The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-08-10
TALENT IN CIIAUTAUQUA HAS WIDE MEANING

than an obscure teacher At . Baptist
college In Ohio. His services were OBJ
tanned for the season Of 1ssa
Home circle studies were established
20 that persons attending the Chautauqua
Assembly. as II was then called. might
continue their work during winter. A cor
respondence school In college subjects was
started and out of 1t grew the corre-
spondence schools which are now flourish
ing in different parts Of the country.
Chautauqua, however. because OF the
large expense, turned over that coiiegiate
branch of its educational work to the
University of Chicago.
Academic gentlemen laughed 81
Bishop vincente summer schools when
they were opened. 1t was absurd, they
said, to attempt to educate men and
women In six weeks. Bishop Vincent re-
piled that he didn't expect to educate
people during a single Chautauqua sea.
son, but meant to give them inspiration
and direction through contact with able
men who knew how to teach 80 that
they could go home and continue their
studies. Academic gentlemen have since
adopted the Vincent idea and summer
schools have become regular features at
nearly all of the colleges and universe
ties. Chautauqua Institution. 10 not q
money-making enterprise. Dividends arc
not paid to any one. II a profit Is
made II is put back into the plant, the
program, the teaching staff, or the extern
sion of the home reading course"
How many chautauquas are there in
the country? I asked.
about forty. counting only those which
are on a permanent basis. They have no
organic connection with the one on Lake
Chautauqua and most Of them are owned
by local stock companies. Few. II any
Of them. make money. They have plants
to maintain the year through. and only
get returns from the investment during a
short period each summer. The second
chautauqua was established on the Pa
cific Coast. Then one was started in
New England. The managers OF the
various organizations meet once a year
to exchange thoughts and experiences.
but there Is no combination in any mat
ter Of business or policy.
1T has been suggested that the different
chantauquas be standardized. Such an
undertaking, perhaps, might be carried
through by a genius in business IL tie
profits were large but as the profits are
inconsiderable. even where there are any.
the scheme seems to be impracticable
without endowment. The charge for
tickets at Chautauqua, N. T.. Is $50 fer
the season OF eight weeks. Elsewhere the
charge Is seldom more than $50 for ten
days.
How to Get a Chautauqua.
"rhere are chautauquas and chautau-
quas." Mr.. Bray went on to say. THE
permanent chautauqua usually has sum-
mer school classes as well as public
programs. This type should not be con-
fused with the multitude OF other enter
prises Of the somewhat similar character
which are irregularly engaged IN various
parts of the country. The itinerant chau-
tauquas are managed by six or eight ly-
ceum or lecture bureaus. An agent for
bureau. let US say. sgoes to St. Joseph.
Mo. He calls on the principal banker.
preacher or merchant and asks II he
would like to have a chautauQne IN the
town for q week or ten days The agent
has a list of the talent available for the
enterprise. which he shows and describes
with more or less eloquence. Thus the
preliminary arrangements are made. Per-
haps the local committee hires the hall
and does all the routine business, or the
agent may assume that responsibility. At
all events the date il fixed and the con-
tract made. Then the agent goes to the
next place. There are chains Of such
as many as 17s being under
a single bureau management.