In preparing programs have brief readings on each island, either from history or English poetry, or translations from the Greek. Longfellow"s "Poems of Places" has poems on many of the islands; the "Odyssey" gives many stories, notably that of Nausicaa, which is laid at Corfu; Samuel J. Barrows has a charming book, "Isles and Shrines of Greece" (Little).
Translations of some of Sappho"s poems are easily found.
The islands of Crete and Cyprus should have a special meeting to themselves, with emphasis laid on archaeological discoveries. Their history is closely connected with that of Greece, though to-day they are both under other than Greek rule.
II--MEDITERRANEAN ISLANDS
Three great islands lie close to Italy and are connected with its history. The first is Corsica. It has a stirring story, especially of the time when it belonged to Genoa, when the great Genoese Towers, still standing, were built to protect it against the Saracens. The fact that Napoleon was a Corsican should be mentioned. Some account of the vendetta should not be omitted and ill.u.s.trations from Prosper Merimee"s "Colomba" may be read aloud.
Sardinia, lying close to Corsica, is sometimes significantly called the "Backward Island." One point for its study is the feudal system, which continued there until the middle of the nineteenth century, and another the brigandage for which it has been known for ages. See "The Forgotten Isles," by Vuillier, translated by Frederic Breton (Appleton).
The history of Sicily is worth some months of study, for it opens the story of the wars of Rome with Carthage. Consider the varied experience of the city of Syracuse, the prosperity and political importance of Sicily in the Middle Ages, the coming of Victor Emmanuel and Garibaldi, in later years. Last, note the impoverished condition of the country to-day. Read from Sicily, in the Story of the Nations series (Putnam), and some translations from Thucydides and Theocritus.
Malta, a possession of Great Britain, is of interest especially in connection with the Knights of Saint John. Minorca may be looked up also for a special paper. See "Sicily, the Garden of the Mediterranean," by W. S. Monroe (The Page Company).
III--THE ISLANDS NEAR SCOTLAND AND ENGLAND
The wild, mountainous islands of Scotland are peopled with fishing folk whose language is still mostly Gaelic and whose customs are singularly primitive. Read "A Daughter of Fife," by Amelia E. Barr, to show their strong character. The Hebrides, lower down on the west coast, are wonderfully picturesque. Read William Black"s "A Princess of Thule."
Mull is remarkable for its beauty and for its Gaelic population and traditions. Iona, a tiny island with a most important early Christian history, has a ruined cathedral and graveyard containing many striking and very ancient Celtic crosses. Staffa, near by, has a famous basaltic formation and cave.
Most of England"s islands are not grouped but stand singly. The Isle of Man, off the west coast, is a somewhat wild place. Read Hall Caine"s "The Deemster," to learn of its people. The Isle of Wight, on the south, is a garden spot. Note the famous places and people connected with them and show pictures of Osborne House and Tennyson"s home. The Scilly Islands have a romantic past, partly legendary; see Besant"s "Armorel of Lyonesse." The Channel Islands, a group, are foreign, quaint, wild, and beautiful. Their history is fascinating and they have been the home of political refugees almost to the present day. Read "The Channel Islands," by J. E. Morris (Macmillan Co.), and "Toilers of the Sea," by Victor Hugo.
IV--ISLANDS NEAR AFRICA
Off the west coast of Africa are a few well-known islands. Toward the north lies Madeira, long famous for its wine; to-day it is being developed into a highly successful market garden, supplying England with fruits and vegetables. Its picturesque population and the old city of Funchal are charming. See "The Story of Madeira," by D. Dimmit (The Methodist Book Concern).
Just below this lie the volcanic islands known as the Canaries, which are thought to be the Fortunate Isles of antiquity. Strangely enough, they seem to have dropped out of history for a time, and were rediscovered in the fourteenth century. To-day they belong to Spain.
Show a picture of the Peak of Teneriffe.
The Cape Verde Islands deserve a pa.s.sing glance, largely because Darwin, in his "Volcanic Islands," makes them interesting. Just below these lies St. Helena, the prison of Napoleon, which should have a separate paper.
