Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-11-14
The LYCEUM COURSE
One Way to MAKE Winter a Joy
In the Smaller Towns
VARIETY OF ENTERTAINERS.

VARIETY OF entertainers.
Growth Of the "Lecture Bureau" Bust
ness In Recent Years-Fine Chance to
Entertain Citizens and Attract Out.
siders In This Way.
Now that the Chautauqua season is
closing towns throughout the United
States are beginning to look forward
to the winter lecture course. During
the past few years the lyceum bureaus
have been the means Of giving much
amusement and edifcation to many
small towns and cities which in other
days were devoid of such enterprises.
Many GOWNS now have summer Chau-
tauqua assemblies lasting for a few
days, or In some cases for a few
weeks, which bring thousands Of out
siders and furnish entertainment to
the residents as we'll. The outsiders,
of course, spend considerable money
in a Chautauqua town. AS a rule they
are city people or those from neigh
boring towns and from the country
who are out on their summer vacations.
They want to have a good time and
get some benefit out of the lectures
and other entertainments. No town
with a Chautauqua assembly ever re-
grets it, because the enterprise helps
local trade in practically all branches.
The winter lyceum or lecture course
is distinct from the Chautauqua, be-
cause it is spread over a much longer
period. 1t is chiefly for the home
people, though many persons from
neighboring towns without a lyceum
course are attracted to the entertain
ments..
One of the finest things about a win
ter lecture course is that it enlivens
the town. Winter has dull days and
nights, and when the people are pre-
sented with an opportunity to attend a
musical entertainment, hear a celebrat-
ed lecturer or see a high class variety
performance it does not require an
overmastering advertising genius to
make a success out of such a course.
Usually the agents Of the lyceum bu-
reaus begin the work of establishing
a course, but any citizen can do this.
There are excellent lyceum bureaus in
cities like Chicago, Boston, Memphis,
Kansas City, Los Angeles and Allan
ia which supply complete courses of
entertainment. The average course
comprises about half a dozen numbers,
with two or three weeks between
dates. There are many talented per-
sons doing this platform work. There
are humorous lecturers, musical
troupes, individual singers or instru-
mental musicians, lecturers with stere-
optican adjuncts and a vast variety of
entertainers from whom to choose the
talent" In the language of the lyce-
UNI these people are called talent.
Some Of them are more talented than
Others, but that is not the point.
Any person in any town may organ
lie a lyceum course If he or she has
the requisite enterprise to stay with
the proposition until it is a go. The
public school principal frequently starts
the ball to rolling. He gets the Meth.
odist preacher and the Baptist preach.
er and the Presbyterian preacher in,
terested. He lays his plans before the
persons literarily or artistically in.
clined or those who like a solid lecture
on a, solid topic now and then, and be.
tween them all they hit upon a series
of performances which suits all tastes
The lecture bureaus supply talent al
the prevailing rate. For some towns II
Is a lower rate than for others, accord
ing to the transportation conditions
and the like. Sometimes a person OF
note on the platform may be engaged
at a cut rate because he happens tt
have an open date and is in the partic
ular neighborhood which wants him
The local managers of the course soo1
learn to look out for such snaps.
The fact that a town has a winter
lyceum course is a mighty good thing
for the place in the eyes. of outsiders
In a town where everything is stag
nant throughout the long winter, where
there is nothing doing, where the opera
house or public hall is shut tight from
month to month and the cobwebs clus
ter about the windows and doors, the
visiting stranger is not likely to be at
tracted to make a return visit. BIZ
when he finds that he can while away
an evening at the hall listening t.
some we'll known lecturer, funny man
musical expert or other entertainer, he
is pretty sure to go away speaking 6
good word for that town.
Lyceum courses, as a rule, are sell
supporting. 1t all depends upon the
vigor with which the manager works
and upon the temper of the population
In some towns a lyceum manager
makes good money out of a course
while elsewhere he finds it only al
even break. But even in the event Of
n deficit at the close Of the season
there is no town that cannot afford tt
have a lyceum course, for the defici1
may be made up by contributions from
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