CHAUTAUQUA LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC CIRCLE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8331, 6 April 1889, Page 6

CHAUTAUQUA LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC CIRCLE.

TO THE EDITOK. Sir,— The aim of the organisation is "to promote habits of reading and study, in nature, art, s.ciepc'e, and in secular and sacred literature, in connection with ih'e routine of daijy life'; to give college graduates a review of the collego conrse ; to secure for thoße whose educational advantages htye been limited the college student's general outlook upon the world and life, and to develop the habit of close, connected, persistent thinking.' 1 The methods used are " to enpourage individual stu^y in lines and by text books wbish shall bo indicated ; by local circles for mutual help and encouragetnc )t in such studies ; by summer courses of lectures and 'students ' sessions' at Uhaulauqua, and by written reports of each, year's work." It aims to make tusn ruoi'e intelligent und thmighful, more industrious, sympathetic, conscientious and reverent. It gives sympathy between parent and child, teaches true ambition, furnishes wider range of topics for homo conversation banishes gossip and frivolity, rnal/ea home pjeaoant and attractive, and m ire agreeable to the boys than an evening spent on tha streets. Any cyotflin of popular education necessarily" increaaea tha sympathy between pew au (} pujpit, pit "sn'd platform ; raises the value of the ballot by training intelligent voters, helps men to honor and esteem wealth when won by honesty and bright character, and to despite the gold won by greed, ounning, and bsie me&ns. The Chantiuqua movement is 'based upon the following propositions :— 1. Life all in a school from birth to delthV $. The true fjißJs of education is religious. 3. Knowledge is tha birthright of all. 4. After the usnal school period the intellect is at its best for reading and nfjectiou. 5. Mtaii do n.ct fearn to appreoiate early educational advantages' until school is left. C. Adults feel the want of easy : sources of study outlined and wisely I directed. 1. A mind may ijave fche ioljiience of | the be3t teachers obtainable by frequent correspondence, with questions, answers, and written examination. 8. Class advantages raiy bo obtained by formo.tj.on of local rircles. In 1874 the first aaseuibly was held upon the shores of the Lake Chnu- I tauqua in Western Now York. The I particular spot was Fair Point, a I beautiful wooden slope on the b rders I of ih'e late, yhere qq acres of laid were I secured and vested in trustees. The I assembly Rrounds have sinoe incroised I to 130 acres of well-wooded, naturally I terraced land, and contain more than I 500 cottages, a mapniCoent temperance I hotel, and many other buildings mcd I fop' njeetiags, lepfures, classes, _&c. j There are also a museum, a gymnasium, I tennis court?, croquet lawns, archery I apparatus, and other sources of (.rofit I and recreation. The sanitary arrange- 1 ments are excellont, the wafer pure, I and the climato cool and invigorating, I Swift steamers pirJio daily trips across I the lake, wbich is two miles in li-aadth I by about 20 in length. Small boats j may be hired, and good livery stables I furnish carriages for drives through I the lovely farming districts of Ohau- j tanqua Qountry. At night the grounds j ore illuminated by the electric light and J watoh fires. It is the aim of the man | agenient to combiue instruction and I recreation in pleasant and profitable I proportion. Residence for the season I may be had by securing rooms in the | splendid Hotel-Athenream, also in any I of the private cottages, or the visitor j

