I96 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



pleasure of passing through the gateway and along some well trod- 

 den road in the field of literature! The familiar faces of Whittier, 

 Taylor, Cooper, Willis, Scott and others attract the wayfarer, and 

 the kindly, wholesome, interesting and instructive thoughts that may 

 be gathered from their lips serve to give an impetus to free imagina- 

 tion, and thus lightened existence is raised above the ordinary routine 

 of drudgery. 



Even if time were limited, and they could not be closely inter- 

 viewed, think of the enjoyment of simply peeping over the fence 

 and gaining the mere knowledge of their existence and their influence 

 upon the affairs of the world ! Such a glimpse serves to break down 

 the barriers of isolation, and a feeling of relationship springs up, 

 which reveals in time the underlying principle of the soul's aspira- 

 tion for a universal brotherhood of the race. 



With so much to choose from, care must he exercised in not 

 undertaking to cover too much surface during a given period of 

 time. The time of a club should not be wasted upon the sensational, 

 emotional writings of the day; in fact, it would be worse than wast- 

 ed, for such reading is positively injurious to the whole human sys- 

 tem. The object of the neighborhood club work is not to see how 

 many books or topics may be read or discussed, for it is not the 

 amount of ground gone over that marks improvement, but the 

 amount retained that furnishes food for thought. For the first year 

 or two one or more historical novels or books of travel would form 

 the nucleus for the weekly programs. The first hour to be spent in 

 reading alternately, then in the half hour, given to discussion, re- 

 view what has been read. If it is a novel, talk about the different 

 characters, their motives, their relations to and influence upon each 

 other. If possible, look up the history of the time portrayed. If it 

 is a book of travels, with the aid of a map locate the country and 

 then follow the course of the traveler. Daring the week, when 

 tempted to let the thoughts dwell upon the "miseries" of household 

 affairs, direct them to run over what has been read. If a member 

 is met, talk with her about the book or kindred topics. 



A model club I know of was limited to ten members. It was 

 started in February, 1889, and during the first seven years of its 

 existence it followed a course in literature. Was this model club 

 ready to stop when it had completed its course in literature? No. 

 So interested were they and conscious of their ignorance of history 

 that they had the temerity to importune the author of "The New 

 Method of English Literature" — who had displayed such rare talent 

 and intelligence in guiding and interesting them for so many years — 

 to get up a course of history for them. This she consented to do, 



