The Washington herald., 1913-10-01
CHAUTAUQUAIS
Highly PRAISED
Bureau of Education Pamph-
let Says Courses Are Of
Great Value.
AID In RURAL DISTRICTS
Lectures on Farming, Poultry Raising,
Soils, and Seeds Are Now
Being Provided.

While the country still is undecided
whether to hold its sides at the picture
Of William Jennings Bryan. Secretary OF
State. competing with maCicians and
luEglerS on the Chautauqua platform, or
10 wear its darkest frown of condemna-
tion for the Premier's course in deliver
ing addresses for money, the Bureau of
Education has come to the rescue with
a brief brochure on the great value Of
the Chautauqua lecture
The Chautauqua. as an educational
institution. is declared to he of great
value by many educators in addition to
thinkers in other lines. DR.. Philander p.
'laNton, chief of the Bureau Of Educa-
ion. is one Of its strong advocates.
The pamphlet, issued under his direc-
ion, treats of the value Of the Chau-
.auqua in the rural districts. The coUn-
Try recently has been attracting the at
:ention of the Bureau of Education, and
Efforts are being made to establish high
standard Of education in the rural sec
ions of the land. To accomplish this
md Dr. ClaNton and his bureau believe
hat the Chautauqua can be utilized with
good effect
The bureau points out that whereas the
irst Chautauqua lectures consisted Of
little other than Bible study. now they
AXE in a scope which veritably aspires
;oward university curriCulums Academic
subjects have been taken up and lecture
courses arranged in nearly all the higher
arts and learned professions and now
courses have been provided dealing with
.hinEs purely rural ChautauQua lectures
Jn farming stock judging. poultry rails
ng. soils. seeds, household economy. and
the use Of farming implements have been
provided.
Fin" Arts Not FOrsuLcn.
But these narrower and more technical
subjects are not UsurpinE the entire lee
lure platform. The fine arts and the
academy are not forsaken. but their
teachings are. by means of the Chau-
tauqua. being taken into the country
where they are more accessible to those
whose kinship with the soil is so close
that they cannot go TO the cities fire.
0uentlv enough to grasp the OppOrtuni-
ties which community existence affords |
Therefore. the Bureau OF Education |
holds the ChautauQua should he placed |
on a plane Of considerable dignity. The |
Influence Of the ChautauQua is broad In |
Illinois. Nebraska. Iowa. Kansas AMI |
Missouri, more than jOO Chautauqua lee !
ture series were held last year, more |
than I0U being in towns Of only 5oO i'll |
habitants. In many places clubs have |
been formed to carry on the course of |
study or Of garden experimentation in |
aUsurated at the lectures
Dr. C!aXton also has much to saw in |
praise of the educational work being
done by the Grange. 1t Mas a long
time ago that the Grange first was
esta blished in the United States: not
so long ago its rather burnt-out energy
WAS revivitied, and today the Grange, |
which extends its lodges to every State /
in the Union. has a wide influence and I
4 strong organization. The Order of |
Patrons OF Husbandry is the full title !
Of the Grange, but it is chiefly known |
hy the latter title. In the West there !
iS scarcely prosperous farming COM |
munity that does not have its local |
lodge or chapter OF the Grange. While !
this society has an influence on politics
and along other lines it also has taken
an interest in the disse animation of the
newer education. Eoca ational study on
the part Of the rural youth is being
i"s'ered by the Grange almost every
where. says the Bureau of Education.
Work of RurnI Church.
The bureau also calls attention to the
work heing done ny the rural church in
the spread OF the newer education among
the people Of the rural districts II is
an interesting conception Of tho bureau
that perhaps the country church. better
than another agency. can forward the
work Of education on the subject Of
hygiene. There seems to have been an
awakening in this department Of thought,
both in theory and practice. It is the
desire OF the bureau that the people of
the country should he taught what is
valuable in the science of hygiene as
well as the city dweIlers. So it has IA
vOred the forming OF clubs in the rural
churches and has suggested that lecture
be provided