Bernheim Literary Society
We need you.
The Mt. Pleasant Literary Festival is made possible by generous donations from people just like you—people who believe in bringing the literary arts to the Mt. Pleasant Library. Join the Bernheim Literary Society and help make that dream a reality!
A tradition of cultivating the literary arts in Mt. Pleasant, NC.
Q: What is the Bernheim Literary Society?
>>>FUN FACT: Did you know that Mont Amoena Female Seminary (from the Latin for "Mt. Pleasant") used to have something called the Bernheim Literary Society?<<<
Mont Amoena educated young women from 1859 to 1927, and provided education at a time when few opportunities existed for the higher education of women.
All students were required to join either the Alpha or Omega chapter of the Bernheim Literary Society, and they spent 2 hours each Wednesday working on composition, debate, recitation, poetry, and other literary pursuits.
Each chapter would compete against the other on an annual basis, hoping to win the "Loving Cup" (pictured in the center of the photo of the Mont Amoena Omega Chapter). BONUS: Stop by the Eastern Cabarrus Historical Society Museum and see the Loving Cup in real life in the Mont Amoena Room!
FAST FORWARD: Though Mont Amoena is long gone, the spirit of those women and their passion for the literary arts lives on in the modern day Bernheim Literary Society, a booster group organized to help support the Mt. Pleasant Literary Festival!
Don't worry--no 2 hour a week time commitment required--just a belief in the importance of bringing the literary arts to Mt. Pleasant!
A: The Bernheim Literary Society is a special group of people who support the Mt. Pleasant Literary Festival through a $50 donation.
>>>Bernheim membership dues go DIRECTLY to keeping the MPLITFEST free and open to all!<<<
Won't you join us?
Bernheim Literary Society Background
Why “Bernheim”?
Lisette Clayton Bernheim Hood and her father, Rev. Gotthardt Dellman Bernheim, were distinguished educators at Mont Amoena Female Seminary (1859-1927) in Mt. Pleasant, NC, and the school’s literary society was named for the latter. Reviving the “Bernheim Literary Society” pays homage to Mt. Pleasant’s history as an educational center and “oasis of culture” and recognizes the contributions of community leaders who support learning and the arts.
Print a form here and drop off to the library, or join online. We appreciate your support!
Gotthardt Delman Bernheim
Former principal at Mont Amoena, founder of Bernheim Literary Society, and published author
Lisette Bernheim Hood
Dean of Faculty at Mont Amoena, teacher, author, and poet—known as “Miss Lisette” to her students
Our 2025 Charter Bernheim Members
The festival would not have been possible without the support of these charter members, who shared our vision of bringing books, authors, and the literary arts to the Mt. Pleasant Library. Thank you for believing in and supporting the Mt. Pleasant Literary Festival!
Every student at Mont Amoena was required to join a chapter (Alpha or Omega) of the Bernheim Literary Society to "exercise a cultivating influence in composition, debate, recitation, and the art of presiding at the meetings... The work of this department cannot be too greatly stressed. A student really knows only that which she can clearly tell. Two hours Wednesday afternoon of each week are devoted to this all-important work."
From the records of Mont Amoena kept at the Eastern Cabarrus Historical Museum in Mt. Pleasant, NC
We use cookies to improve your experience and to help us understand how you use our site. Please refer to our cookie notice and privacy statement for more information regarding cookies and other third-party tracking that may be enabled.
© 2024 Friends of the Mt. Pleasant Library, Inc.