The Detroit times., 1916-07-28
The Flower of Democracy
BY Or. FRANK CRANE
copyright, 1918. by Frank Crane)

nave Drought forth for a generation or
so. Certainly it is democracy's true and
resembling child.
The Chautauqua Idea is so called be-
cause 1t originated at summer gather
ing of serious-minded people in grove
upon the shores of Lake Chautauoua.
New York.
Having got itself born, the Idea has
refused to die, like the sturdy. common,
Nancy Hanks sort of child it is. It
has spread everywhere, and particularly
in the Middle West, where Americanism
runs truest TO type.
Most people conceive Of the Chautau-
qua Idea as the old camp meeting re-
vamped by school teachers, as a summer
gathering for country folk. where classes
are held and innumerable lectures lis
tened to, and William j. Bryan doth most
congregate.
That is part of it. But that is not
the gist of it, and has nothing of great
ness in it. That element of the Idea
wherein the divine fire burns is this:
That it considers the whole population
of the nation to be always at school. pur-
suing course of study until death;
father, mother, and grandparents along
side of the children. And that Idea, It
seems to me, is worthy to be called q
majestic rose upon the stem of democ-
racy-indeed, the beauty and perfection
of democracy.
A nation at school forever! Contin-
uously studying the works and wonders
of God and man, lovers "til death do
them part" of those high mistresses of
the soul, science. literature, history and
art! A nation turning from money
making, precedence playing, and war
waging, as fit employment for it's ma
tured powers, to the worthier task of
seeking beauty and wisdom!
And another element. fit counterpart
TO what has already been done by the
public school idea, is that it means the
rending of the veil of the temple of cul-
ture, once held to be for only the elect,
for gentlemen and their sons, for the col
ege bred, for professional people and for
the leisure class, so that all the people
can enter in, factory folk with their din
ner pals, railroad brakemen, store
clerks, street car conductors, chauffeurs.
elevator boys, lighthouse keepers.
miners. farmhands, cowboys, mothers,
and servant girls-all of them-all, the
whole God blessed people, can come up
into the holy Of holes of knowledge and
partake Of its liberating worship.
1t means even more than the public
school, for it conceives of education not
as a preparation for life, but the chief
business Of life itself.
Than this, maintain, no more poten-
tial idea has been let loose in the world
for two generations Of men.
want heartily to recommend to every
soul that Graves self-improvement, more
knowledge, more efficiency, more life, to
take up the Chautauqua course of read
ing. If you can't find companions to
study with you you can do it alone.
Take this years course. The four
books of it lie now on my table.
THE German Empire Between Two
Wars" by r. II. Fife, and
France Under the Republic" by J. C.
Brace will give you sound, sane, read
able, and plain English truths worth
knowing about the two great peoples now
at death struggle in Europe
'The Things Men Fight For" by H.
H. Powers, will let deal of light into
your thinking about those great prob
lens now perplexing mankind.
And Belgium, the Land Of Art" by
W. Z. Griffis, will give you what you
want to know about that amazing little
country that has been called "the cock
pit of the world"
These books, and the magazine that
goes with them to direct your studies,
will cost you but five dollars, little
enough surely to pay for being enrolled
as a member of the greatest of univer-
sites, the University Of the People.
II you want further information write
to the Chautauqua Association, Chautau-
qua, N. Y.