Ashland weekly tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1919-1924, 1920-03-31
claims as Ashland f

for various reasons desire chang
for the summer season.
l do not mean. to say that W
have already at hand the equip
ment, the appurtenances, the fin
ished plans for the education, th'
amusement, the restoration I,
health of those who might CONF
here for such reasons; We have al
this in the rough, and it only needs
completion along wise and prac
tical lines to Immediately trans
form Ashland into a bustling
lively summer center,
1t is not likely that Ashland
can become for some time an ex-
tensive commercial town, but the
influx OF a large summer colony
would tend to a more extensive
retail business and to larger and
better business houses.
First l want 10 discuss the
possibilities OF Ashland as an ed
ucational centre and | am now
considering it especially as regards
the summer season. We have in
connection with our Chautauqua
institution a large and valuable
property which is practically use
less except for a short period of
one week during the month OF
July. / would like to see this
plant utilized for the entire sum
mer, and herewith present the out
line of a plan to this end. Pio-
neer hall, so called is a part Of
the property and equipment of
the ChautauQua Association, this
building can be used as the start
ing point for a summer school OF
six weeks duration.
In starting such an institution
il should be confined to such
branches as would meet the pop
ular demand and for the first
season one of the special features
should be a school OF music. With
the cooperation and assistance OF
the music department of our State
University such a school would al
low for the continuation of regu-
lar work and such work would be
credited to any pupils desiring
to continue at the state institution
or elsewhere. One prime feature
of such a school would be the en-
ployment OF a musical director
who could bring into harmonious
working relations all the musical
forces of the entire territory of
Southern Oregon and probably
Northern California. In this
way an immense chorus could be
brought to Ashland to give a great
musical festival with some of the
great artists of the world as as
sisting soloists.
A school of domestic science
should also be a very popular
line for women and this also
might be supervised and credited
by one of our state institutions.
Athletics including swimming,
aesthetic and folk dancing might
he added to the curriculum.
l would if possible obtain the
use of our old Normal school
grounds for a School of Agricul-
ture. Such a school would even
tually become one o. the outstand
ing features of our plan, giving US
through the cooperation OF our
agricultural college and the field
men already in jackson county,
branch institution which should
be of very great service and help
to the farmers and fruit growers
of our section of the state. In
connection with this school some
special line might be a distinctive
feature. An expert on garden
ing could be employed, or a mod
el poultry plant might be installed
and a course in commercial and
practical egg farming given.
Study of languages, history,
economics, or any other branches
could be developed and arranged
as demand required.
We have a very large extent of
territory between the centers of
the great educational institutions
of our own state to the north and
those Of our sister state to the
south. Sometimes, somewhere,
in this great territory will be de-
yeloped another educational CEN
ter. Is it a fair conclusion that
the place which begins to create
the demand will be the natural
spot selected for such a centre?
With the extension of our great
system, so that Ashland
has come within easy reach OF
much larger number OF people |
han heretofore, We have the op-
opportunity Of appealing to thou
sands of people who are lookinp |
cr a summer playground. Our
park system will be
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