The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1916-07-26
REGARDING cHAUTAUcUA,

| Something of surprise occurred
the latter part of the week when 8
rumor was started that Denison might
not be able to make arrangements
with the Redpath-Vaw system for a
chautauuua next summer; that during
the last two years the attendance here
had fallen off to such an extent as not
to make it profitable for the manage
ment, AS soon as it was discovered
that the receipts for this year had
fallen, considerably, ., below those OF
many prior years the, friends. OF the
chautauuua became exercised to know
lust what was the trouble and it did
not take long to discover that the
whole trouble came from an indlfter'
ence on the part of leading citizens
and the. belief that the management
could not afford to drop Denison.
| When the course was first organ.
lied ten years ago or more the busi'
ness men, generally made 1t point
to interest themselves in the sale OF
tickets and to create an atmosphere
in favor of the chautauqua, but OF late
years there seems to have grown up
feeling that it would come anyway
and therefore no effort would be re-
uuired on the part of the citizens to
insure profitable season for the man
agement. We are pleased to state
that the leading business men nave
| firmly united in an effort to furnish
satisfactory guarantees to induce the
return of the chautauqua next year
and that at a meeting held at the Com.
mercial club room on Monday morn
ling, which was attended by represent
atives of all the banks and other bnsi-
mess houses of the CITY,, proper guar
antees were furnished the MANAGE
ment that next year there would be
no cause to worry because the, bust
ness interests here had taken charge
of the matter and would see that
enough tickets would be sold to In
fsure a successful meeting. r"@ -
| In Justice to our people it should be
said that the date assigned for Dent
son this year was unfortunate as II
found the farmers of the county en-
gagged in harvesting their grain and il
was out of the question for them to at
tend the meetings. Then too, the fear
of the spread of infantile paralysis
kept a great many people away from
the chautauqua. We are also sorry
to say that few of our people are
showing disposition to tire OF the
chautauQua and to find fault with 1t.
There are but few, however, who sho"
this disposition and we believe that
they will soon find themselves WORK
ing in harmony with the friends OF
the chautauqua. We are prepared to
say that next year we will not only
have a chautauqua, but will have a
grade of talent to be selected after a
committee OF our citizens have had
chance to pass upon the merits OF the
selections to be made. .a..
A great many complimentary things
have been said Of the different num-
bers which were furnished this year
and, judging ftom what one hears, we
believe the standard OF talent was all
that could be demanded. a
We are satisfied. our business men
fully appreciate the high estimate
placed by our people generally upon
Entertainments of this character. A
woman from the country, at the close
|of the chautauqua, expressed as near
ly as one could express the situation.
she said: "Some Of you people in town
frequently have opportunities for
meeting lecturers musicians and other
ARTISTS of the country, but there are a
large number of us who have no other
opportunity to meet these celebrities
and enjoy the entertainments except
at the chautauqua and we hope moth.
ing will happen to prevent its return
not only next year but for years TO
come" This simple suggestion from
zone who but for the chautauqua would
feel denied some of the privileges OF
fife is enough to inspire our business
men to endeavor to make provision TOR
the return of the chautauqua and we
Fhave no doubt but this feeling obtains
SO far that recurrence of the threat
cned trouble of this year will not ever
again occur.