THE CHAUTAUQUA MOVEMENT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 294, 31 August 1918, Page 5

THE CHAUTAUQUA MOVEMENT

AMERICAN IDEALS LINKING THE ANGLO-SAXON PEOPLES At the invitation of the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke, C.M.G., M.P.), Miss Cowan, a reprcsentativo of the uiautauqua movement in America, addressed u representative' gathering of Wmlingtou. citizens yesterday afternoon in tilt Mayor's room of the Town Hall upon tlio origin and aim of these "Twentieth Century Assemblies." Following upon her introduction by the Mayor to those piesent, Miss Cowan explained that the movement was fifty years old in I lie United States, and had been brought into existence by Bishop Vincent, to brighten and improvo' the time (.pent by the annual cainpars at the Bide of Lake Chautauqua, camping out being a. great summer pastime o'f the America li people. It was from this Like that the movement took its mime. The: bishop had arranged lor : ';ood speakers, lecturers, musicians, and cntei tamers to go down to the camping grounds, programmes wero arranged, ami an educational campaign resulted. People quickly became interested in the idea, and many towns instituted similar annual gatherings, such success attending them that last year 13,000 towns in tho United States and Ormada conducted Chautauqua, with an attendance of forty-seven millions of people. Some towns were more fortunate than ethers in -possessing good speakers, musicians, etc., so steps were taken for an interchange between them: There v.ere no largo moneyed intorests at tho back of the Chautauqiias—it was :iot a money-making scheme at all. A manager and a committee were set up in each town wbero Chautauqiias weie sir rted, who guaranteed to sell o'OO tickets at 10s. each (so that at least £SUU was in band to meet current expenses), aiid they arranged for their lecturers, entertainers, musicians, etc. In the course of lectures matters.of every conceivable kind of interest were brought before the people, including social and economic matters, town planning, juvenile courts, educational and international miitters, and so on, and of si'ch benefit had Hioy been to the people of the United States that President Wilson had said that tho.Chautauqtias were almost as integral a part of tho rational defence as were'men and intuitions. They had had such men lecture at these Chautauqua gatherings as President Wilson, Mr. Gerard, and Mr. Bryan. Ada Ward, the wellknown actress, had told to Chauta:iqua audiences stories from tho trenches; and other well-known people v-ho.se views were entitled to respect had also E'pokcn. For breaking the ground in regard to new ideas so that ally permeated the mass of the people, tho Ghaiitauquas were doiiig invahublo work, and as links for bringing the Ai;glo-Saxon nations into more intimate touch with ono another, and so dispelling much misapprehension and much distrust, they offered boundless opportunities. There was never a time in which there was such a need of unity of thought and actiom as now, and this movement offered a means of bringing this about. Miss Cowan explained that Chautauqiias wero an annual event in the towns in which they had been formed, and they lasted for six days, always out of doors (as they were held in tho summertime), in a very large tent or marquee, supplied with lighting, seats, and all that was necessary. With an interchange of lecturers, musicians, entertainers, singers, etc., arranged between America, Canada, Australia, and Now Zealand, it could be imagined what a valuable' interchange of views and knowledge of art, science, etc.; would bo brought. ft was to Cover - tho expense that would be. involved for each Chautauqua in bringing about tbis 'interchange that each organisation had to provide a guarantee of £300 or the sale of 600 tickets. In this way each had its place in the scheme for linking all tho English-speaking countries into a closer bond and for carrying out the Chautauqua moral, "The strength of all for tho good of one." In America, Miss Cowan explained,'a Canadian programme had been arranged by the National Executive Committee (which had its headquarters in Chicago), and many things Canadian were mado a feature at tho Chautauqua gathering for that year, and in Canada a reciprocity programme had been arranged, the United; States, in various aspects of national life and thought, being presented. In this way the States and Canada had been brought into more intimate acquaintance, and their criticism of each other grew more kindly. In a brief aside, Miss Cowan told her audience that in America New Zealand was looked upon as being nothing less than Utopia itself. Chautauqiias have been started in Australia, and in New Zealand ten have been started.to date. The fact that such nien as President Wilson, Mr. Hoover, Mr. Gerard, Mr. Bryan, and other outstanding men have lectured in connection with the Chautauqua platform has brought into the programmes subjects that had never been dealt with before, and yet they wero such as touched intimately upon tho life and progress of the people. Even the German population in America had been visited by Chautauqua lecturers, who pointed out to them the liberty, the privileges which they enjoyed. In this way valuable propaganda work was done among them. Another thing in regard to this movement was that the children were not forgotten, and suitable programmes were arranged for them. At the close of Miss Cowan's address the Mayor moved that all present form themselves into a committee, this committee to move in the matter of providing the necessary guarantee of £300 and to organise in other directions. ■The resolution was carried, a considerable amount of interest and keenness being shown by many of those present. A very pleasant finish to the afternoon was afternoon tea, provided by the Mayoress's Entertainment Committee, followed by a vote of thanks to Miss Cowan for her most interesting address. Among those who were present wero: Sirs. \V. F. llasscy, the Mayoress (Mrs. J. P. Luke), Mrs. Coradine (Mayoress of Masterton), Miss Coad, Miss Aitcheson, Mr. la Trobe, Mr. Atkins, several of tho city councillors, Mr. Palmer, Miss Birch, and various representatives of educational, musical, and other interests in the city.