The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-06-30

physically NHeH tHcy dlS tulu iiNihS'
They say that If they had known to
start with what they know at the
end of life they could have had so
much more health and joy of living.
Why don't they pass this informa-
ton on to the younger generation?
Because they are selfish and do not
think? Oh no. But simply because
they don't know how to put it across
they have lost communication with
youth. They are laughed at and
disregarded when they try to
harrangue the youngster. How ter
rible! They blame the young and
praise themselves unduly for these
unsuccessful and laundering at
tempts to do a good turn. In truth,
in many cases it were better they
didn't try at all-their butter-fin-
gered good intentions do harm rath-
err than good, because they manage to
put a severe, dogmatic face on mat
tiers of helpful human knowledge.
DR.. Ray, the Livingstone of South
America" came to us with tales so
strange and weird that it would have
been easy to imagine ourselves liv-
ing in the dark ages when daring
sailors went out on five-year cruises
into unknown seas and brought back
their unbelievable experiences to re-
late to mouth-gaping hearers.
Indeed, there is new country yet
to be explored, and pioneering on a
tremendous scale yet to be accom-
plished by men. DR.. Ray opened up
field of imagination that scarcely
has bounds. There is plenty of
room in Southh America for all the
adventurous youth we can produce
for a hundred years. 1t was a sur
prise even to well-read Blackfoot
folks to learn of country so vast
and so unopened to civilization as
the interior reaches of the Argen-
tine.
Altho the lessons in the play
'Kindling," so we'll produced by the
Maurice Browne Players, were aimed
more at jewellers in city canyons than
at us who know the sagebrush init
mately, yet the touch of humanity
reached all, and all wept at the sad
ness of tenement trials-all except
those who have a reputation for a
dry eye and hard heart in the face
of tragedy. 1t would not do for such
champions of imperturbability to
weep.
The plays big message was the sa-
cred necessity of giving babies a
chance in life, a chance to start
with health as an asset and chance
to have plenty of room to grow IN
in. We have no tenements and no
soul-destroying and body-sickening
conditions here in the west to meet,
but we saw the point, and sympa-
thized and were more human for it.
The Maoris gave us deep look in
to the lives of people we had only
heard the name of and no more. They
pictured their customs and cere-
monies and sang their songs, and all
was a revelation to Blackfoot.
Of all the chautauqua benefits
those most remembered and therefor
possibly the most valuable to the
community are the lectures. Men
here are still talking about lecturers
who came with the first chautauqua
program in 1917. The big thinkers
who come to remote places on the
lecture program bring the best
thought of our age and it is good
sign when town like Blackfoot
thoroly appreciates them and drinks
in all the inspiration that is offered
Many of our people attend the lee,
lures only, and they alone are well
worth the time spent Listening tc
them and the small pittance asked
at the door.
The chautauqua has been a big
success in all it's features except the
sale of season tickets, and is com
ing again next year, when with al
probability, even that feature vii
be brought up to snuff.
Much hearty credit is due from
the town to those willing workers
men. women and children, who go
out and sold seaso tickets to thu
people. There is enough enthusiasm
among those folks to cover the de
linouencies of all who receive ever
the good things of life with suspi
cion and expect every sweet to be
coated pill
Credit is due to the boys OF thu
Blackfoot Scout troops who did thei
best to help the movement and dis
tributed a large number of season
tickets. They may not have beef
able to "sell" their elders the bene
fits of chautauqua against their will
but they had the proper spirit them
selves. They went to the enter
tainments and lectures, too.