THE CHAUTAUQUA AS A PROPAGANDA 



MEDIUM 



By THOMAS ELMER WILL 



A WORD as to the Chautauqua as Such local Chautauquas multiplied, 



a medium through which to They now flourish, especially, in the ter- 



reach the people with the truth ritory between eastern Ohio and Colo- 



The American Forestry Association de- rado. Winconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, 



sires to propagate. Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri are 



The Chautauqua Assembly was among the leading Qiautauqua states, 



founded in 1874, largely through the Local Chautauquas have, in cases, 



efforts of Reverend, now Bishop, John organized permanently, bought land, 



Heyl Vincent, at Lake Chautauqua, and erected tabernacles for assembly 



New York. purposes. Like theaters and schools, 



Like many other good things, the they now constitute a regular feature 



Cha-utauqua, both as an idea and an in- of the entertainment and educational 



stitution, grew. Chautauqua literary life of the communities in which they 



and scientific circles were established are found. 



throughout the country. In these, Quite recently the Chautauqua has 



students pursued courses of reading, made a new departure. Its organiza- 



culminating with academic degrees. In- tion and ownership have become not 



creasing multitudes made annual sum- local but central ; instead of being fixed 



mer pilgrimages to the home of the to one spot, it travels, like a circus, 



institution, Lake Chautauqua. The type of this latter form of Chau- 



With the growth in numbers, how- tauqua is the Redpath Chautauqua 

 ever, came increasing difficulty for System. It experimented with the new 

 Chautauqua patrons to avail themselves plan in the summer of 1907 ; it devel- 

 of the advantages of the great parent oped it to large proportions in the sum- 

 assembly. In time was born the idea mer of 1908. During the past summer 

 that, instead of making it necessary for the Redpaths maintained six Chautau- 

 the mountain to come to Mohammed, qua outfits, each comprising a crew, 

 Mohammed should go to the mountain, railway car, large assembly tent, and 

 In other words, local Chautauqua as- smaller tents. The institution is owned 

 semblies were established at various by the corporation known as the Red- 

 points throughout the country. path Chautauqua System. Crew, car. 



The writer well remembers attending and tents were, in each case, in charge 



one of these little, local Chautauqvtas of a superintendent. They went into a 



which had pitched its tents and taber- town on Monday, operated six succes- 



nacles in a canyon of a pioneer settle- sive days, morning, afternoon, and even- 



ment in north central Nebraska about ing, and then moved by rail to another 



1890. Distinguished clergymen, lee- town where they repeated the process 



turers and teachers were brought many and, to a greater or less extent, the same 



hundreds of miles, and gave to the program. Certain speakers and teachers 



people there clustering on the very stayed with a given tent through the 



edge of civilization the best thought season, meeting practically the same 



and highest inspiration of the more audience daily for six days. Another 



populous centers. For a number of type of speaker, however, spoke on 



years, this local Chautauqua was one Tuesday at one Chautauqua, on Wed- 



of the great features in the life of this nesday at another, and so on through 



community, and was talked of from its the week, oscillating back and forth 



adjournment one year to its assembly among the six Chautauquas, perhaps 



the following year. for several weeks ; in cases, throughout 



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