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The Lake
Madison Chautauqua |
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Tragedy Strikes the Chautauqua |
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It is not necessary to explain to the reading public of
to-day what the Chautauqua Assembly is.
Suffice it to say that it is the culmination of the greatest
popular educational movement of modern times.
It brings to the general public the opportunity, formerly denied
to all save the favored few, of seeing and hearing the treat speakers,
teachers, musicians, entertainers and specialists of the day.
To the mass of people who have been denied the advantages of
college training, it gives “the college outlook on life.”
To the students, the teachers, and the many who are pursuing home
studies, it affords inestimable opportunities for intellectual
improvements. It is the most
delightful of all the summers resorts, combining as it does,
opportunities for rest, recreation, intellectual, moral, religious and
aesthetic culture and social enjoyments.
It has its special inspiration for everyone, from the child to
the mature man or woman. No
one can attend the Lake Madison Assembly without being made stronger,
better and happier.
Welcome from the 1891 Chautauqua Program |
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Chautauqua
was a social and cultural phenomenon which began in 1874 and expanded and
permeated rural American until the mid 1920s.
Going to Chautauqua meant music, laughter, relaxation and stimulation for
millions of rural Americans. When
Chautauqua came to town, there was entertainment for the whole family and the
entire community[i].
Chautauqua was the product of John
H. Vincent of
Camden
,
New Jersey
, a young minister. In 1872,
Vincent, then editor of the Sunday School Journal undertook to train Sunday
school teachers by bring them together every summer for all day study.
His idea for a “summer school” to be held in the outdoors grew in
popularity and a home was found at a little used campsite on the shores of Lake
Chautauqua,
New York
. Young people were invited for
study, bonfires, good meals and lodging[ii].
It was a huge success and was soon expanded to include not only religious
and Biblical study but a wide range of literacy, historical, sociological, and
scientific subjects. The
“teachers” included such personalities of the late 1800s as Booker
T. Washington and Carrie
Nation.
The Chautauqua idea was soon copied in other communities
for people who could not travel to
Lake Chautauqua
,
New York
. The first was in
Ohio
with similar programs soon to follow in
Michigan
and
Iowa
. By 1900 there were two hundred
pavilions in thirty-one states. Each
furnished vacation blended with study and entertainment.
On the program were teachers, preachers, explorers, travelers,
scientists, politicians and statesmen, singers, violinists, pianists and bell
ringers, glee clubs, bands, orchestras, concert companies, quartettes,
quintet’s and sextet’s, monologists, readers, elocutionists, jugglers,
magicians, whistlers and yodelers[iii].
Two of the most popular lecturers were Russell
Conwell and William
Jennings Bryan. Conwell’s
lecture “Acres of Diamonds”
was delivered six thousands times. The
theme was “get rich young man, for money is power and power ought to be in the
hands of good people. I say you have
no right to be poor.” It was
an excellent example of “Mother, Home, and Heaven” – lectures designed to
include platitudes about the desirability of truth and virtue, given in an
earnest style, with a touch of sentiment. William
Jennings Bryan’s “Prince of Peace” lecture was a favorite and for thirty
years his honey-sweet voice packed pavilions with rapt audiences. The
most famous political speech was
Bryan
’s Cross
of Gold speech given at the Democratic National Convention in
Chicago
July 9, 1896
.
Circus tents were used in communities that did not have
permanent Chautauqua pavilions. Soon
speakers and entertainers were on the Chautauqua circuit moving from town to
town.
The movement ended soon after the Golden Jubilee, held at
Lake
Chautauqua
in 1924. Improved communication and
transportation in rural areas made radio and movies readily available plus the
commercialization that had crept into the Chautauqua circuit and weakened the
program made the movement a thing of the past.
In 1931, George Dalgety suggested that Chautauqua had ceased to exist
“because it arose out of a passing need. It
gave the people in good measure what they wanted and brightened millions of
otherwise drab lives. But whatever
is was, its day is gone.” However,
today
Lake
Chautauqua
is renewing the Chautauqua movement. Visit
the Chautauqua Institute for more
information.
Online Resources
[i]
Early History of the
Lake
Madison
Chautauqua, Cory Christensen
[ii]
Early History of the
Lake
Madison
Chautauqua, Cory Christensen
[iii]
Early History of the
Lake
Madison
Chautauqua, Cory Christensen
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