The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1911-08-17
CHAUTAUOUA
The Opening.

able weather the Seventh Annual AS
sembly of the Oskaloosa and Mahas-
ka County Chautauqua was opened
Tuesday evening in an suspicious way
The attendance was the best first
night crowd the association has ever
experienced. The unusual excellence
of the weeks program has attracted
hosts of campers to the ground and
the regular patronage is in excess of
anything before recorded.
Patrons and citizens who attended
the opening night We're well pleased
with the first number and the spirit
in which the Chautauqua was inaug-
urated. Eight o'clock had arrived be-
fore the president of the Association,
Mr.. G. w. Shockley, called for order,
and at that time the great tabernacle
was well filled with an attentive audi
ence, eager for the beginning of the
program. The singing of America by
the audience, lead by Rev. McFerran,
piano accompaniment by Miss Jennie
Fry, was the first number on the pro-
gram of the evening. This was fol-
lowed by the invocation of the Devine
blessing upon the meeting and the
entire ChautauQua by Rev. J. M. Nc
Clelland of the Central Methodit Epis-
copal church. G. w. Shockley, presi-
dent of the Chautauqua Association,
a man who has been personally inter-
ested in the Chautauqua movement
locally since its organization six years
ago and who has given much of his
time and personal effort TO the sue
cess of the annual meetings, came
forward with the annual address and
was greeted with an enthusiastic out
burst of applause Mr.. Shockley's ad
tauqua movement among the people
of the land and of what it is accom-
plishing. He spoke in part as follows:
Ladies and Gentlemen:
1t certainly gives the Board of Di-
rectors a great deal of pleasure to
welcome this fine audience to the OPP
ening session of the Seventh Annual
Oskaloosa Chautauqua, and which, We
trust, will be the most successful of
any session in its history.
1t has happened to fall to my lot in
the recent weeks just past to write
great deal concerning the Oskaloosa
Chautauqua and the talent to be pre-
scented, having prepared the booklet
and all the advertising matter used,
hp-fInC Ennniru in rnaharp N
formed of the good things in store for
them. So that if brevity be the sole
of wit, this talk shall be brief. In this
matter of talking about the Chautau-
qua l am almost in the same position
Of the old gentleman with curtain
lecture wife, who, waking up in the
wee sma' hours and hearing her talk
ing in her sleep, asked her if she was
talking yet or again. ! scarcely am
able to tell whether this talk is yet or
again.
We have a noted minister specially
engaged to tell you as the days go by
of the good things to come, and |
shall only say the program of the
Oskaloosa Chautauqua challenges CON-
parison with any in the Middle West.
Mr. Bryan, whom We shall have the
pleasure of hearing Saturday, has
this to say on the influence of the
Chautauqua on moral and political
progress:
The Chautauqua affords one of the
best opportunities now presented TO
the public speaker for the discussion
of questions of interest to the people.
The audience is select one and al
ways composed of the thoughtful ele-
ment of the community, and as they
pay admission, they stay to hear. |
believe that considerable part of the
progress that is now being made along
the line of moral and political re-
forms is traceable TO the influence of
the Chautauqua. An increasing num-
Der of men OF prominence are avail
ing themselves of the Chautauqua
platform, and believe that the mum.
Der will continue to grow"
The Chautauqua is the peoples for
UNI. Here questions of politics, morals
and religion are discussed from a non
partisan and non-sectarian standpoint.
We often find that the men whom we
oppose with might and main politi-
cally brings the message that charms,
soothes, and fortifies US in our Chris.
tian faith or moral ideas. Thus it
has come to pass that Mr.. Bryan in
his great lecture-sermon, THE Prince
of Peace" receives the warm plaud-
its from those who oppose his polit-
ical ileas. That Governor Hanley, of
the opposite political faith, by his elo-
quence arouses the enthusiasm of
those not his partisans.
Here ii is that DR.. Cook pleads his
own cause with the people, face to
face.
That John Mitchell, in a calm and
address lays down the
ideas of Trades Unionism.
That Senator Gore shows by his ell
that broad knowledge of great
questions that adversely and affliction
can be overcome.
The great speakers OF the land with
messages of potent moment, are thus
given hearing by those whom they
could not reach in any other way.
The Chautauqua brings TO the PEG.