Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1919-07-14
BY REV. ARTHUR METCALF.

BY REV. ARTHUR METCALF.
Chautauqua is here again. The big
brown tent is up on the school house
grounds and Chautauqua Grew" boys
have things in shape for the procession
of talent" which will instruct and
entertain Webster City audiences un
der the headlights of this perennial
summer university, The program be-
gan Sunday afternoon and evening
with music by the Altheas and a magni.
ficent lecture in the evening by DR.
Charles S. Medbury of Des MOines. and
both items fitted well into the Sunday
spirit and made good start for this
years program. The weather was
rather tickle during the day, but before
the program commenced sunshine had
succeeded summer showers and the
sun played hide and seek among fieecy
clouds while cool breezes tempered July
heat.
Before 2 o'clock the strolling process
sion towards the tent had begun.
There was the old familiar parking Of
automobiles around the block. The
same crowd, the old accustomed spirit,
the scenes of former years as friend
greeted friend at chautauqua, and the
self same expectancy of good things
in the face of everybody-these things
made it seem like old times when yes
terday the program for the current
year began. Chautauqua and chautau-
qua properties came together so
naturally that it almost seemed as
though people had been coming to the
grounds every day since last year.
Chautauqua is an institution in Web
ster City, and nobody doubts that every
program will be, better than it's long
succession of first class predecessors.
Shortly after the hour yesterday,
Mr.. O. NJ. Carson. who is platform
manager this year, as he was three
years ago, called the meeting to order.
The tent was well filled, although Sun
day is not the best day to begin shau-
tauqua in Webster City; but the
audience yesterday marked the hold of
chautauqua on Webster City and its
vicinity, and the program was remark
ably appropriate.
Program Opened.
The Altheas opened this years chau-
tauqua with a musical program. The
company is a sextet of girls whose in
strument is the violin accompanied
with the piano and whose pleasing
program is varied by occasional saXO-
phone solos, Miss Beatrice Baugh-
nan is the reader, saxaphonist ana
pianist of the company, and the Misses
Ieona Hoover, Lucille Blakely, Elsie
Clausen, Louise Harmon and Alma
Rosengren are masters Of the violin.
Yesterdays musical program in the
afternoon and prelude in the evening
greatly pleased the big audience. The
program is unique and well executed.
being n medley of popular forms of
music. In the afternoon the progra IL
was as follows:
Observation-Disclosures -Kreisler.
Romance.
Medley of Songs.
Mighty LAX a Rose-Nevin.
Hungarian Dance-Brahms
Medley of Old Hymns.
Readings-"NOt Understood" TAX
in Elevator. u
Saxaphone numbers-Beautifu Ohio
Chang.
Observation-Disclosures.
To Wild ROse-McDowell.
Mother O. Mine-Sterling.
Loves Old Sweet Song.
Readings When Tony Goes Over
the Top 1.-THE Coward 1--WE ex-
pected it to Happen"
The Stars and Stripes Forever
SOusa.
The printed program gives but faint
idea of the charm Of this violin music.
the Organ-like tones of which were
perpetual surprise to the big audi
ence. The readings by Miss Baughnan
were very well done, especially the
number when Tony Goes Over the
Top which literally brought down the
house.
Evening Lecture.
The evening lecture by DIR. Charles
S. Medbury showed chautauqua up to
~, vory host traditions An immense \
audience heard the address with salts |
faction and delight. For an hour and
a half oratory and reason blended in
an address which persuasively placed
i'm the lime light the immense and vital
programs of reconstruction following
the war. The speakers strong plea for