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Show WAS TAKEN OUT OF A WASTE BASKET Like any other Idea worth while, Chautauqua began with a man The man back of this idea was John H. Vincent. He was born down south of northern stock; was a teacher of country schools and became a minister minis-ter at 18 He did not have a college education, educa-tion, but had what was worth more an idea It was the education which ends only with death. No school teacher could, by any possible pos-sible manner, be satisfied with the old fashioned Sunday school and Its teachings, so in 1871. on the borders of Chautauqua lake, New York, was held the first assembly The object of this gathering was to conduct classes of Sunday school teachers to train them to be better teachers Mi Vincent had the idea of a nor mal school, and, If he had not listened lis-tened to counsel these gatherings would have been hold in some building build-ing Lewis Miller, the inventor of the Buckeye reaper, was the one to add the out-door feature Ideas have a habit of growing If ghen a chance This one grew From a Sunday school institute, there came a course of reading that has given to thousands all oer the world the college outlook on life Not only have educated people, but many who have never had the chance to grace college halls, been given a chance, by a carefully care-fully selected reading course, to gain an outlook on life and history that usually is a monopoly of the college bred. A great assembly plant has grown up at Chautauqua lake halls, hotels, eottages and colleges and each sum mer the leading men of many nations act as teachers and entertainers to large companies of people who live there for the summer months Such a good thing could not be kept in one place. Soon other f 'hautauquas were started. One at Winona lake, with Secretary of State Wm J Bry an president Is a close rival In magnitude magni-tude and influence to the one at Chautauqua Chau-tauqua lake Many other assemblies have crown up nil over the-country. More than one thousand were held Inst summer Every state save Nevada had at U one. Reno plans an assembly this summer to remedy that defect A map published in the World's Work of last September puts a dot wherever an assembly Is held. Iowa Is as speck led as a guinea. Ogden is on the map the only dot in Utah. There are two plana undor which these assemblies are conducted. One, as here In Ogden A local organization organiza-tion is formed and the talent Is selected se-lected with a view to local condition and needs. The other is run on the circus or circuit plan. Under the latter lat-ter the program for a largo number of assemblies is Identical and is e-lected e-lected by the manager, and with three or four tents In use they travel from place to place and the community pays the bills The Chrfutauqua in Ogden was picked pick-ed up out of a waste basket A commercial com-mercial body here received a communication com-munication from one of the bureaus selling talent, and it was consigned to the office waste basket, from whicii ii was rescued by one more Interested. Interest-ed. After several attempts, an organization organi-zation was formed and In 1911 the first assembly was held In Clenwoofl park. During the session a stork-corn stork-corn pany was organized with over 200 members, who each paid $10 A Chautauqua is a good thing for any town. As a business proposition It is a big boost One of the proml nent men In Boise says their assembly-Is assembly-Is a better thing for their town than the state fair or any other amusement venture they have ever tried. The same testimony comes from other towns. It furnishes wholesome amusement at a ery small cost. Some of the very best things in the country are available for the assembly patron? This year the directors expect to present pre-sent the Woodland players for two days If they are successful in this. Ogden will have the chance to see the ery best Shakespearean production produc-tion In fie country. Some of the best musk heard today is rendered at these gatherings, as the Schumann quartette of last year. The Chautauqua is an open forum where every one who has a real message mes-sage Is welcome. All shades of belief are heard Mr Russell gave us a Socialist's So-cialist's view of things Inst summer and Father Cleary held forth the Individualistic. In-dividualistic. The great orators and teachers are brought to us Governor Hanley. Frank Crane, Dr Aked Prof Tyler. Dr Hall and others have been on the program and this year and the other years which follow will bring many-others many-others The Chautauqua is a common meeting meet-ing place for all creeds and all parties, par-ties, and the feeling of unity which characterizes Ogden todav is due in part to the assembly. From these manv viewpoints the institution Is a good thing and deserves to be pushed along. |