The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 2, No. 5, February 3, 1898

Step back into a bustling Thursday of 1898, when a single sheet could carry the week’s most engaging literary excerpts, vivid illustrations, and practical notices for teachers and families. This audio experience captures the lively rhythm of a periodical that blended short fiction, poetry, and thoughtful commentary with advertisements for schoolroom décor, photographic plates of Greek and Roman art, and subscription details that reveal how readers stayed connected across the country.

Listeners will also enjoy a charming children’s section, where stories are crafted from the very language kids love, and a “Current Literature” roundup that curates the month’s best writings into a concise, accessible format. The program offers a rare auditory glimpse into the era’s cultural pulse—its humor, its educational ambitions, and its earnest desire to bring the wider world into the everyday lives of its audience.