Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-10-05
THE FAIR CHAUTAUQUA.
BY ST. JOHN Dyer.

The former criticism OF the travel
ling Chautauqua was mildly toned for
fear Of offending DIR. Knott. our own
townsman, who has been prominently
engaged in that work with conspicuous
success. But now that he has spoken
out so boldly and unreservedly, by
his experience confirming our impress
sions, and has arraigned them much
more severely for their mercenary
aims, we can only ask those who
are and those who should be inter-
ested in so important an affair, to re-
read his luminous convincing letter,
for il contains much that casual read
ing will not reveal.
We use the word important" ad-
visedly, for no other subject is Of
such vast import as the improvement
Of our country and small community
life, TO counterfeit the influence OF city
allurements, so attractive and so fatal
to the better interests Of our country.
Here the writer can adduce his own
experience, for he has lived in the
turmoil and excitement Of the metrop-
oils and also in the retirement OF the
country; and as the advice Of the old
Puritan father to his son when the
latter was going into the great world
TO seek his fortune, Remember, my
son, Honesty is the best policy
have tried both"
And first, the suggestion to COM
bine the community Chautauqua with
the agricultural fair is a happy in
spiration, which at once commands
our approval. This would elevate the
fair, and change it from being a Six
leg calf curiosity show, varied by the
cheap vaudeville, the cold, leftover
victuals from city entertainments, and
the acrobat wonderments which only
enlarge the gap in good old rustic
countenances, into an institution
which with its entertainments should
dispense both education and culture
and should teach rustic communities
how to achieve among themselves all
that attracts their youth to the city.
For instance, the oratorio is the high
est in real music value, yet commun-
ity' chorus could be taught to render
its largest efforts, and with good
orchestration, manipulated by Richard
Spohn for its accompaniment, would
give us the highest in music, which is
not afforded by the blatant brass band
Then as to the theatric part, the study
and presentation of Shakespeare's
Forest of Arden play, under the tute-
lage of Mrs. Gibson, who has been an
accomplished actress, would be some
thing to remember. Lastly, as to the
lecture and educational sphere, we
can confidently suggest DR.. Knott, who
could give our farmers some political
instruction and point the way for them
to combine and defend themselves
against the predatory classes and the
socalled middleman who manages to
fleece them of all the profits of their
industry. Moreover, his experience
in the Chautauqua work could direct
the coterieS of folks how to combine
and be mutually helpful in making
country and village homes more at
tractive with those Improvements that
render social life agreeable and inter
csting. A refined country home is the
highest ideal of life. In the crowded
city there are homes no more-the in
middle classes have their apartments
and autos TO escape their confinement,
the poor have their tenements, usually
pinched enough. None of these can
be called homes in the good old sense
Of that name. Peradventure the ab-
Sence of this place of rest and enter
tainment is the cause of that restless
ness, giddiness and shallowness of
the American character, with its con-
tinual striving to get somewhere or
something, without any knowledge of
what it is seeking.
There is book, novel. of course,
which by the shrewd advertising of
New York has been exploited over the
country to the count of nearly mil
lion copies, in which, if there be any
prehensible theme or idea, is that of
the dissatisfaction of silly, half-bak-
ed girl at the ugly, unartistic appear
ance of Main Street" in the town of