The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-08-12
Chdutduqud "EDerymdn's College"

l aphorism which is we'll worth re-
 beating when he declared that lChautauqua is the most American thing
 of America"
 At the present time this great institu- ton of learning which somebody has
 called "Everyman College the college
 of over 5000 graduates, is perhaps more
 in the public eye than ever before in its
 history, because it is in grave danger
 financially and every one of the over 50,
 coo graduates now alive, as well as thou sands of others who have attended this
 wonderful institution on the banks of i Lake Chautauqua, New York, are inter ] ested in the outcome of the situation
 which in nutshell is this: Unless $500 600
 is raised. something is going to happen | at Chautauqua which will be blow to thousands upon top of thousands of peo- 1 pie. -
 1 Ebert Hubbard, graduate of the l Chautauqua home reading course,' de- l scribed Chautauqua as the ga rden school of Plato Americanized," while Bishop Vincent, who with Lewis Miller founded 1 the Temple of Thought" said: | "Chautauqua has q message and a mis- 1 sion for the times; it exalts educa tion i; the mental, social, moral and religious, of all who have mental. social, moral and religious faculties, of all everywhere, without exception.
 l Having read only recently; in fact every day the great dailies carry the news of the financial stress under which Chautau- qua is now laboring. it was very enlight- ening a few days ago to talk with one
 who has been "on the ground this sum- mer and who could tell me something of the real conditions; in other words, give ] me first hand knowledge" and this de- lightful person l found when Mrs. Amelia Motion Embry returned from a most profitable and enjoyable visit at Chautau- | qua.
 1 Mrs Embry is one of Birminghams S most gifted musicians, and to Chautau- qua she went this summer to pursue her studies with Ernest Hutchinson, the re- rowned pianist whom Birmingham had the pleasure of hearing a number of years ago.
 Mrs Embry was brm full of enthusi- asm concerning her visit when talked with her few days ago, and in speak 1 ing of her visit to Chaut1uqua she said: | ''Yes, it is true that Chautauqua is in | financial straightS, and of course every one is distressed over the situation, put nevertheless optimism reigns supreme in the hearts of the thousands and thous- ands of ardent Chautauquans because every one feels that some means Will surely be devised to keep this greatest institution of learning in America on Its feet. q heard a right pathetic little inci- dent in regard to this when l was at Chautauqua, she continued. There is a little blind boy who sells The Chautau- quan,' the daily paper published there and everybody kr.ows him. He has man aged out of his pennies to save about hundred dollars, and when he heard or the threatened financial disaster to ms pe- loved Chautauqua he went straight to headquarters and offered his hundred dollars to help the place Wflcn idu Liedh' so much to him.
 "It seems that the interest on the money which has been expended on Chautaulua amounts to about s25.000 year, Mrs. Embry said, ''and this can't be kept up, and so they are trying to raise the money l to pay off the big indebtedness.
 My visit to Chautauaua this summer was the most satisfactory visit 1 ever made anywhere" Mrs Embry continued, l "because I accomplished what I set out l to accomplish, and that's always gratlIy- l ing. In the first place my lessons wltn Ernest Hutchison were perJect JOY
 to me: in my class were number or
 distinguished pianists, among them the concert pianist Mona Bates. 1 also
 studied with Eliza Wood of the Pea
 body institute Baltimore, who has charge sf the training classes for teachers ana 1 beginners at Chautauqua. Then hao
 organ lessons with Henry B. Vincent 1 who was most encouraging and com =
 plimentary about my work. and that, or
 course, made me very happy
 .sThe quartet for music week was one oe the most attractive features of Chau- tauoua this year, Mrs. Embry said. | Miss Hanbury the well-known so-
 prano: Miss Gilbert, contralto, and MT. Ouait. the tenor, all being accomplished | musicians.
 .There were 5O,OOo people on the grounds
 during music week." Mrs Embry said
 and MT Hutchison's interpretation classes that week numbered from 50 to 70 members each
 "The New York symphony orchestra was another great attraction for music
 week." Mrs. Embry said. MT. Damrosch heinz in France, Rene Pollaine conduct
 ed the orchestra. and it was really peau-
 tiful. I met great many Of the mem l hers of the orchestra, many of them
 charming, cultured musicians MT. Dam rosch's visit to France now is for the pur- nose of arranging the tour for the New 1 York Symphony orchestra through Flu rope beginning next April.
 "Chautauaua to my mind is the most l wonderful place that ever saw TOT study land environment musically, said Mrs Fmhrv "E,verybody is there for the same
 purpose-study Whether it be music l or literary pursuits, everybody Is working day and night, and l enjoyed tremen- dously the lectures and the Varous pro
 grammes I heard, many of which were l given by the most talented ana popular artists in the United States.
 q regard music as business, Just r aa ,py mercantile business" Mrs.