Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-07-29
Another saeesssful chautauqua.

: Another saccsssful chautauqua.
D IAsh AUDIENCES EEAR A SERIES OF
TEN FINE PROGRAMS.
|, mere Ia hardly need to saw that the
Community Chautauqua which was At
the fair grounds for ave DAYS beginning
, wednesday was q highly successful
affair. In the three preceding years We
have learned the Chautsuuua idea and
got the habit 90 firmly that the Chautau.
. qua almost runs itself-that is. with the
help OF good number of the men and
women of the two towns who take hold
OF 1t with energy and enthusiasm. The
] managers who come here always have
! nign praise Tor the local organization.
The superintendent in charge at this
fplace last week was Walter Thorpe, who
) proved to be q former schoolmate OF
Rev. N. o. Baltzsr of Norway. His as
sistant was j. A. Hughes, and the tent
man was NJ. A. Taylor, both from the
University of Pennsylvania. The super
intendent OF the Junior Chautauqua was
Miss Lois Mcclure of Westminster Col.
iege. The Junior Chautauqus was, as
IN previous years, an important feature
OF the program, and was much enjoyed
by the young folks.
This Ia the first time that we have run
the Chautauqua wholly without trolley
service, and doubtless more people
Y walked than ever before; but there were
a number of licensed automobiles carry
ing to the grounds, and the lack of troll
leys did not prevent filling the tent about
to Its capacity at several of the pro-
grams.
| The first days entertainment on
Wednesday was given by the Theresa
Sheehsn Concert Company. This con-
sists of three charming young women.
Miss Sheehan, OF Irish origin, is a dra-
matte reader Of remarkable power. Her
two strongest readings are both original,
one of them being a description of the
sinking OF the Titanic, and the other a
description of the scene when the Amer
lean marines stopped and turned the
German drive at Chateau Thierry, but
she gave a variety of other selections.
Miss Vivian Des Jsrdins, young French
woman, is skillfui player on the violin,
and the audience would have been glad
OF more extended program from her.
Miss Ethel McPhee, an American, is q
soprano soloist, with we'll cultivated
voice of great purity Of tone.
Wednesday evenings lecture was BY
F. E. Tillemont-ThOmason, great Fog.
lish engineer. His subject was announced
as "Echoes Of the German Revolution"
but this was not accurately descriptive,
and in opening he explained that his
| title should rather be German thought, |
and its persistence along one line. He ia |
student OF military strategy, and at |
some length explained the strategy of |
the Germans with which they opened |
the war, and showed how the German |
policy of deception, even in the matter |
of the revolution, which so persisted that |
it was impossible for them to change it, |
finally proved the undoing of Germany |
He spoke for over an hour and a half,
and though it was late when he finished,
very few even of the young people had |
left the tent, as he kept every one inter
ssted throughout.
On Thursday the entertainers were the |
Grilleys, Charles T. Grilley, impersona-
tor, and his daughter, Miss Virginia |
Grilley, harpist. Mr.. Grilley has enter
tanned audiences all over the Union,
though he has never before been in this
vicinity. He opened with strong dra-
matte selection, The Bishops Candle
sticks, from Les Miserables, the power
and intensity of which gave little hint of
the variety and the constant humor
which characterized most of bis other |
work, in which he kept the audiences in
gales of laughter. Miss Grilley played
both classical selections and old-time
melodies on the harp, and accompanied
her father in recitative.
DR.. Albert Edward Wiggam was the
lecturer of Thursday. DR.. Wiggam is
regular feature of the Cbautauqua cir
cult, and last year was here with lee !,
ture on his experiences with the Red
Cross in France This year he gave his |
lecture on "Climbing the Family Tree"
which has to do with the important sub
ject of heredity. 1t was illuminated |
with variety of lantern slides, some of
them original with him, Mrs. Wiggam
operating the lantern. DR.. Wiggam has |
made special study of the matter of
heredity, and knows much Of the laws
governing it which is not understood by |
the average person. He is rapid-6re |
talker, and few were able to take in the |
full significance of all that he said; but
all were able to understand the impor- |
lance of the matter of heredity, the part
| il plays in the welfare of the race, and
the care that should be exercised in
properly mating for the perpetuation of
the species.
By q change in the program, Carolyn !
Reed and the Juvenile Four appeared on
Friday instead of Saturday. This feature
ia new in the Chautauqua list, and 1t ia
an open secret that it was rather an ex-
pertinent. Frankly, some parts OF the
program which they give are to degree
enthusiastically Juvenile" and such !
as might be put on by young people OF
special ability almost anywhere with
proper amount of training. Other parts
are the work of finished artists, and this
applies especially to the work OF Miss
Reed, the accompanist, Ferne Upton, the
soprano soloist, and Kobi, the twelve
| wear. old violinist. These two young
people last named are certainly entitled
TO be designated by that much abused
term, prodigy" In the natural course
of events, the young woman should some
day be one of the great singers, and the
bow should be q master violinist. only
wonderful can describe the performance
of this youpgster on the king of instru-
ments.
From the first announcement of this
wears feature up to his introduction to
the audience Friday evening, the name
of Thomas Brooks Fletcher has been put
hsfore us on every occasion, till we be-
gan to inquire, "Who is thiA Fletcher
that we hear 80 much boiler about?'
We found out. He is editor OF the
Marion, Ohio, Tribune, also incidentally
pro prietor of large grocery store and
with other business interests: Also ne
| 10 a lscturer of much fame. He lectured
FRIDAY evening on "The Martyrdom OF
Fools" There are two kinds of fools OF
whom he treated. One are the fools who
are ahead of their time, and are martyred
for what they think, and the other those
II rnH