Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1917-07-28
CHAUTAUQUA CLOSES
Chautauqua a Success-Closes With White
Hussars Band. Good Attendance
and Splendid Talent.

The Chautauqua of 1917 is now a mat
ter of history. There have been many
opinions expressed as to the value of
certain numbers, some claiming that one
thing was best and another the poorest
while others have exactly reversed the
opinion. However, it is safe to say that
by far the most general opinion has been
one Of satisfaction.
The executive committee have only
good words for the management of the
Standard Chautauqua Company Mr.
Don j. Young, the genial Supervisor,
did everything in his power to make
the event a success for the local commit
tee and the fact that they cleared all ex-
penses is largely due to his efforts
Without naming each lecturer separate.
ly it is safe to say that they were all well
received, and though some thought one
the best while others preferred another,
each added his share TO the fund OF good
and profitable things which the-Chau-
tauqua brought to us. The musical
attractions were generally pleasing, but
disappointment was manifest in one
number it was the general opinion that
goodnight" were the best words that
were uttered by the Fisk Jubilee Sing
ers.
If special mention may be made of
any of the items, we would say that
Wednesday and Saturday were the top
notch days The Old Fashioned Girls"
on Wednesday gave entire satisfaction.
Not one word Of criticism has been
heard concerning them. In the after
noon Of that day the management invit-
ed the Old soldiers, their wives and
widows, to listen to the songs of days
gone by. Many time eyes were &.led
with tears as old memories were awak-
ened. There was great emotional strain
all afternoon and it reached the break
ing point when the volunteer recruits of
the forestry regiment that were to leave
the following day, were escorted into the
tent by members Of the g. A. r. carry
ing "Old Glory" and followed by the
Boy Scouts. 1t was the "boys that were
the boys that are and the boys that will
be-" The great audience rose to its feet
as one man while the strains of the Star
Spangled Banner were played by one of
the Old Fashioned Girls. At the close
of the program few fitting remarks fol-
lowed by Dr. Fox, Rev. W. S. Harper
and Rev. J. II. Spencer. DR.. Fox
whetted the appetite Of his audience at
that afternoon gathering, and satisfied
it with his lecture on The Philosophy
of Common Sense" in the evening.
The Saturday afternoon program was
delayed because the White Hussars had
failed to make their connection at Edge
mont and they did not arrive until after
o'clock. Local talent of which we are
proud and Of which we have a fine array
gave a program that none need to be
ashamed Of The Boyds also helped to
fill in the gap and as their program of
the previous day had been very accept
able they were enthusiastically received
even by the audience that were disap-
pointed by the delay of the Hussars.
AT last the weary Hussars arrived. If
they had not confided to one or two peo-
pie that they were weary, no one would
have guessed it. Their whole program
was brimful of pep" 1t is a long time
since Custer enjoyed anything quite so
much as it did the White Hussars, who
also gave full program in the evening
which was followed by Ross Crane whose
lecture was really the climax of the
Chautauqua.
The success of the event prompted the
local people to contract with the Stan
dard Chautauqua Company for next
war