Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-09

Southern Chautauqua season Is on
College lecturers and Tyrolcan yodelers.
plate jugglers and opera singers. per-
forming lions and national politicians
VINO nave spent the past summer en-
tertaining audiences ut Lake Chau,au-
qua are now migrating South in the
wake Of the ducks. For. unlike the
cir"us. the Chautauqua does not hib .r-
nate hLring the winter. but carries rs
htH canvas tent and entertainers into
the small Southern towns. Already
the bluegrass region has been in
Naded; by January the Chautauuua will
he In Florida. and later as far west
Texas
One enterprisins Chautauqua man
ager has contracts this year for GO
small villages and towns throughout
the South. Some Of them are In the
cotton-mili districts. some are located
forty-hve miles from "A railroad and
Still others are in the Businesses OF the
Kentucky and Tennessee mountains
This man might we'll be the envy Of
all large capitalists and employers OF
union labor. His players work all
hours. travel all hours and are put TO
all sorts OF inconNeniences, but he has
never had a strike. He engages his
company and hires his road hands in
Il well-furnished and comfortable Of
iCe III DlE Eastern Guy. mere IL
nothing To suggest the character OF
some OF the managers most profitable
towns. The players do not find 1t out
until they get there.
Last year one OF his circuit troops
Travelled on lumber wagons forty and
forty-ftve miles between towns In Ken
lucky and Tennessee where there were
no railroads Most OF the players were
dependent upon their voices for liv-
Ing. They sang or yodelGd or lecturcd
or read plays. AS result Of this
journey over rough roads. every one of
them was tired out, and the damp
night air had made them hoarse \
young soprano. who was one Of the
principal attractions caught cold
which prevented her singing for a
couple Of weeks. The towns they
played were extremely primitive and,
they were greeted with the news that
only the day before six men had been
shot at Il religious meeting.
Surprised the Manaker.
The manager himself was somewhat
alarmed at the news OF the trip as
reported ~ His agent and when some
OF the players subsequently, presented
themselves at his office, his first inn
pulse was to crawl under his desk.
But. much TO his surprise, everybody
was enthusiastic over the trip, and
were loud I'm their praise Of the citizens
OF Tennessee and Kentucky. The
young soprano had forgotten hcI cold
and only remembered how the people
had applauded her. making her sing
again and again. 1T was just like
being pioneer and travelling by stage
coachi' she exclaimed delightedly. The
lecturers were still gratiiied at their
own success. and the minstrels couldn't
get over the way those mountain poo
pie laughed al their coon songs and
jokes. The manager was amazed TO
linz 4, rfnr halt al i,a,
had expected bitter complaints. Most
Of them signed up for the next year.
The ChautauQua. as ii is given in
the South. is mixture of road show
and civic club. AS much depends upon
the local talent and community spirit
is the way ii is managed: Every
Chautauuua has an advance agent, who
is about the most important person con-
nected with it. suppose. for example,
that the town Of Lafayette. ky., wants
TO have n Chautauqua. The advance
agent is Immediately sent there. He
gets In touch with the influential peo-
pie OF the towIi--the banker. the mer-
chant and the business mainland en-
dcavors to secure their co-operation,
4 local committee Is formed for the
purpose of securing local talent for
the event. aud also for disposing of
enough season tickets to guarantee
the Chautauuuas financial success.
WIN tue hcip bi tle agent. the COM
mittcc selects the tent site and paStes
great many posters OH the fences
and barns along the roads. Then The
agent hurrics on to the next town.
1Dwns Ready for Them.
When the players appear the town
Is ready for them. People are coming
I'm from all the surrounding farms and
villages. and the town Is entertaining
pcrsOnages OF state and county impor-
lance. who have been persuaded TO
contribute their services as speakers.
These small-town Chauta6quas of the
South lust only three days, whereas
in the larger towns they usually last
seven. The first day is called Agri-
cultural Day. In the morning the tent
Ia given over to the local committee
for whatever arrangements they have
made. Usually, students or government
agricultural experts from the ugrl-
cultural colleges talk to the farmers
on scientific farming. The program for
the afternoon or night is furnished by
the management, and generally con-
The MINISTRIES or the magician, and 81
lecture by one OF the learned doctors
on the circuit.
The second day Is T;duch tiOual Day.
Again the morning Is devoted to local
speakers. The county superintendent
Of schools. or the principal aud teach
err OF the town schools. hold forth
on matters OF local interest. Some
times 4 representative OF the United
States Bureau Of Education wlI0 speak
on school matters In general. TN the
young soprano wili entertain The au-
dience, and the Chautau1ua players
Will give their famous sketches. "Rip