New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-19
CHAl [.
WORK OF THE EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL AS
SEMBLY.
. COMPARISON WITH THE WORK OF THE FIRST
YEAR-PnoGRAMME OF THE PRESENT

SEASON.
Chautauqua, ~ Y, July Is.-The eighteenth an
nual ChautauQua Assembly has been in session Just
two weeks, and some idea can now be had of the
general outlook for the summer. From the Tune inc
gates opened there has been steady influx OF cot
tagers students and visitors IN such numbers as 70
eclipse the record 81 all past years. And what Is
still pleasing TO chronicle there is marKeo I'M
provement in The quality Of Chautauquas patrons as
well as In the quantity The sO-oaled "clrcus eic-
ment" of other has practically disappeared anu
the great majority Of people who come TO Chsutanqua
now come for one purpose-to 60 away broader and
better men and women, intellectually, physically and
spiritually.
The casual visitor to Chaptauqua Is struck with
the almost endless variety OF things which are open
TO his pleasure peculiar whm. All sorts oil WORK
are going on. Here are classes IN sacred theology
In science In lctter-wting school of cooking, course
of lectures on ancient medieval and modern history
schools OF music for the voice. the piano. the organ
the violnin fact, almost everything under the snn.
Then there is college chapel at 10 In the morning
vespcrs every Wednesday at Z, and choral singing
almost every day Besides this. there are the 1olest
sort of entertainments full Of fun and humor to rest
the student after the days work. and every seventh
day comes the Chautauqua sabbath The gates close,
the secular connection with the big world outside is
severed and Chautauqua gives herself up entirely to
the worship OF the Creator in His first temples
Everybody not only accepts but is more than pleased
The superficial observer makes a great blunder If
no fancies that all this conglomeration of diverse e$
ercises Is accidental without basis OF unity Every
single feature Of the Chautauqua programme has Its
root in the great and radical idea of Chautauqua and
underneath all this variety there is perfect unity. The
whole programme is under the control Of one mind,
with interference from any source whatever. The
chancellor has given TO him full power, and has ex
ercsed that full power from the beginning to determine
every feature of the programme from commencement
to close.
Again, one aim dominates everything Chautauqua
has for its keynote Education all sides,
for all people through all time" 1t en-
braces the tniest kindergarten pupil and
the most venerable grandfather who in his old age
loves to read AMI study In his chosen field. 1t provides
direction and inspiration for the humbest Sunday
school teacher and yet in its college classes will be
found seminary, hghschool and college professors who
here for the effect upon them of the broadening rec
Teatng. Inspiring and truly educating work OF the
Summer College of Liberal Arts.
1t is the glory of the Chauauqua administration that
II omts faculty power Of the human being In its
work of education. 1t is prominently q school for
adults and It's first principle not so much the cduca
of the children the education of the parents of
the children. Chauauqua tries to reach the homes Of
fe people TO put art better books higher class
Of conversation nober aspirations into the family life
Indeed Chautauqua is the true university extension
movement Of the world today 1t extends the knowl-
people; 1t urges upon parents perpetually the i'm
portance of keeping their boys in the hghechoo and
Of sending them from the high school to the college.
Its annals full of the testimonials of college students
and college graduates who have enjoyed this great
blessing Of life college training through the impulse
given them and to their parents by the Chauauqua
movement. ChautauQus answers to the people the
weak objections to college training Bishop Vincent
has old saying which he seems to take great pleas
ure in giving TO the public, follows II twenty-five
years from oT there not % per cent more students
in the college because Of Chatauqra then we may re-
gard Chautauqu1 comparative failure"
The Institution has three great departments First,
the Assembly, which provides for summer recreation
and Instruction; second, the Reading Circles, which
provide for continuous of readings to DO kept
up through the entire year at home third the liberal
and fine art schools, which cover every department Of
education, and which not only hold summer sessions al
Chautauqua, but continue their work by thorough
system of correspondence between teachers and pupils
during the entire year.
College men are sometimes afraid that students Of
the ChautauQua College OF Liberal Arts, with It's
spondence methods, will forfeit entirely the great adj
vantage which comes from the personal contact OF
pupils with the living TEACHER IT must be admitted
that this is of the disadvantages of the CORE
spondence method but Chautauqua has sought to over
il by urging every correspondence pupil TO find
local scholars college graduates and others, many OF
WHOM would make superior teachers II they were to
give their lives to that profession and through con-
versations, local lecture courses, the organization Of
local clubs and classes the inspiration that
the living voice and the personal entlusi
asm Of the teacher. Many of the eorN spondence
pupils under the instruction all the while of private
professional teachers at home Most Of the Chautau
qna literary and scientific clubs for reading have reu
lar organizations with readings, recitatOnS, reviews
and often rigid examinations OF course an occasional
reception lends variety 10 this work and keeps up
healthy social spirit.
The most radical university extension movement
that has been effected either side of the is EN-
bodied in Chautauqua The home study feature Of
the university extension work in England and America
is the outgTOwth of the Chautauqua suggestion. The
English university extension men frankly acknowledge
this. No one can observe the work Of the school al
Chautauqua, listen 10 the talk of the Chautauquan
who teach by correspondence, hear the announce
ments made from the amphitheatre and at the C. L
S. c. ground tables" by the chancellor, and doubt fol-
ono moment the high place which Chautauqua gives Il
the college, and the contribution that Chautauqui
makes the development of university work
Between the first year, 1874, with its session of four
teen days, and the Chautauqua session of 1891, o
nearly as many weeks, there is indeed quite a con
trast. Chautauqua In 1874 a very crude plac,
INTELLECTUALLY. The meetings held in the opel
air, in what was known as the Auditorium changes
to Miller Park. There perhaps dozen structure
on the grounds. These were chiefly small cottages
hemock boards, built around the Auditorium. Their
rough hotel on the hilltop, near the present sit
OF tie soda water stand opposite the stores. Virtually
the place has been entirely rebuilt since the first year
as most of the original structures have disappeared
As 10 the number OF lectures, they have OF cours
increased greatly with the engheniDg of tile season
The first session in 1874 lasted scarcely two weeks
For several years the limit Of the session was tire
weeks Gradually the term was extended, until /
now includes over eight weeks. There now abou
$50 public lectures say nothing Of classroom excr
cises. Probably in 1947 there were not moie tha
fifty or sixty public exercises
Between twenty and twenty-five new cottages wer
put up during the last year, and the total numbe
must now reach the neghborhood Of 500. There ar
165 acres included in the old grounds and what
known as the new purchase" the grove and BAL
field south Of the fence, Oh the lake front.
When studies the programme OF 1874 however
he surprised to that while IT had special referenc
20 Biblical and Sunday schoo topics, the germs of tn
Assembly to-day were wrapped up in it, II is mis-