When Sharpless Worrall added the third story to his general store in 1851, he wanted to provide a meeting space primarily for the local Independent of Odd Fellows fraternal group.  However it quickly became a meeting spot for all sorts of other community organizations and local needs.  Which is how it became the meeting spot for the Sugartown Lyceum.

The Sugartown Lyceum?  The name “Lyceum” comes from the name given to a Greek temple dedicated to Apollo Lyceus and the home of Aristotle’s Paripatetic school of philosophy.  Here in America, the name was used to define a loosely organized movement in adult education that began around the time of the Age of Reform and continued into the 20th century.

Sugartown’s first Lyceum was organized in 1861, however it didn’t seem to last more than one year.  However in 1872, a group organized again.  The original group was composed of about 40 people who met twice a month, mostly in the winter, in the hall of Sugartown, located on the third floor of the General Store.   In that first year, the officers were: Hannum Baldwin, President; Jonathan Entriken, Vice President; Miss S.H. Bishop, Secretary.

One meeting each month was composed of a variety of educational and cultural entertainments such as vocal and instrumental performances, tableaux
(people who dressed and posed to recreate famous paintings, or moments in history), and short plays.

The other meeting during the month was dedicated to debate.  The debates tackled timely subject matter, especially those related to the reform of the community.  Over the years, the Lyceum members debated such topics as:

  • Does family influence or general society have more impact on the character of one’s individual character?
  • Should all theatres be abolished?
  • Should children be compelled by law to attend school?

The Sugartown Lyceum typically only met between November and May.  After their start in 1872, the group appears to have met each year until 1887 with as many as 80 members.  They met at the Sugartown Hall until about 1884, when they began to meet at the nearby Friends’ School.