CHAUTAUQUA.

Otaki Mail, 12 February 1919, Page 3

CHAUTAUQUA.

COMING TO LEVIN. Levin is shortly to have the privilege !of 'a visit from some of America's I most.talented artists and brainiest men j and women. It will be the third centre ■ in Now Zealand to be entertained and instructed by the American Chautauqua party.-Their-asseniblies commence ■at Masterton' on •■Friday, February 28, and the first day's section then go on to Wellington, opening there on March 1, and coming to Levin on March 3, thonee going successively to Palmerston, Feilding and Marlon. The assembly in each centre will last a week, each day's artists and programme being entirely different from the others, but being the same in each centre. .Levin, for instance, will receive exactly the same treatment as Wellington and . Palinc'rston.

The Chautauqua movement had its origin in Chautauqua, America, and has now spread throughout that country. The basic idea is to bring the ablest educationalists and entertainers Of the day within reach of the humblest citizen; not only that, but to- bring these teachers and lecturers to the-.yery doors of the people. Thus the scheme was evolved and the "Chautauquas" became essentially travelling parties of specialists in different walks of scientific achievement, who nioved on from place to place, giving'the people the benefit of their knowledge. Our American cousins believe in adding a little embellishment to the process of education, and so musical programmes. arc added to the proceedings at eachj session. The artists engaged are of the highest standard, so that the- whole scheme provides the opportunity", of hearing professional speakers and musical artists that thousands of people would not otherwise have, the pleasure of hearing. The speakers deal with subjects thai; have a local interest in iriany cases, and it has often happened that some 'local problem- has thus been taken up at the assemblies, discussed, and a solution-found. Patrons get the benefit of a wide .range of. subjocts i dealt with and explained by those highly qualified to do so. The- 'children arc not forgotten in the- scheme of' things, and there are numerous tunities of acquiring knowledge and enlightenment, that must confer hugo benefits on the younger generation. 1 In the course of her remarks in Levin

on Thursday night (says the Chronicle) Miss Carson, the representative of the movement, said its aim was "to help people to -find themselves.-'.' She thought it might bo called a national movement.. It made a direct appeal to the individual. Through- the brilliant array of talent that, assisted .the Chnii- ! tauqua platform everyone was able to ; come into contact with, the greatest j minds of the day, and it was through the co-operation of those altruits —the lu per cent who save the. world from barbarism —that the public is able to get its mental uplift. At present they had 16,000 centre? iu the United States and Canada, and the cry was for more. "It is really a great elevating force, free from religious prejudice and party polities," she said. It sought to inculcate good impulses, and the need for such she guessed was fairly universal. President Woodrow Wilson and Mr Lloyd George vouched for the movement; ex-President Taft was on the Chautauqua, platform last year, and the late Theodore Roosevelt had termed it "the people's university." When the war broke out the Chautauqua realised that its duty was an international one. and ou all its ten thousand platforms was breathed the spirit which educated America for tho right side. .They did not lay down the law and say you must, do this or that, which would have' promoted opposition'and conflict, but-they created a spirit which in the end. accounted for the very unanimous way America went into the fight.