may pitch his own tent and livo in full enjoyment of the freshing air and easy arrangements of. canvas quarters. For tho easy and profitable understanding of the Bible there is a model in earth and rook of Palestine, with its mlnature Jordan, Dead Sea, 8e» of G-aliblee, City of Jerusalem, and Jewish tabernacles. A tour of Palestine Park is made periodically under the guidance of an able Bible scholar, assisted by 0 impotent persons, who are preaent lo de{i t Eastern dress and manners. From the top of one of these Oriental houses od each Sunday afternoon ia heard the cry, smllar to the Jewish call to prayer, summoning to Bible study. For children there is a temple erected where classes, lectures, and little people's entertaicmeata are held. There is also a daily pap>r publieed for them, contah ing humorous and useful information. For adults the Assemhty Daily Herald is published, which prints, in exteuso, all lectures and addresses during the meetings. Morning bells are rung a t 6 a.m., and night bells at 10.30 p.m., when all lights wuft be extinguished. The Sabbath is strictly observed at the lake, and none are allowed through the gates between Saturday and Monday. No intoxicating liquors are Bold on the ground. The fees for visitors are about eight shillings each, and, for this Bmall sum, during about two months they have free access to all lecture, museums, models, &c, except the' school of languages, for which a small charge is made. It is not olaimed that the work of the assembly ia exhaustive. It ia only intended to give a taste for, and en incentive to, more complete and thorough reading at home of which we will have more to write presently. Combined with study is rational recreation. Bishops Vi'cient's theory is that the highest rest and recreation is not in idleness, but in exercise of unused powers of body and mind. At Chautauqua new interests are excited, the wearied business mind is turned into new channels of thought ; while early hours, simple diet, and pure air are all helping to build up the bodily strength. So much for those who have the privilege of attendance at Chautauqua. At the most this assembly at the headquarters only lasts for two months. The real course of study is begun later on et home at one's own fireside. The books specially prepared with . great care, may be procured from various booksellers in the United States, and vary in coat each Beason from, say 25a to ■ 355, with freight I added. These are generally from b!x to eight valuable volumes, and a monthly magazine full of most interesting articles and notes on the required readings. Six or more members, after paying the annual subscription of half a dollar (2s Id) each, may club together to purchase and use the books thus reducing the cost per member to a minimum. " Local Circles " may contain two or more persons who agree to meet as frequently as convenient, read logethor, converse on the subjects of study, aid one another in difficult points, arrange for occasional lectures by local talent, organise a library, a \mall museum, a laboratory, &c, tabo country rambles to study botany and geology, discuss questions relating to public welfare or the absorbing topios of the day. (After these circles have been formed and are ready to commence, full directions for conducting them may be had in a little phamplet, to be obtained from the undersigned.) Tbe regular course embraces simple, entertaining, and instructive reading in ancient and modern history and literature, in physical, mental, and moral science, and in all matters that pertain to a true life — physical, intellectual, industrial, domestic, social, politioal and religious. It is uneectarian and unsectional; promoting good fellowship and fraternity, inspiring belp to the home, the Ctiurch, and the State. The reading extends over a period of four years, at the end of which time the members may graduate. Jt giv'eß Ih'e, leader an outlook' over' the "geld o'{ learning, and some acquaintance vvifli 1 the raaster-piec.es of literature, ancient ' and modern. The course may be pqr--1 sued alone, but associated study is 1 recommended. Jt is sufficiently simple . to. invite the masses, and Iq lead them °H ■ without discouragement;, yet so f;horpugh as not to be deemed superficial by the ' more learned. The four yeara' pourse - may be accomplished by most readers in ' about 40 minutes a day for 10 months of 1 each year. It is of curse not pretendod that so little time spent in study will ' gire a finished education, yet so muoh ' time spent with thoughtful and wisely 1 chosen books will impart to any mind a knowledge of literature, a treasure of intelligence, tn4 SP jnfellgctual training by n3 means to be despised, Tbo next four yeara' course will commence with October, 1889, and intending members may send in their names at once with orders for books, to enable the latter to be procured in New York 01 Boston in good time for commencement day. The studies for the coming year embrace the following -—Roman history, Li tin literature, human nature; political economy, art, philosophy, physic, physical geography, uses of mathematics, *nd religious literature. ' The peculiar reqiriieme.ntsfpf 1 ' tjie Circle necessitate the printing of specially prepared books. The cost of the books for 18S9-90 is within a trifle of 325. Lest any should think it is a money-making scheme, let it be uaderstood tfiat no one, from Chancellor Vincent down, derives any pecuniary benefit from it save, 'of corirse, the clejks engaged in the office at Plainfield,'NW Jersey, who devote Ihelr whole time to the «or]c, and who 'are entitled^ to gSmSthing more substantial thf>a th^qlts^ fifijj; sidering that the mail bag sometimes brings them as many as 600 letters in one day. The annual fee of half a dollar entitles members to registration at the central office, and algo to the annual examination, by correspondence i of tixeW year!s work, These examinations, by means of printed questions sent to each member, are so arranged and mapped out as to require faithful study of the books, and make "oramming'f impossible. Eiob member is also in touch wiih t&a pretjdgqt by reports, printed snggestions, and items of interest. A putt of the conne is contained in the " Chautauquan," a monthly magazino published in the intorests of tne C.L.S.C. When four' yearn' studies have been suaoassfully completed, the diploma of the Circle may be secured, on each of which are spaces , for about thirty seals to be added as the student passes examinations in'extru aiid special Ijnes'of blniy. ' "' ' ' The New Zealand Circle will oom. mence studies with those al Home on the Ist Ootober next, but the books have to be procured in the meantime. All wishing to join may send their names to me at once, and the amount for books may be sent to me in tim.6, for the AorU ■nail, via San Franoisoo, ' ' Will friends please bear in mind to mclose stamps for replies to their letters — when answers are needed.— l am, &c., H. A. B. H. B ink New South Wales, Dunedin.