The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-10-07
COMMUNITY CHAuTAuQuA



and Vicinity in 1916
To promote the work Of the various
village Improvement Societies for the
future with the tentative idea Of
placing the District Nurse work on a
permanent financial footing, IL has
been practically arranged to hold a
fve-day, ten session, town union
Chautauqua in the summer of 1916.
The plan includes the formation Of
committee Of fifty" composed Of
representatives Of the three Manches-
tiers together with some from the Dor
sets and other neighboring places.
This committee will have general
oversight of the four-weeks' season
ticket campaign which follows about a
week after the Inauguration of a
thorough advertising campaign. The
advertising Is to be furnished by the
management of the Chautauqua
which also furnishes the large tent
and men TO handle it, as well as the
personnel Of the programs.
As most readers know, the original
Chautauqua, sometimes known as the
Mother Chautauqua," was founded
by Bishop Vincent some 40 years ago,
as summer assembly on the shores
Of Chautauqua Lake in western New
York. As many people ATTENDED this
from far and wide, the desire to have
similar attractions in various COM
munities throughout the United States
resulted In foundation of number
of lesser independent summer assem-
blies, which-because they carried out
much the same idea in the field Of en-
tertainment and instruction---also u.s.
ed the descriptive or generic name
"Chautauqua.' Following increasing
familiarity with this idea many small
er cities desired to have a taste of this
particular form Of popular assemblies,
and as result of this demand the
circuit Chautauqua system was devils
ed
The Chautauqua In New England
At first the circuit Chautauqua was
an outgrowth from the winter lyceum
work carried over into summer assem-
hies--and two Of the three large sys-
TENS Of to-day are still to some extent
on that basis. In the central states,
where almost every natural center Of
population has its Chautauqua of one
system or another, there are over 30
systems. In the last two years the
three largest Of these have commenced
Serving communities in New England,
where the reception of this form of
|high-elass and instructive summer en-
Fertainment has already proven it to
be very popular and beneficial,
The Community Chautauqua system
which, 1t Ii expected, will cooperate
With the citizens Of this town next
ummer, Ii the one large system which
Fas founded wholly as a Chautauqua,
OF having any lyceum connections.
Ii name il derived from its purpose,
Ehich Ia to incorporate in its pro-
rams in an entertaining way strong
ne Of information, suggestion and
aspiration toward practical co-opera- |
We community development work. |
this end, the lecturers used are not |
ceum "stars" who make their living
the platform, but professional men
hose life-work is Of especial value
the field of community develop
ent. The music and entertainment /
aiurc, Of the highest grade obtain
he, add greatly to the popularity Of
movement.
How the Community is Benefited
The other features Of the commun-
Chautauqua work, which are es-
eially attractive to many commune
4, are the thorough advertising fur
he'd by the Chautauqua, and the
ision Of proceeds after the sale of
first 500 season tickets--from
Itch point half the proceeds 60 to