Athens History Circle (Iowa City, Iowa)
Biography
The Athens History Circle was organized in Iowa City in 1897. The group originally formed to study "great men and famous women." This was the title of a subscription series of books bought by the original members and was the foundation of their study for eleven years. The meetings had been informal, but in 1904 the group adopted its first constitution and elected officers. The circle encouraged discourse among the members on a broad range of topics including the crusades, artists, American achievement, and literature. Beginning in 1953 the circle helped to fund a scholarship named for an early member, Kate Wickham, an elementary school teacher in Iowa City from 1902 to 1937. In 1997 the group celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding.