The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-09-12
CURRENT COMMENT
The Chautauqua In Springfield.

The Comminu chautauqua, which
held forth in Springfield from Aug. 10
to the oath, took out of town about
81, 400 and left AZ guarantors to hand
over S222l apiece to make up def
cit of s932.s2, or almost a thousand
dollars. 1t should be stated, though
that the above named sum included
tickets for themselves and their fam
lilies; so that what they actually had to
make up was not far fro SIS each, or
total of $500, a sufficiently stable
amount to lose. The guarantee to the
chautauqua to come here was 81, 1856,
which the managers claim merely covers
their actual expenses and in addition
to this the contract gives the concern all
the receipts from the juvenile depart
ment and all the gate receipts up to
ST. $50, a figure which there is slight
possibility of their ever reaching, but
in the case the total admissions should
exceed 81 $50, why then the chautauqua
will graciously consent to split even
with the guarantors on the surplus
amount. This year it required the sale
of 500 season tickets to meet the guar
antee, and it was impossible to dispose
of more than los, less than a fourth
of the necessary number. but tn chau-
tauqua carried off, nevertheless, $202. is
more than its guarantee and contribut-
ed nothing towards helping out on the
deficit. J. G.. Whiteside, head of the
Community chautauqua was on the
grounds the second day of the season
and very wisely decided that the sale
of season tickets did not argue any
wild chautaqua enthusiasm on the
part of Springfield people at present
and that, therefore, no attempt should
be made to enroll guarantors for the
coming summer. If by 1923 business
should revive to marked degree, he
was confident that no difficulty would
be experienced sn finding enough eiti-
zens to stand behind another seasons
engagement. Mr. Whiteside may be
right. but there is a suspicion abroad
that the chautauqua viii have 20 mad
ifv its contracts considerably and give
the local end of the proposition more
of a fighting chance before substan-
tian citizens will really tumble over
themselves in a scramble TO be num-
bered among those to stand in on a loss
against which the ehautauqua is per-
fectly secured while enabled by its con-
tract to pocket some profit from tent
show which didn't even meet expenses.
II has been suggested that Springfield
better keep out of the chautauqua
circuit and let the Community club ar
range a series of entertainments which
will permit the club TO make a little
and thus benefit the local institution,
II would be possible to have quite as
good a course, IL not better one than
the Chautauqua offers. and it would be
easier to sell season tickets with a
worthy local object as the beneficiary
This is the fourth year the Community
Chautauqua has visited the town, and
for the last two Of the four il has left
deficit to be made up. In Claremone
". H.. the Sworthmore chautauqua has
lust clased a season, which was financed
by 100 citizens agreeing each TO buy
six tickets at $3.50 apiece, an arrang.
ment that in numerous individual cases
resulted in loss For the coming
wear the Swarthmore branch has raised
the guarantee il requires from 81 SOC
TO $500. which will increase the price
Of the tickets TO SO. The Clsremont
papers report difficulty in securing
acknowledgements Reporter.