The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-01-25
GLEN ECHO CHAUTAUQUA.
AN ENTERPRISE WHICH WAS SUG-
GEsTED by A WOMAN,
And Which Promises to he "a Magnificent
Success Women and the Chautauqua
Movement Generally-The Site at Glen
Echo.


Echo.
In all the great philanthropic, religious, and
charitable work of the world woman is a power
full, If not the most powerful agent leading on
to success. Nature and grace have combined
to make her such. All clergymen recognize
that in woman's sympathy and cooperation
much of their pulpit and parish success lies.
Nobody now denies that women have shown In
various ways remarkable adaptability and e1-
ecutive talent, united to steadfastness and
courage that laughs at obstacles and pegs away
at every hindrance until her elective point is
reached. When woman wills she will, is as
true to-day as 1t was thousand or five thousand
years ago. Adam found that out in the Garden
of Eden; and every man with life rounded out
by marriage since has found the same thing true
of his other half-sweet, wilful woman. Hap
PLY for the world, she is now generally found
trying to carry some good point.
There has recently been project started in
the vicinity of Washington, the National
Chautauqua of Glen Echo, the idea of which
originated with woman earnest for the promo
tion of education and the public good. She it
was who suggested the idea to the twin broth
ers, Edward and Edwin Baltzley, and secured
the concession of probably the most valuable
piece of land in the United States for Chautau-
H. Gillet, of Cincinnati, Ohio, to come to
Washington and help organize the flfty-third
American Chautauaua. This same woman has
lent helping hand in bringing the good project
up to its present wonderful development.
Thus it happens that this great National
Chautauqua comes here with a threefold
mission. 1t is an ASSEMBLY for religious i'm
provement, for Bible study. From the simple
Bible class with which it began that phase of its
studies has widened greatly. The specialist,
the lecturer, and other lines of work, such as
the confirmation of the truths of Holy Writ from
observation and travel In Bible lands, have been
opened. Then came class work. music, art, lit
erature. The second phase Of Chautauaua origi-
mated with Bishop Vincent and resulted in the
"Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle" 1t
was not intended to supplant, but to lead the
way to the college and university, and to en-
courage those who never expected to enjoy
these higher educational advantages to educate
themselves On the opening day, 1878, one
thousand members were enrolled, and now over
one hundred and twenty-five thousand are scat
tered over the world, large proportion of
whom are women.
The third phase of Chautauqua was the "Chau-
tauqua University" DR.. Gillet said at the Chau-
tauqua meeting on Monday night In Foundry
Methodist Church: "a short time ago 1 received
a telegram from lady in Washington to come
and assist in founding Chautauqua here
came. l visited the grounds and they seemed
to me most admirably fitted for the purpose
Concessions were secured from the owners by
which the organization secured eighty acres of
land, wonderfully adapted for the purpose,
y
Articles of incorporation were drawn up and
and flled,'' and on Monday afternoon the incor-
porators elected their officers.
The many departments devoted to woman's
| special culture in the Chautauqua movement
call for a board of lady managers.
| Taking the Assembly Herald, of Chautau-
| qua, n. T., for last seasons programme as a
| guide, one finds that woman is highly favored
in having special .'days'' or lines of work
| planned for her pleasure and development.
The Chautauqua Assembly being founded upon
the religious (not sectarian) idea, one finds that
! Deaconess Day is set apart early in the season
| for the exercise of an interdenominational con-
| ference concerning the establishment in the
| cities and towns of s'deaconess homes" Next
COMES class in cooking for, however spiritual,
one must cook and eat in this world, and it We're
best to know how. Then temperance looms up
| under the auspices of the w. IT u Lectures
| and the Delsarte system Of expression follow.
| Helen Campbell, of New York, was set down
| to talk of "Prsoners of Poverty" Other lee
lures by women for women were on literary
| taste and Shakespearian drama. Another on
the "Higher Education of Women" with dra-
matte readings, music, both vocal and instru-
| mental, In classes or singly, and with concerts
| interspersed. OF course there was the
"Woman's Club" for women have developed
| within twenty years into a most clubabe
| creature, almost as good for Climb life as man.
| 1t is so much more interesting to pursue either
! pleasure or recreation in good company than
| alone. Under the club head thirty topics OF
| special INTEREST 10 women were considered on
| as many separate days. Another programme
followed in which women took part as lecturers
| with their brethren on travel, art, literature,
and scientific subjects. Thus a wide world of
| interests of peculiar charm and opportunity
cluster round every Chautauqua for women who
| aspire to know something. The young woman
| is steadied and stimulated. The mother of
| family is lifted out OF mere drudgery by pur-
| suing Chautauqua course of reading.
Glen Echo will bear being spoken of with enthu
siasm. Even on severely cold winters day its
beauties lay bare and charming under the colo
| kiss OF winter sunshine What must 1t be, with al
these hills clothed in Verdure, these naked tree,
crowned with summer foliage, the laughing
water warm, and the soft, delicate blue haze o.
our summer skies over all
Those who chose Glen Echo for a Chautauqua
made no mistake. Nature followed out from
the midst of the dimpled hills the very place
for the amphitheatre. And a more picturesque
spot for the new pavilion to stand could not be
chosen than the jutting crags on which the one
| that was burned this winter rested like an
architects dream of rugged beauty.
The hill that Grandpa Scott bought and gave
to his daughter, Mrs. Harrison, is the loVeliest
spot of all for a summer home. 1t commands
miles of river view up and down stream, with
Cabin Johns and the worlds wonderful
arch of the bridge spanning the river in the
! northwest, and low ridge of blue that limits
the horizon and the distant chain of mountains
High Island and Sycamore and Indian Islands IL
the river front are Natures picnic ground i
took no prophet to see, as in beautiful vision
those lovely stretches adorned with the cottages
amphitheatre, pavilion, and lastly, but moi
least, Woman's Temple, memorial to some
great woman, in the midst thereof, with greai
multitude OF men, women, and children enjoy