Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1917-08-09
WRITES OF CHAUTAUQUA
Professor Ewing Gives Readers Fine
Description Of Chautauqua.

To give your readers "A description
Of the charms Of chautauqua in the
height Of its season is unnecessary in
the cause of those who have visited
! il, while for those. who have not, it
would be like brushing the bloom
from the peach The only injunction
to address to the latter is come and
see" Suffice it to say that for over
forty years this favored spot has
been the theatre Of serious educa-
tional effort which has become ma
tion-wide in scope and influence.
Chautauqua, institution, as it is now
called, has to be recognized i'm any
adequate survey of the forces which
have shaped our national life since
the Civil War
The usual activities Of the nstitu-
ton have been both broadened and in
tensified by. the events leading to our
entrance into the war and its conse-
quence. Parts of its program have
been re-arranged so as to make pos
sible the use Of it as a forum for the
free discussion of the first full week
of the season, from July 2nd to July
It'll, was devoted to a conference on
patriotic education under the auspices
OF the National Security league, at
which representative from forty
two states and a total Of over $50
men and women came together for
the consideration Of topics pertinent
to the general subject Meanwhile
there were going on sessions Of the
speakers training camp, al which
practical matters Of effective speech
were handled by skilled Instructors,
typical speeches being given and crit
icized as to substance and delivery.
Naturally, there was much variety
Of opinion as TO what to do and not
to do, but among earnest people in
spired by common purpose to help
TO inform and arouse the country as
Itc the present world situation, basis
foi action was arrived at without
much delay. This consists of a speak
ing campaign as wide as the country,
to reach all classes OF our people,
readers and non-readers, aliens and
native born alike, with "clear, definite,
authentic information on the situa-
ton of the world and our own posi-
ton as belligerent power" The
conference expressed by resolution its
judgment CD that this work should
be forwarded Systematically by public
lectures under the direction of an or
gained national bureau, in close CO.
operation with state and city defense
committees, educational authorities,
chambers of commerce, agricultural,
labor, fraternal, patriotic and religi-
Gus organizations; t2) that we partic-
ularly recommend the organization,
by states, of speakers bureaus,
utilizing existing forces as much as
possible, and that we request the
committee on patriotism through
education" Immediately to commence
this work. A method of co-opera-
ton suggested is to form in every
community Push the War" club
to handle the speaking campaign,
suggest ways in which all can help
and to utilize the local press and
churches IN every way possible 10 the
end that persistent publicity of all
phases of the work may be secured.
A movement launched at so rep
rosentative gathering and piloted
by such wise and able leaders as Dr..
Albert Bushnell Hart and President
Lawrence Lowell of Harvard Univer-
sity, DR.. Smaller Mathews of the
University of Chicago, Miss Ida NJ.
Tarbell, DR.. Talcott Williams Of Col
umbia University, Mrs. Philip n.
Moore, president Of the National
Council of Women; 5. Stanwood
Menken of the National Security
league, and others of equal standing,
deserve the attention of all thought
full citizens. 1t will doubtless bring
It's appeal home to them in the near
future. j. T. EWING.