Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 562.  Thursday, 16 Sept. 1993.
 
From:           Georgianna Ziegler <
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Date:           Thursday, 16 Sep 1993 12:13:09 -0500
Subject: 4.0550  Q: Shakespeare Reading Groups
Comment:        Re: SHK 4.0550  Q: Shakespeare Reading Groups
 
The Shakspere Society of Philadelphia, founded in 1861, is one of the
oldest, continually operating groups of the sort in existence.  It is
still all-male; still meets about once a month during the fall, winter,
and spring; and still reads and discusses one or two plays a year.
It was founded by the likes of Horace Howard Furness, Asa Israel Fish,
and other Philadelphia lawyers, and its membership is still a mixture
of professional men and academics.
 
There also used to be a West Phila. Shakespeare group, all women, that
met, but I don't know if they are still in existence.
 
There were actually many such groups in the 19th and early 20th
centuries--interesting if one could get a history together.  Michael
Bristol is one person who is working on the Shakespeare cultural
phenomenon in this period.