Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-25

cob Riis, Julia Ward Howe, Jane Ad-
dams, Charles w. Eliot, and dozens
of others famous in politics, social
reform, religion, education, law and
literature.
Among those who have appeared in
circuit or local ChautauQuas during
the last two or three years, or are
appearing this summer, are Vice
President Marshall, Speaker Champ
Clark, Joseph W. Folk, Dr. Harvey
w. Wiley, Dr. Newell Dwight Hills,
Ex-Governor H. S. Hadley of Mis-
souri,, Ex-Governor Robert Glenn of
North Carolina, Ex-Governor Richard
Yates of Illinois, Ex-Governor E. w.
Hoch of Kansas, United States Sena-
tor W. S. Kenyon of Iowa, ex-United
States Senator Frank J. Cannon of
Colorado, Ex-Governor Frank J. Han
ly of Indiana, Judge Ben B. Lindsey
of Denver, and Dean Walter T. Sum-
ner of Chicago
THE talent" is the technical term
applied in all the Chautauquas to
those who hold the platform, whether
it be by lecturing, singing or yodling.
OF this talent" Mr. Bryan is stated
to command the highest price. And
he is well worth it," said a chautau-
qua manager. Bryan certainly does
deliver the goods. He draws crowds
that no one else can
Mr.. Bryan is stated to receive $3.50
for each lecture, and a generous per-
centage in addition on all entrance
admissions above certain sum.
Vice President Marshall is stated to
10
being obtained by Senator La Fol-
lette. The minimum paid to any of
the talent" in the Chautauqua is de-
clared to be $50 a week and railroad
fares.
At the New York office of the Red
path chautauqua system, one of the
Is systems mentioned, it was esti-
mated that the expense of a chau-
tauqua is S2,500 per town. 1t was
stated that it is impossible to get def
mite figures for the whole United
States, but that by multiplying the g.
600 chautauqua towns by $4,000 what
is believed to be reasonable approx
nation is arrived at for the gross cost
of the chautauqua per season. This
gives s7,50O,OO0.
1t was also explained that it was
equally difficult to give definite at
tendance figures for the nation, but
that the 100000 estimate before
mentioned is probably not very far
out of the way. Attendance at towns
of the circuit chautauquas varies
from 1000 to 5000 for the five or
seven day season which each town
gets. Many of the local or independ-
ent chautauqua towns have season
of from two to six weeks, with pro-
portionately larger attendances. The
chautauqua institution, during its
60 day season, has an attendance of
$4,000 or more. If the average for
the 5000 chautauquas be put at 200
stated TO be reasonable-the' 5000,
600 figure results.
Chronologically. the development of
the chautauqua movement has been,
first, the establishment of the chau-
tauqua institution, the daddy of them
all; second, the formation of the
local, independent chautauquas. chief
" in towns of the middle west, these
chautauquas following the general
lines of the chautauqua institution;
third-the great development of the
last 10 years-the organization of the
system of circuit chautauquas.
The man who first proposed the
idea which ultimately led to the foun-
dalton OF the chautauqua institution
and thence the nationwide chautau-
quas OF today, is Bishop John II. Vim
cent, who in 1874 was Methodist
minister in Plainheld, N. j. His idea
was, in his own words, ''the estab-
lishment of summer camp institute
for the the training of Sunday school
workers: summer institute for thor
ough normal drill in the interest of
the great body of earnest men and
women who were in 1874 Sunday
school teachers and officers represent
ing all the various church denomlna-
tons of the country"