[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 115 (Wednesday, September 14, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1850]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           CLEVELAND GREAT BOOKS BEGINS 60TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 14, 2005

  Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to inform you that the 
Cleveland Great Books group will begin its 60th consecutive year this 
fall of 2005 in gathering to discuss the classics in literature.
  People have been reading great books for many centuries. The 
technique of asking questions and probing for an understanding of the 
problems they deal with was used by Socrates in ancient Athens, Greece.
  In modern times, it is thought that the formation of discussion 
groups for the purpose of discussing the Great Books was started after 
the First World War by John Erksine. In 1927, Mortimer Adler helped 
launch 15 adult education courses in New York City to discuss the Great 
Books. In 1930, Robert Hutchins and Mr. Adler introduced Great Books 
seminars into the undergraduate curriculum at the University of 
Chicago. Soon, across the United States ordinary laymen with a love for 
literature began to form and lead Great Books seminars in their local 
communities. Such a group formed here in Greater Cleveland.
  This group first met on October 8, 1946 at the East Cleveland Public 
Library. That first opening session involved a discussion of the 
Declaration of Independence. It was chosen by the original leader Frank 
P. Whitney. Today, Betty Gaetjens is the sole remaining member from 
that first night.
  In 1972, the group moved their discussions to the present-day 
location of the Cleveland Heights Noble Road Library. However, the 
practice of meeting twice monthly for nine months would remain the 
same; during the same summer recess, members would read a book to be 
discussed at the first meeting in the fall.
  When the members gather on September 20, 2005 to discuss Homer's 
``The Odyssey,'' it will mark the beginning of the 60th continuous year 
of this Great Books discussion group. The current members of this group 
are: Pam Bryson, Kathleen Colacarro, Fred Damankos, David Fogarty, 
Betty Gaetjens, Ray Habian, Sally Hanley, Maureen Hollander, Linda 
Jones, Charles Lally, Ed Lampman, Frank Lavallo, William Malloy, Anne 
Meissner, Jane Melbourne, Howard Montgomery, Renee Paolino, Matthew 
Paolo, Jackie Perkovic, Lois Rowland, Milena Salehar, Nick Smith, Lisa 
Sturgis and Harvey Weiss.
  As they begin their 60th year, members look forward to exchanging 
ideas with all the enthusiasm of that first night in October of 1946. 
They will converse freely, think with greater clarity and perception, 
and come away with a more profound insight which they did not have 
before.

                          ____________________