Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-06-15

CnduIduqua! Wnat is In name!
There is certainly something, but
more in the idea, and the Chautauqua
idea, to elevate, uplift and brighten
the lives of men, women and chill
dren, has become dominant factor
in the upbuilding of humanity.
The Southern Oregon Chautauqua
started in September, 1892, by Rev.
]. S. Smith, then pastor of the NJ. E.
church at Grants Pass, Ore, has be-
come a power for good, and now
when the second annual session is
soon to be held, sketch of the or
ganization and growth should be of
interest to all and especially those
who have come among us in the last
few years.
Previous to 1892 a camp meeting
organization and grounds has been
established a short distance west of
Central Point, Ore, where the Meth
odists held an annual camp meeting,
as it was and is still in some places
the custom of that denomination, and
while that meeting was in session and
on the j 9Th day of September, 1892,
the Southern Oregon Chautauqua AS
sociation was organized with forty
five members. The officers elected
were: Rev. J. S. Simth, president;
Rev. T. l.. Jones, vice-president;
Rev. Z. E. Phipps, secretary, and
Rev. E. f. Thompson, treasurer. A
constitution was adopted and the
meeting adjourned with the under
standing that session of the associa-
tion should be held the next year at
the camp grounds near Central Point.
On March 9, 1893, meeting of the
association was held at Central Point
and the place of meeting changed
from Central Point to Ashland, and
the trustees authorized to purchase
grounds and erect suitable buildings
thereon, at a total expense of not to
exceed $4,000, for which purpose the
bonds of the association were author
lied to be issued in said sum, and a
committee, consisting of E. D. Briggs
G.. F. Billings, F. H. Carter, ]. l.
Downing and J. S. Smith,. appointed
to take general charge of the business
of purchasing land and erecting
buildings.
The officers and committee at once
went to work, purchased the beauti
full grounds on Ashland creek
planned and erected the building
which has been used as an auditorium
ever since, and on the 5th day o
July, 1893, the opening session of th'
Association was held therein.
The building of the Chautauqu;
Tabernacle, as it was and is still
sometimes called, was accomplished
in the short period of five days aftel
the material was received from
Grants Pass, where it was prepared
and from forty to fifty men labored
energetically and without price, t
finish the building before the dat,
set for the meeting, and under tn,
foremanship of w. ]. Schmidt, for
mer resident of Ashland, the almos
impossible was accomplished.
At the election of officers in 1885,
Rev. ]. S. Smith was reelected presi
dent, Mrs. c. r. Minkler secretar,
and Fred Hansen, who died in Sal
Francisco last summer, treasurer.
The session of 1894 was schedules
to be held the fore part of July, bu
a strike on the Southern Pacific tie'
up travel until in August, when
most successful session was held an
G. F. Billings was elected president
which position he has held by annua
reelection ever since, and in fulfill
ing the duties of that position has pu
in an immense amount of time an
energy. Mrs. c. r. Minkler was re
elected secretary and F. H. Carte
treasurer, to which position he wa
reelected annually until 1918, whe
on account of his removal to Eugene