The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-08-08
The LEON CHAUTAUQUA
Opcned Sunday. The Attractions
are Splendid in all Lines, but the
Attendance is Only falr.

at Leon under the auspices of the
Redpath-Vawter Chautauqua System,
opened last Sunday, and if the pro-
gram, as far as already given is any
criterion of what is to follow the
1912 Chautauqau is going to be the
best and most satisfactory we have
ever had. The big tent was erect
ed Saturday and the Chautauqua
opened Sunday morning with union
religious services at IL O'Clock,
when Rev. r. w. Reeder, pastor of
the Baptist church delivered splen-
did sermon to an appreciative audi
ence.
The superintendent this year is
Mr.. J. S. Morrison, of Fulton, Mo-,
a most pleasant and energetic gentle
man, who keeps things moving and
one of his hobbies is that every
program must commence promptly
on time. Mr.. Morrison is assistant
superintendent of the State School
for the Deaf at Fulton, and spends
his summer vacation in Chautauqua
work, this being his fourth year
with the Redpath-Vawter system.
He is ably assisted by five young
college boys, bright young men who
are spending their summer vacation
earning money with which to con-
tinue their college work. Mr.. H. c..
Driver, graduated this year from the
Coe College, Mr.. Robert M. Rogers
is another Coe graduate of this year,
Jack Whitsell graduated this year
from Cornell College and next year
goes to Missouri Wesleyan College
as teacher of mathematics and coach
Lat @1o hn
quite noted athlete. Will E. Bow
ersock is student at the State Uni
versity at Iowa City, and E. H.
Williams, of Odebolt, is in the Rail-
way Mail Service. They are all
pleasant young men, gentlemanly in
their manners and have made
number of friends in this city.
The morning sessions of the Chau-
tauqua commence at 9 o'clock with
the play hour for the children, this
work being in charge of Miss Bertha
Drown, a most entertaining young
lady who has won the hearts of all
the children who attend, about
eighty being enrolled and the num-
ber is increasing with each session.
She tells the little folks interesting
stories, teaches them new games,
and they are having a jolly good
time every session. The morning
lecturer is DR.. John p. Martin, who
commenced Tuesday morning at II
O'Clock to deliver series of five
lectures, and he has SO far been
greeted with larger audiences than
are present at most places at the
morning lecture. Tuesday morn
ing his subject was "The Drama of
the Rich Man and Lazarus" We'd
nesday morning, Jobs Dream of
Immortality" His lectures are
strong ones, as he is an entertaining
talker and commands the attention
of his hearers who are enjoying his
lectures, which seem to get better
each day.
The first regular program was
Sunday afternoon, the music for the
day being provided by the Maurer
Sisters Orchestra, and at both after
noon and evening they demonstrated
that they were musicians of ability,
rendering program of popular and
classical music, which touches the
hearts of their hearers. Each men,
Der of the orchestra is soloist, and
their program embraced variety
of musical numbers which pleased
the big audience in every particular.
The speaker for Sunday afternoon
was Rev. Chas. Fl. Fitzwilliams, and
he was a splendid talker. In COM
mencing his lecture he paid a fine
tribute to the Leon K. P. band, as he
heard them at the Saturday evening
concert, but deplored the lack OF
applause given the boys for their
fine music, which he said should be
more fully appreciated, as Leon had
one of the best bands he ever heard.
He advised as we have done before
that the people give the boys some
indication of their approval of their
music by liberal applause. He also
spoke highly of Leon's hotel, and
said that he enjoyed that day at
Hotel Leon the best meal he had
eaten since he left home six weeks
ago.. and during that time he had
eaten at many big hotels. His sub
ject was From the Trapeze to the
Pulpit" his lecture being portrayal
of his own life, commencing when
he was left an orphan in London,
when but a small lad, his father,
who was a circus performer, being
killed by fall from the trapeze on
which he was performing. Step by
step he told of his struggle for an
existence in a foreign country, and
how he attended night school in
order to obtain an education. He
walked a distance of 1913 miles in
order to obtain work in an iron
works. He finally returned to
America, his native land, where he
continued working in a machine
shop and secured college educa-
ton through his own efforts, after
which he commenced to preach and
had been a minister for thirty-two
years, and during all that time has
never missed a Sunday appointment,
and is now taking his first vacation
of year, which he is spending in
Chautauqua work and on the lecture
platform. He appealed to the young
boys and girls to stand for the best
there was in life, and gave much ad-
vice to his youthful hearers as we'll
as for his older ones to ponder on.
Sunday evening the Maurer Sisters
again delighted the audience, and SO
did the speaker, Hon. w. /. Nolan,
az Minneapolis, Mimi, and his lee