Read from the "Life of Napoleon," by Sir Walter Scott.
On the opposite coast lies Madagascar, mentioned long ago by Ptolemy. It remained a wild, uncivilized place until a century ago, when it came into touch with trade; since that time it has had a dramatic story. See "Madagascar and Its People," by James Sibree, and "Thirty Years in Madagascar," by T. T. Matthews (Doran).
Near by lies Mauritius, the ile de France, settled long ago by good French families and well known in modern history. The story of "Paul and Virginia," by Saint Pierre, is laid here, and also that of "My Little Girl," by Besant and Rice. Read both of these.
V--OCEANICA
The islands of the Pacific are so numerous, so important, and so immensely interesting that clubs can well afford to spend months in studying them. The best plan is to take the map and divide the islands into groups.
Take first the lovely Sandwich or Hawaiian Islands, twelve in all. One paper should treat of their natural features, especially the famous volcanoes. Another may take up the early history, speaking of the fact that the people voluntarily abandoned idolatry as absurd and were without religion for years, when they asked that help along this line should be sent to them. The story of the coming of the first missionaries and their work is remarkable. A third paper may be on the visit of the native king and queen to England, a fourth may deal with the leper colony at Molokai, and a fifth may describe the establishment of the republic, and, later, its annexation to the United States.
Following westward on the map, the Caroline Islands and the Ladrones should be studied; Guam, of the latter group, is now a possession of the United States.
Several meetings should be given to the Philippine Islands, which come next. Papers may be written on some of these topics, among many that might be suggested: description of the islands; the early history; the condition under Spain; the uprising of 1896; the physician, poet and reformer Rizal; the people to-day, their habits and customs; the establishment of a United States Commission and the work of the various bureaus, especially that of education. A discussion may follow: Should the Philippines be made self-governing? Read "The Philippine Islands,"
by F. W. Atkinson (Ginn).
VI--BORNEO, SUMATRA, JAVA AND OTHERS
Contrasted with these islands lie another group of three--Borneo, Sumatra, and Java. The first two have wonderful fauna and flora, hundreds of varieties of native woods and great natural resources, yet are in a singularly backward condition. Read "Seventeen Years Among the Sea Dyaks of Borneo," by E. H. Gomes (Lippincott). See also many recent magazine articles. Java, lying close to this, is wholly different. It belongs to Holland and is the important colony of the Dutch. Its early history is interesting and the remains of its primitive civilization are being unearthed. Read from "Java, Sumatra, and Other Islands," by A.
Cabaton (Scribner). Have one entire meeting given to the beautiful island of Ceylon, before turning south.
New Guinea is near Australia and closely resembles it in striking physical peculiarities. It is but slightly settled, and the Dutch and English divide its ownership; the latter have found it rich in resources and are making it commercially profitable.
Several small groups of islands to the east may be studied next. The Fiji Islands were long known as the home of cannibals, and their turning toward civilization makes an interesting study.
The Friendly Islands, or Tonga group, lie farther south and east; they were inhabited by a wild and cruel people, now changed into a fairly civilized and educated little nation, with churches and schools; many of the people speak English.
The Society Islands are still farther west. The scenery here is magnificent, with coral formations and atolls, tropical foliage, and great waterfalls; this is called the Garden of the Pacific. The New Hebrides have a special interest from the work of John G. Paton. Read his life by his son (Doran). Close to these last groups lies Samoa, beloved of Stevenson. Clubs should read of it from his books. See "In the South Seas," and his Letters.
VII--TASMANIA AND NEW ZEALAND
Of the three islands near the southern end of Australia, Tasmania, close to the larger country, is as large as Scotland. It was for years one of England"s penal colonies, but to-day it stands for everything that is advanced and enlightened; its school system is remarkable and its commerce highly developed. It is practically the home of a part of the English people. Just beyond it lie the two islands that form New Zealand, which, from the point of view of sociology, is one of the world"s places of mark. Read "New Zealand at Home," by B. A. Loughnan (Newnes, London), and "New Zealand in Evolution," by G. H. Scholefield (Scribner); also magazine articles.
