“Respectfully Submitted: The Remarkable Literary Clubs of Bowling Green Kentucky” by Jean E. Nehm. Bowling Green: Landmark Association, 2020. 344 pages, $29.95 (hardback)

In her first chapter overview, “Introduction to Literary Club Culture,” author Jean Nehm, a Western Kentucky University associate professor of English, emeritus, explains the main difference between literary clubs and the more familiar book clubs. The latter usually meet in homes or in libraries and members all read and discuss the same book each month, whereas “literary clubs are more formal, having a structured protocol that include a constitution, officers, minutes and a research program presented by one member, followed by a group discussion.”

The author points out that Danville had The Danville Literary and Social Club, which was organized in 1839 in response to popular lyceums and debating societies. She provides numerous examples of how much membership in literary clubs meant to individual members. Wendell Berry referred to people in small Kentucky communities not as residents, inhabitants or citizens, but rather as members whose “lives are woven together here, one with one another and with the place and all the living things.” Nehm says of literary clubs: “Members belong, and their melding of learning and entertainment engenders affection, gratitude and the desire for club traditions to endure.” The author mentions how her membership in the Browning Club led her to writing first of that club and later of all of Bowling Green’s literary clubs. She says that her goal was “to find the heartbeat of each organization and of the people who ensured their club’s longevity.” After many years of research in the Kentucky Library at WKU, where the minutes of most club meetings are preserved, and interviewing numerous individuals about their experiences in a club, this book is the fine end product.

Twenty chapters follow that mostly each focus on a particular literary club’s story, in chronological order. Bowling Green’s first literary club was named XV (Roman numerals) for its 15 members. Twelve was assumed to be the ideal membership for meetings, but by raising membership to 15, absences of some individuals might better be handled. The Rev. John L. Caldwell of the Presbyterian Church had been a member of a similar club in Missouri prior to moving to Bowling Green, so he organized the XV Club in 1879. Each member received a number from 1 to 15 by lot, which identified him until death or resignation. Meticulously detailed minutes of club meetings provide insight into a variety of opinions at a particular time. Topics often focused on literary or historical subjects, geographical locations, the future of their hometown or current scientific discoveries. For example, at a meeting in 1896 the topic was “Woman of the XIXth Century.” Number 6 said it was “wrong when woman leaves her home to engage in anything outside.” Number 9 said “women should be prevented from talking out at all in church.” Yet number 7 said “women can fill any positions honorably, but there are some things which she may not do.” He was particularly concerned about women who dared to ride horses or bicycles astraddle. At one particularly interesting meeting of the XV Club in 1918, members received former President William Howard Taft and Gov. A.O. Stanley for conversation and dinner prior to Taft’s speech to a conference on the Normal Heights campus.

Several months after the founding of the XV Club, several women whose husbands were members of that group founded the Ladies Literary Club. One of the two main founders, Matilda Harden Stevens, insisted that the ladies would not include refreshments with their literary club and this would make them superior to the men, whose meetings were centered on a meal (usually prepared by the wives, of course). The author points out the challenge of researching the topics assigned for future meetings when Bowling Green had no public library at the time. Ladies struggled to avoid “delinquencies” when they failed to be prepared to present on an assigned topic at a certain date. In more recent years, the literary clubs in general have given members more flexibility in choosing what they wish for a presentation. The Ladies Literary Club suspended meetings during World War I and did not resume until 1919 so there were no meetings while the Spanish flu was at its height. However, the Current Events Club suspended some meetings in October and November 1918 in response to an order from the State Board of Health. This was likely triggered by the flu because there was an incident where soldiers traveling on the L&N from Texas left the train in Bowling Green to explore and infected several local citizens.

Chapters following those for the first two literary clubs cover the Calendar Club (founded in 1889), Current Topic Club (1895), Browning Club (1895), XX Club (1901), Current Events Club (1902), EQB (of which I am a member) (1903), Twentieth Century Club (1909), Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Club (1913), Fortnightly Club (1917), Mothers Club (1925), Larths Club (1925), Severance Club (1935), Pierian Literary Club (1935), Eclectic Book Club (1939), Mid-Century Club (1950), Delineator Club (1952) and The Other Club. A final chapter summarizes the founding of three more recent literary clubs: the Twenty=first Century Club (2001), Underwood Society (2003), and Rooster Club (2005). It is surprising that so many literary clubs have been formed in Bowling Green and that most of them still exist. In addition to the interesting topics presented at various meetings and recorded in the minutes, insights into how Bowling Green had changed are also provided. For example, Mid-Century Club minutes reflected on the city of the 1930s: population was around 12,000, there were seven drugstores on the square, and tuition at the college was $25 a semester. In addition to holding regular meetings with interesting topics and impressive repasts, several clubs were involved in philanthropic and community activities such as the Red Cross, lobbying to have Mammoth Cave declared a national park, or donating its treasury each year to the winner of the poetry contest at WKU, as the Browning Club did.

Membership in the literary clubs often attracted family connections across generations and length of membership must be valid testimony to individual satisfaction and even love for continuing to be involved. On the 75th anniversary of the Calendar Club’s founding, the Daily News reported that the club had had only two presidents, Judge Rodes, who had been a member for 71 years, and charter member Max Nahm, who was president for 69 years.

The author has included numerous photographs of clubs, a few of which are difficult to see clearly, an appendix, notes, a bibliography and an index. “Respectfully Submitted” is very carefully researched and well-written. I must admit that the detailed descriptions of food and fashion at club meetings did not always hold my interest, but mention of “strawberry cream in rum kisses” presented by a member who had obviously “been to the city” was mouth-watering. A few concluding paragraphs reflecting back over what the clubs achieved in common or looking forward to the future of Bowling Green’s literary clubs would have been helpful. The book is of value not just for club members, but for anyone interested in local history. Hopefully it will spark others to pursue topics in the Kentucky Library and produce additional Bowling Green insights that merit support by the Landmark Association. Highly recommended.

– Reviewed by Richard Weigel, WKU History Department.

– Editor’s note: There will be a drive-through book signing April 18 at the Houchens Center, 1115 Adams St., from 2 to 4 p.m. Books may also be purchased from the bglandmark.org website or one may call Landmark at 270-782-0037 or email bglandmark@yahoo.com for further information.