficient to meet !
all the wants of the entire year. In addition |
to the property mentioned, the members by
giving a successful dramatic entertainment, |
obtained means to purchase one hundred dol |
lars worth of choice bound books, including |
valuable miscellaneous works and writings of |
most of the standard English writers of fiction.
We must not forget to mention in this con-
nection that many members have contributed |
valuable books and papers (their OWL proper
ty) for the use of the reading room-the value |
Of which property is about fifty dollars The
members of the Club are, with one or two ex-
cepions, working men who had given but
little attention to any form of literature before
the organization of the Club, having had no
means of access to good books or to any place
Of social recreation which would give them
the culture they have since been able to aspire
to. With these facts before him the reader
can form some idea of the good accomplished
by our humble effort, though to fully realize
it he should have been spectator of our pro-
gress during the period of its existence 1t may
be well to mention that all vulgar or immoral


literature is prohibited admission to the Club,
and that bad language in the reading room or
The appearance there of a member under the
influence of liquor, are offences which are al
ways promptly punished. have been par
ocular in giving the details of our organiza-
ion, hoping other communities might be aided
n following our example. In conclusion |
will state that contributions of books and
papers will be thankfully received and prompt
Y acknowledged. A MEMBER