VIII--j.a.pANESE ISLANDS
j.a.pan, one of the foremost powers of the world to-day, is confined geographically to four princ.i.p.al islands, with hundreds of smaller ones grouped around these. At least four meetings should be given to its study. The first may have a program on the physical features of j.a.pan, its resources, its people; a description of the peasants, their homes and work; the cities, their houses, temples, and shops, with pictures of interest.
The second may present the early history of j.a.pan; its feudal system, its religions, its varied government, down to the opening of the country in 1853. The third and fourth may study the development of the country under foreign ideas; the growth of the army and navy, the establishment of schools, the court life, the extension of commerce, the press, the new standards of government.
These should be followed by papers or talks on the late wars with China and Russia and their effects. Other meetings should be on j.a.panese architecture and art and on the different phases of the subject: The j.a.panese in America. Read from "j.a.pan," by Lafcadio Hearn (Macmillan Co.), "j.a.panese Life in Town and Country," by George William Knox (Putnam), and "The Lady of the Decoration," and "The Lady and Sada San,"
by Frances Little (Century Company).
IX--WEST INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO
In studying the West Indies it is necessary to use a map at each meeting to keep clearly in mind the location of islands: the Bahamas, the Greater and Lesser Antilles, and the Caribbean or Leeward and Windward Islands. A brief study of Columbus should introduce the whole series.
Follow with the story of the Spanish possession, and then take the coming of the English and the Dutch, their colonies, growth of power, and the wars which ensued.
This will bring in the romantic stories of the buccaneers; read of the extraordinary careers of Captain Henry Morgan, the notorious Blackbeard, and Captain Kidd, and have chapters from novels treating of that time, such as Charles Kingsley"s "Westward Ho!" and "To Have and To Hold," by Mary Johnston.
Give the story of each important island: Jamaica, Santa Cruz, the two little republics of Haiti and Santo Domingo, Barbados, and Martinique, the last the birthplace of the Empress Josephine. The topic of slavery should have one paper. Read from the life of William Wilberforce.
Take next Cuba and Porto Rico. Study the war between Spain and the United States, and follow with the conditions to-day. Read from "The West Indies," in the Story of the Nations series (Putnam); "The English in the West Indies," by J. A. Froude (Longmans); and "On the Spanish Main," by John Masefield (Macmillan).
X--BERMUDA AND THE AZORES
North of the West Indies lies a group of islands famous for their beauty--the Bermudas. Here Shakespeare placed the scene of "The Tempest." The English own the islands and maintain a military station there. Read from "The Tempest." Follow with a paper on the Azores, in mid-Atlantic.
Circling the North American Continent, clubs will find several separate islands full of interest. Little Staten Island, in New York Harbor, and Long Island are closely connected with our history. Cape Breton Island, on the northern coast of Nova Scotia, holds the old stronghold of Louisburg, and the beauty of the Bras d"Or Lakes is worthy of note. Read "Baddeck and that Sort of Thing," by Charles Dudley Warner (Houghton Mifflin Co.). Newfoundland, rugged and lonely, lies beyond. In spite of its great fisheries on the Banks, its people are poor. Read of the work of Grenfell among them. The Arctic islands farther north present little to study, if we except Iceland, well to the northeast. This is truly a wonderful little place, and clubs should give it one meeting. Its relation to literature is important. Read the little cla.s.sic, "An Iceland Fisherman," by Pierre Loti (McClurg), and "Bound About the North Pole," by W. J. Gordon (Dutton).
Crossing to the west coast of British Columbia one meeting might be given to the Alaskan Island of Saint Lawrence and others of the Aleutian group; then, coming down the coast, Queen Charlotte"s Island and Vancouver should be noted briefly. On the west coast of South America is the little island of Juan Fernandez, on which the sailor Alexander Selkirk spent five years alone, whose story suggested to Defoe his "Robinson Crusoe."