552 CONFERENCE ON NATURAL BEAUTY 



nities of education, conservation, government, recreation, and health 

 might be to foster the growth and acceptance of a land ethic rooted 

 in the American spirit; a goal synonymous with the quality of 

 environment. 



Communication of an idea can take many forms. The 19th 

 century Chautauqua, a colorful early American method of commu- 

 nication, seems most appropriate to a grass roots establishment of 

 a land ethic. Visualize a Chautauqua circuit traversing key cities 

 and towns throughout the land. A number of sensorium units 

 travelling the circuit could seed information directed at the Ameri- 

 can's concern for his land in each community. 



What is a "sensorium"? 



It could be called a traveling school enlivened by five nomads 

 representing mixed interests for example, an historian, an environ- 

 mentalist, a musician, a religious man, and a botanist, chosen as 

 entertainers in their own right. Give them a mobile unit full of a 

 wild assortment of electronic communication equipment and sen- 

 sorial materials along with the mission of fascinating, entertaining, 

 and educating the general public. By emulating the organization 

 and purpose of the Chautauqua and by using mixed new and old 

 methods of communication they could create a talked about and 

 entertaining environment. 



Perhaps they would camp for the night, or for a week, in the city 

 park even Central Park. With their mobile units as stages and 

 their slide projectors, sound equipment, and ability to entertain as 

 a resource they might start by giving a show in recognition of the 

 local conservationists and with their participation.. With automatic 

 color-slide cameras and tape recorders they might document an 

 environmental problem like the San Francisco Embarcadero Freeway 

 and present it as a son et lumiere or sound and light show. They 

 could serve as a rallying point in each community for those interested 

 in quality of environment and in addition attract attention of the 

 local press. What television crew could resist documenting a band of 

 colorful nomads with flowers, trees, and the single word beautification 

 painted on their rolling stock. 



The sensorium would give voice to beautification in popular 

 rather than rhetorical terms. The most potent educational media 

 is reality, and the presence of five highly motivated people in a 

 variety of grass roots environments would not only capture local 

 but also mass media interest. It goes without saying that the sen- 



