Four Years of Novel Reading | Page 6

Union.
These circulars were distributed throughout the district prior to the last lecture of the course, at which it was announced that a supply of post-cards had been provided, by which intending members might notify the secretary of their desire to become members of the " Backworth and District Classical Novel-Reading Union." Three weeks from the date of this meeting the membership stood at forty-six; and with this number a start was made with the first novel for the month of May. The chief agent of the colliery undertook the presidency, a number of gentlemen including the two parliamentary representatives of the miners accepted the vice-presidency, and a representative council was elected to control the business of the society. The room of the local Students' Association was selected as the place of meeting, and the printing of post-cards, etc., was to be done with a small hand printing-press, the property of the same body. A list of six novelists was drawn up, Dickens, Thackeray, Scott, Kingsley, Lytton, and " George Eliot; " and the secretary was instructed to make application to competent literary authorities for suggestions or " points to be noted " in any work of these authors. Dickens's Martin Chuzzleivit was the first book read by the Union, and fully bore out the interest anticipated in the formation of the society.
During the months which ensued, additions were steadily made to the membership, until in six months it had reached eighty-seven, nearly double the number at the beginning. These were not entirely local members. The local press had published accounts of the formation of the Union, and induced many living at a distance to make application for membership; and about one-third of the membership at this time was drawn from persons living at a distance. It Avas urged that local unions might be formed by these in their own districts; but it was felt that the experience of the first year of the Backworth enterprise might be useful before steps were taken in this direction.
And now, with a few months' experience, weak places were discovered in the general plan of operation, and these finally developed into considerable difficulties.
Three main points were brought up for the consideration of a special meeting:
1. It was felt that a month was too short a time to read the novels thoroughly.
2. Literary authorities did not respond readily.
3. Members were unwilling to commit themselves to do any work until they had read the book, and thus essays and debates did not prosper.
At this specially convened meeting the following amendments were made to the constitution:
1. Two months was to be the time allotted for reading the novel.
2. University Extension lecturers were to be added to the list of literary authorities.
3. A meeting was to be held at the end of the first month for the arrangement of essays, debates, etc., when it was hoped that members having some knowledge of the book would feel themselves more competent to undertake the work.
These changes no doubt represent a very considerable departure from the original plan of the Union, but it is only necessary to point out that they in no way interfered with the principle of the society. The earlier plan was necessarily tentative; and from the fact that the scheme originated in a mining district, with all its busy interests, and consequently limited leisure for the purposes of the Union, any adaptation to meet local requirements does not presume want of success. For a district with more leisure, a wider acquaintance with books, and greater educational facilities, the original plan is worthy of consideration, and would no doubt be practicable, and for this reason has been included in extenso in these notes. Backworth, however, found the change beneficial, and the society exists on these lines to-day. The longer time allotted gives greater opportunity for thorough reading. Literary suggestions are more easily obtained from those who know or have heard of Backworth as a successful University Extension centre. And the knowledge obtained in the first month's reading enables members to undertake definite work in the shape of an essay, or the negative or affirmative in a debate.
From the date of the acceptance of these changes in the constitution and administration of the Union progress has been slow, but certain. It was inevitable that some should enter the society with mistaken views as to its object and purpose, with nothing more than a curious interest in its actual working, and with little or no sympathy for the definite principles of the society. Like the poor, these are always with us. But although our increase has been largely discounted by a corresponding decrease due to a variety of causes (personal and local), and by the process of weeding out those indifferent to the pledge of membership, we have been able to