Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-11
The Chautauoua Literary Circle.

In 1879 the length of the school term was
extended several weeks and secular de-
partments were introduced to crafty peo-
pIe who were not to be missionaries ana
were not engaged in Sunday school work
At the beginning they were limited TO
purely literary culture-courses OF reading,
history, biography, travel, science ana the
arts-and everybody became so much IN
terested that when the term was about to
close some one suggested that 1t would be
good idea to continue me siuales at,ea Yer
the students returned to their homes: and
thus the ChautauQua Literary Study circle
was organized The first man to sign his
name as a student was DR.. Lucius Buggy,
president of Allegheny College, Meadvllle.
Pa The second was DR.. Albert Vail of
New York. one Of the foremost Hebrew
scholars of the world, who remarked as he
rose from the table where he had signed
the roll:
LET us keep the Heavenly Father in the
midst"
THAT shall be the motto" said Bishop
Vincent and the idea Is now expressed
upon the seal of the society: I'VE Study the
Word and the Works Of Cod
The circle continued to expand until about
1890, when it reached its maximum mem
bership and embraced the whole world. On
certain evenings of the week in the winter
season men and women, scattered in every
land, sat down together with the same mo-
tive and purpose, to study the same subject
and discuss the same topic, until quarter
of million people were enrolled, The num-
bers have since fallen Off considerably,
owing to the organization of rival associa-
lions and the development Of literary clubs
reading circles, current topic classes and
other means of literary culture and social
enjoyment. But the Chautaudua circle Is
still found in every part of the country
pursuing courses of study to meet the tastes
and desires of people, long out of school,
who wish to review their studies and in
crease their knowledge, and composed of
thousands who have been denied educa-
y,nl dyya1 fn md N
want a broader outlook. 1t has been home
college; its faculty has consisted Of some
of the ablest men Of the generation; It's text
books have been prepared expressly to meet
it's requirements, and its graduates are
numbered by tens of thousands.
The summer school at Lake Chautauqua
grew in fame, usefulness and attendance
until ten and twelve thousand people would
assemble for a month or more in the beau
tiful groves on the shore of Lake Chautau-
qua and engage in the study of almost
every subject that can be imagined-from
Hebrew and Sanskrit to painting on china
and "spatter work.
The Undertaking Initiated.
The plan popular that the New
England people took it up and opened a
suirmer school on similar lines at South
Fl mingham; but that location was too
near Boston. No chautauqua near large
city has ever been successful Only those
people who are deprived Of intellectual en-
tertinment during the greater part Of the
year will do serious work at the summer
schools. People who have plenty of diver
sion at home and local opportunities for
culture will not attend chautauquas. At
the same time summer school was sue
eessfully established at Island Park. near
Rome, Ind, AND is still furnishing. Then
the idea was taken up at Ottawa, KAN
and Monona Lake. near Madison, Wis. and
Mr.. Hitchcock, lecture manager of De-
troit, started an independent movement at
Bay View, Mich The other summer schools
have named were affiliated with the
original assembly at Lake Chautauqua, but
Mr.. Hitchcock prepared his own textbooks
and organized his own reading circles. Since
that time assemblies have been held an
nually In different parts of the country, as
the list / have given above shows, and 1t
looks as though there might be one, sooner
or later, In every county of some of the
western states
There are two kinds of chautauquas.
About twenty-five Of the assemblies In
clude summer schools for serious study UNI
| der regular faculties, extending from four
| to six weeks. The remainder are for enter
tainment and recreation only and continue
a week or ten days. The most prominent
] summer schools are at Lake ChautauQua,