The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1907-10-18
THE LYCEUM COURSE
One Way to Make Winter a Joy
In the Smaller Towns.
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,

|
! 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 ediication 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 few
DAYS. or in some cases for few
weeks, which bring thousands of out
, siders and furnish entertainment to
the residents as well. The outsiders.
of course. spend considerable money
in 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 ..ln1e and
get some benefit out Of the lectures
|
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. It 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 win
ter lecture course Is that 1T enlivens
the town. Winter has dull days and
nights, and when the people are pre-
scented with an opportunity to attend
musical entertainment, hear celebrat-
ed lecturer or see high class variety
performance it does not require an
overmastering advertising genius to
make a success out Of such course.
Usually the agents of the lyceum bu-
reaus begin the work Of establishing
q 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 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-
t mental musicians, lecturers with stere-
optican adiuncts and 4 vast variety Of
entertainers from whom to choose the
talent" In the language Of the lyco
/ um 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
| ize lyceum course II he or she has
the requisite enterprise to stay with
the proposition until 1t Is a 90. The
public school principal frequently starts
the ball to rolling He gets the Meth
, odist preacher and the Baptist preach
err and the Presbyterian preacher in
terested. He lays his plans before the
.. persons llterarily or artistically in
clined or those who like a solid lecture
7 tween them all they hit upon series
Of performances which suits all tastes
! The lecture bureaus supply talent al
the prevailing rate. For some towns il
+ is a lower rate than for others, accord
ing to the transportation conditions
, and the like. Sometimes Il person OF
note ON the platform may be engaged
+ at cut rate because he happens t
+ have an open date and is in the partic
, ular neighborhood which wants him
r The local managers of the course soor
learn to look out for such snaps.
! The fact that a town has winter
, | lyceum course Is mighty good thing
for the place in the eyes of outsiders
Y In a town where everything IS stag
| nant throughout the long winter, Wher,
there is nothing doing, where the opor:
house Or public hall is shut tight from
month to month and the cobHebs c!lzs
. ter about the windows and doors. The
!. visiting stranger Is not likely to he at
tracted to make q return visit Bu
when he finds that he can while away
an evening at the hall listening Il
some well known lecturer, funny man
musical expert or other ente", Amer he
is pretty sure to go away speaking {
good word for that town.
Lyceum courses, as rule are sell
! supporting. 1t all depends upon tht
, vigor with which the manager works
y and upon the temper Of the population
In some towns lyceum manager
a makes good money out Of Il course
J. while elsewhere he finds it only Al
even break. But even in the event Of
a deficit at the close Of the season
there is no town that cannot afford t
a have a lyceum course, for the defici
2 may be made up by contributions from
f enterprising citizens. If properly push
2 ed there will be no deficit the SECOND
t year,
e The number Of entertainments anC
r their class depends upon the size OF
TO ND Io cl,o 1f he