Before social media, television, and radio, there were lyceums. Traveling speakers and a growing lecture circuit proliferated in the Northeast from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century. After the American Civil War, public halls known as lyceums cropped up nationwide to host educational talks, entertainment shows, debates, and speeches. Concordville was no different.
The Concord Lyceum, also called the Concordville Lyceum, operated in the township in the late 19th century. Early meetings and programs were held in the newly constructed (built 1874) Concord Public School No. 1 on Baltimore Pike.
“The Lyceum of Concordville is crowded every meeting night. Great interest is manifested by the members. They meet every Saturday evening at the new school building. They intend having an exhibition in about two weeks." - The Jeffersonian, 13 February 1875
The Concordville Lyceum was organized by a board of directors and a membership base. Common Concordville family names associated with the organization included Cornog, Wells, Porter, Brinton, Sharpe, Darlington, Jester, Pyle, Styer, Hinkson, and Johnson. Both men and women were members, participated in the programming, and served in officer positions on the board.
Several smaller lyceums formed, such as one in the Johnson’s Corner village and a student lyceum at the private Maplewood Institute.
“Senator Cooper, John B. Robinson and other prominent gentlemen of Media, will debate the free trade question with Mr. H. Sharpley, Mr. Turner and others of Wilmington at Johnson’s Corner Lyceum, Concord township, at no distant day.” – Daily Local News, 17 January 1881
Along with the Concord Lyceum, other literary and debate groups formed in the township by the end of the 19th century.
“Concordville has been alive for the past six months, with many good lectures, sometimes two or three a week upon various subjects. It supports three literary societies. The “Everett Library Society” of Maplewood Institute, the “St. John’s Society” and the “Concordville Lyceum.” – The Jeffersonian, 9 February 1878.
Members of the Concordville Lyceum debated temperance in 1878, the benefits of purchasing Alaska in 1882, women’s suffrage rights in 1882, the pros and cons of corporate monopolies in 1882, and even Darwinian theory.
Prominent area members like the Maplewood Institute director Joseph Shortlidge delivered special lectures.
“To-night Joseph Shortlidge will lecture on ‘Electricity’ before the Concord lyceum. With quite extensive apparatus he will delight the audience with numerous experiments.” – Daily Local News, 9 March 1878
Towards the mid-1880s, the lyceum was reorganized and dubbed the Friend’s Lyceum or Friend’s Social Lyceum. It was no longer strictly held at the public school and instead represented a smaller group of members, with meetings held at private residences in the town. By 1897, the Concord Friend’s Social Lyceum boasted over 30 members.
The movement continued into the early 20th century, culminating in a town festival in 1915!
“In the town hall in Concordville a lyceum festival, which has been in progress for three days, ends to-day and the people, who have been attending in large numbers and greatly enjoying the programmes, feel that they are well informed in a scientific, musical, and literary way. Last evening a lecturer explained to them that the coal supply will run out in fifty years, but they should not worry as they will be burning water by that time. Members of the audience expressed a desire to live long enough to see the old time rain barrel rejuvenated to displace the coal bin.” – Daily Local News, 23 November 1915
The Concordville Lyceum movement eventually dissipated as other organizations such as the Concordville Grange, the Concordville Masonic Lodge, and the Concord WCTU took center stage.
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