The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-02

Tho great summer school at Chautauqua
was opened yesterday for Its seventeenth
session. The village by Chautauqua Lake
for two months to come will be crowded
W tn students, and from now until toward
the end Of the summer they will pursue
various courses of instruction.
The programme for the season alls many
large and closely printed pages and the list
OF teachers, lecturers. and directors Of
amusements and entertainments Is long.
and includes some distinguished names.
The lectures will be in consecutive courses
and will cover wide range OF subjects, social
and political economy, history, religion,
cookery, music, literature. journalism phi
lology, and moral reform. Instruction in the
sciences, languages, and different arts, Sun
day schools classes IN music and drawing
and classes for Scriptural study will be va
ried by the relaxation OF lighter pursuits,
and by out-and-out diversions of an unques-
tionaby innocuous kind.
1t will be very remarkable gathering
tho like OF which cannot be found In any
other country than this. Tho proceedings,
too, will be watched with great interest by
the many thousands Of men and women in
all parts OF the Union and In foreign
places who arc pursuing the courses
of study and reading laid down under
the Chautauqua system. The plan is
to provide home reading arranged method
ically; and it meets the needs or the desires
OF multitudes Of people at loss to find how
best to educate their minds and extend the
range OF their information. This ambition
for self-improvemente extends to the smallest
hamlet OF the Western frontier and is re-
vealed to US by great numbers of correspond
ents, who send inquiries as to the means
OF gratifying it, 1t is most common among
young women, who comprise the vast ma.
jority OF the Chautauqua readers, but it Is
also displayed by very many men, both
young and old. They all believe that II they
can gain admttance into the temple Of
knowledge, they will secure treasures which
will assist them along the path Of material
and social advancement Their great handi-
cap in the race and competition Of life they
think to be their ignorance OF what books
contain, though they may possess stores Of
knowledge acquired by observation and ex-
perlence Of life OF greater practical value to
them. And it is wholesome ambition. for
1t is the desire to make the most Of them
selves. 1t stimulates industry and conquers
self-indulgence.
Hence the Chautauqua Assembly grows
more and more important every year, and
the circle of Chautauqua readers continual
ly widens. The religious camp meeting Of
the past, with its exhorters and spiritual
dissipation, is replaced by the camp meeting
for intellectual development. with hosts of
professors and teachers OF every branch Of
learning, and multitudes Of diligent pupils.
who are Of an age to understand the
value OF tho knowledge impaired. Chautau-
qua itself started as an association for relig-
ious purposes, for improving Sunday school
instruction moro particularly, and it has
become what 1t Is because the urgent de-
mand of the people has brought about the
transformation. They wanted such schools
as 1t provides. and they have compelled it to
set them up.
This summer gathering OF serious stu
dents by the Chautauqua Lake Is one Of the
most impressive manlfestat lions in the re-
cont development OF our civilization.