The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1911-07-20
THE CHAUTAUQUA
CLOSED SUNPAY
WEEKS ENTERTAINMENT ShES
TO AN END WITH EVE =
ING PROGRAM. s
RECEIPTS FAIL TO PAY E zNsts
Chautauqua Bureau Will Not Make Any
Money Out of Brookings-Pro-
grams Were All Pleasing.

The Brookings chautauqua came to
a close or Sunday evening, with a
splendid sermon on the Bible by DR..
Dent Atkinson. The week was a sue.
cess artistically, if not financially, and
the programs were much better as
a whole than last year This was
especially r of the speaking. All of
the lectures were gems, everyone of
them being splendid addresses. The
music was not as good on the whole,
we think, as last year, but it was en-
joyed and all of the performers tried
hard to please the audiences. The
ton Band and Orchestra were the best
of the lot and the others were as
good as the average travelling talent.
Perhaps the reason Brookings people
were not wholly pleased with the
music is that We have SO much good
talent in that line in the city that we
expect a little too much from the
travelling companies. One thing is
certain, Brookings musical talent
could give as good entertainment as
any OF the companies heard during
the week and better than the majority
of them.
That the c~hautauqua did not pay
out was not due to small crowds as
the programs were all well patronized
and the receipts were about two hun
dred dollars above last year. The
talent this year cost over nineteen
hundred dollars, four hundred dollars
more than last year., and the local
expenses We're about two hundred dol
lars. a total expense of twentyone
hundred dollars. The receipts r
a trife over seventeen hundred dol
lars, leaving a deficit of about four
hundred dollars. This will be should
ered by the Midland Chautauqua cir
cult, but they will probably not actua-
lv lose any money, as their commits
sion paid them by the talent will
amount to about the sun Of the de-
felt. However, they are in the bust
ness for money of course, and as they
did not make any in BroOkings they
may not feel like coming to the city
another year.
Many Brookings people have sug-
gested a different arrangement for a
c%hautauqua next year and their idea is
an excellent one if it is possible to
carry it out, They would secure about
the same speaking talent, that is their
equal in ability, as this year, and have
local musical talent, of which Brook
ings is so we'll supplied, furnish most
of the music. This would cut down
the expenses greatly and would give
us a chautauqua program at least the
equal OF this year. 1t is a pretty hard
proposition to raise twenty-one hun
dred dollars for one weeks entertain
ment. when the charge to holders of
season tickets is but a trife over ten
cents for each program.
That the chautauqua a not more
of a success financially was certainly
not the fault of Prof. Kerr, the local
manager. He worked for several
weeks, without pay, and the only pos
sible fault we can find with him is
that he gave the people too much for
their money. All arrangements at
the pavilion for the comfort and enjoy
ment of the audiences were perfect,
due to the efforts of Prof. Kerr, and
we believe he is entitled to the hearty
thanks of every chautauqua patron.
The programs the latter half of the
week We're featured by several good
addresses. On Thursday evening DR..
Edward A. OFT gave a splendid adj
dress. DIR, OFT is a deep thinker and
a serious speaker and he held the
interest of his audience throughout.
On Friday afternoon Governor Glenn
OF North Carolina, was the speaker
and he delivered perhaps the best adj
dress of the whole week. The address
was a powerful appeal for a higher
standard of manhood in everyday life,
and the thoughts expressed were Ger.
tainly inspiring to every listener. He
discussed American politics thorough
ly and advocated a more general
education Of the people as a remedy
for many Of the ills Of the present
system. The banks and many Of the
stores closed during the afternoon