The Tuesday Class, 1889-

The Tuesday Class (also known as the Tuesday Club or the Tuesday Literary Class) was a study club founded in 1889 by Mrs. E.P.S. Moor. Its precursor was The Ellis Club, an informal gathering of friends arranged by Mrs. George Lawrence to study with the Rev. Sumner Ellis. The members were, and still are, principally women who live in the Avon Hill section of Cambridge, Mass.

At the weekly meetings, members followed a course of study with a paid lecturer to conduct the class and direct discussion. Subjects studied included the works of a single author (William Thackeray, Ben Jonson, Robert Browning) or such topics as contemporary social or economic questions, German thought in the 18th century, or Italian literature. After 1918, the meetings were held once a month and the programs became more varied, offering either a lecture on current issues or an activity (concert or play) combined with tea. The current membership stands at about 30.