Club Minutes: Mutual Improvement Association, 1867-1875

Association Vo. II 31-1 mo 18 23-12 " - 18 101 to 296

Vol II 95 mtgs

Proceedings of the Mutual Improvement Association from 1/31, 1867 to 12/23 - 1875 Number of meetings to first date 101 [Number of meetings to] 2nd [date] 196 297

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1867. Alloway, 1st month 31st.

The 4th meeting of the Association at this place, held to-day, was well attended, - every member, except C. Chandlee, being present, and a number of guests beside.

Soon after dinner the meeting came to order, and our reading commenced. After the minutes were read, the election of a new secretary was proposed. R. E. Gilpin was nominated, but declined decidedly to serve; M. L. Roberts also declined, and the old incumbent was requested to continue her service for another term.

H. J. Moore was then called, and read a short article called a "Beautiful Thought", being the remark of a little boy

2nd C. Scott, "January" - a description of the pains, pleasures, beauties, and duties pertaining to that season.

3rd S. H. Stone, The Beauties of the Country", a little story showing that we who live in the country, are surrounded by beauties which we cease to notice sometimes, because they are so constantly before us, until some one fresh from the city, and having the faculty to see and feel them, opens our eyes.

4th E. D. Bentley, 2 good articles, "Growing old" by [blank] and a "Man in a Million

5th M. M. Miller a suggestion to give calomel to sick fruit trees, somewhat after the manner of the Hypo-Dermic administration of medicines to the human subject.

6th E. G. Thomas "The Writing on the Wall", a lesson for mothers.

7th B. I. Lea, An interesting description of "A Naturalists' Home".

8th L. G. Thomas, "How to make Home attractive" - making its inmates happy there.

9th M. L. Roberts (pr R. E. Gilpin) A curious account of Arthur Kavanagh

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the wonderful Irish member of Parliament, without arms or legs. Also, a description of Bryants' home, and surroundings.

10th M. Farquhar, "The Candle by the Sea" an account by Jean Ingelow, of a life spent in the unselfish endeavor to save others from the misery which that one had suffered,

Adjourned to Plainfield next month.

Plainfield, 4th month 25th 1867

After repeated postponements, made necessary by the bad state of the roads, the Association commenced to-day at last - the 7th meeting at this place: three months having elapsed since last meeting, the longest interval which has occurred since our society was organized, except once.

All our members were present except C. Chandlee and B. I. Lea, and there were many guests - making altogether an interesting company. And we had the pleasure of welcoming a new member. M. W. Kirk having expressed a wish to join our Association, was admitted with unanimous consent, to the place vacated by A. E. [Hartshorne's] resignation.

Our regular proceedings commenced soon after 3 o'clock, with the minutes, as usual, and H. J. Moore, being first called, read "Talks about Health", in which it was asserted that the benefit of indoor exercise was partly counteracted by the dust stirred up, and the remedy for this is to wash the floor with molasses and glue dissolved in water.

2. M. L. Roberts made an appeal for help to furnish the Shelter getting ready in Baltimore for colored orphans, and read a letter on the subject. After some discussion as to the best mode of giving assistance, it was agreed to apply to their use a part of the fund still remaining in our treasurer's hands, being the residue of that raised two years ago to aid the indigent at the close of the war.

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It was also agreed that we should employ our hands at our meetings every month in piecing quilts for them, and a committee of 4 volunteered to cut out the pieces for the purpose.

3. M. M. Miller read an obituary notice of N. K. Richardson.

4. E. D. Bentley, an interesting account of Miss Roger's Deaf school, in Boston.

5. M. W. Kirk recited Bryant's poem "The Return of Youth". And gave us a recipe for Tapioca pudding.

6. J. Porter, "Borrowing Trouble", a good little story.

7. C. Scott, "Dangerous Toys", a condemnation of the practice of making and selling, as children's toys, Pharoah's Serpents, and other similar chemical compounds, which may do serious mischief.

8. E. G. Thomas, "Rag-carpet Rhymes" - a poem professing to be suggested by the associations with the old clothing torn into strips for a carpet.

9. Ann Scofield (a guest) 2 pieces, a reply to a Scotchman who wished to die, - and "Beatitudes" by Tacey Jewett.

10. M. Farquhar an article in the Living - Age on Leisure. True leisure is not always idleness, but agreeable occupation, in which there is no feeling of pressure, or hurry to get through.

A short interval of general conversation - supper - and a walk in the well-tended garden filled the rest of the time, and the meeting adjourned, to Lea's Mill next month.