Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-04-22


everyday layman, it looked as if the
woods were full of ministers. Probably
it was to be kind of orthodox Concord
school of philosophy, or rather theology.
1t is a pity that the plans fell through,
for, after all, in the centuries of theo-
logical discussion there are still many
vital, burning questions waiting for an
answer, and perhaps it has been left for
the Thoughtful men of our time to solve
some of the riddles of the past. Dean
Wright, of the Chautauqua School of
Theology, had charge of this depart
ment. He was to lecture to the minis
tiers OH Greek, but as the ministers did
not turn out, he let his Greek loose up
on the rest of us. There was a class in
the morning for beginners in Greek. In
the afternoon the Dean took up the
Greek Testament and gave little talks
upon words and phrases of special
significance. These were sermons in a
nutshell, and valuable. l believe the
Dean tries to be good man, and yet
he gives way to besetting sin that is
gradually dragging him down, know
not whittier. He is an inveterate maker
of puns. There is no escape from him.
He will follow you into any language.
You can see him thinking puns during
sermon. He likes his joke too, but
somebody got even with him the other
day. There came in from the woods
an old Cracker, a regular mossback. In
wandering about the grounds, taking
in some of the strange sights of .'this
year Kerchawka show" he stumbled, by
the usual fatality in such cases, into the
Greek class. The Dean was pronounce
ing Greek words for the class to repeat
after him. He noticed that the Cracker
was taking no part, and said to him:
"You are not repeating those words
with the rest" The stranger arrested
a premeditated unloading of tobacco
juice, and with the use of as much of
his mouth as could be spared under the
circumstances, replied: "No, sir,
wasn't, and | amt aiming to, nuther."
The Dean was serious for as much as
halt an hour.
A great many attended Mrs. Knights
school of cookery. Every day there
was an exhibition of kitchen mysteries
The female mind busted itself with
salads and entries and delicate desserts
while the male mind made point of
remembering the restaurant attached
to the cooking school where one could
drop around and test the results of a
mornings lecture.
Perhaps it would tire you if should
go into description of the school of
elocution, which did good work all
through the assembly,or the kindergar-
ten, which was really one of the most
attractive features of all. Miss Ross
had genera! oversight of this depart
ment. Miss Gearing, of Chicago, with
two assistants kept up a large school
during the assembly and gave one pub.
lie exhibition. All honors to the good
Froebel and Pestalozz, who first rightly
understood the laws of mental develop
ment, and all honor to these ladies who
are giving their energies to the spread
ing of the new gospel of education.
These little pupils of five and six and
seyen, with their little games and songs
are without effort developing perception
and discrimin alton, habits of obserya-
ton and politeness. And one is tempted
to add that their sense of the beautiful
will grow apace if they look often
enough at their teachers.
will not describe the huge teachers
congress that lasted through an entire
week or the farmers congress that ran
only two days, but | must give word
or two to the music and the lectures on
current topics that occurred three times
a day during almost the whole five
weeks.
An abstract of any one of them would
make an interesting letter for your pa
per. We had lectures in prose and lec-
lures in verse, lectures on astronomy
and travel and theology, on morals and
marriage. Will Carleton recited his
own poetry, SO did Wallace Bruce.
Bishop Mallalieu lectured on the Anglo
Saxon, Dr. Adams on Dreams, j. DIV.
Miller "a bachelor) on Marriage, Prof.
Clark on some startling personal ex-
plOits in heather lands. His unrivaled
imagination was assisted by many
slereopticon views. Perhaps the most
thoughtful of all the lectures were a
series by Leon III. Vincent on Roman
authors, one by Rev. L. L. Eaton, of
Kentucky, on True Aristocracy, and
three by DR.. Il. M. Hatfield, on tn 6
Training of Children.
Some would have found all this dull
without a copious mixture of music,
and we had music of excellent quality.
The Goshen Band, of Indiana, a band
of gentlemen as we'll as musicians. was
ready atall times of the day and night.
Prof. Case with his chorus and orches-
ira could give US Mendelssohn and
Mozart when he wanted to. Mrs.
Fraley, the soprano, is well called the
"Song Bird of Nashville" wish YOU
could have heard our tenor, Mr.. Mey-
ers. can think of no opera singer in
this country now who is his superior.
You can imagine that we had numer-
Gus concerts and that they were well
attended.
About twice week there was an
nounced on the program: "Illumin-
atior and music on the lake" A north
erner coming out of clustering March
weather and arriving on such night
would have to rub his eyes, think.
The Hotel Chautauqua is in blaze.
A Jacobs ladder of lights extends from
it down to the shore. For mile about
the lake twinkle double rows of Chinese
lanterns. Each cottage is cluster of
little stars. Along the lake comes gen.
tly gliding circle of soft lights and
from IL isSues q barmonv of swoat