The first circuit Chautauqua appeared in 1904 and traveled to fifteen towns in Iowa. As with the early lyceum movements and Chautauqua assemblies, the goal of the circuit Chautauqua was to deliver educational, spiritual, and cultural stimulation to rural and small-town America.
What was the goal of the circuit Chautauqua?
As with the early lyceum movements and Chautauqua assemblies, the goal of the circuit Chautauqua was to deliver educational, spiritual, and cultural stimulation to rural and small-town America.
What is Chautauqua?
The first circuit Chautauqua appeared in 1904 and traveled to fifteen towns in Iowa. As with the early lyceum movements and Chautauqua assemblies, the goal of the circuit Chautauqua was to deliver educational, spiritual, and cultural stimulation to rural and small-town America.
When did the Chautauqua movement start?
After 1900, the "circuit (or traveling) chautauqua" became the principle expression of the movement. The institutional chautauquas were somewhat wary of these travelling, tented chautauquas. Still, at the height of the Chautauqua Movement, about 1915, some 12,000 communities had hosted a chautauqua.
What is a Chautauqua Assembly?
Within a decade, "Chautauqua assemblies" (or simply "Chautauquas"), named for the location in New York, sprang up in various locations across North America. The Chautauqua movement may be regarded as a successor to the Lyceum movement earlier in the 19th century.
Why was the Chautauqua movement important?
The Chautauqua brought entertainment and culture for the whole community, with speakers, teachers, musicians, showmen, preachers, and specialists of the day. Former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt was quoted as saying that Chautauqua is "the most American thing in America."
What were the Chautauqua shows?
“Chautauqua” was a cultural and social movement that started in upstate New York in the 1870s and flourished until the mid 1920s. During this time, hundreds of touring chautauquas presented lectures, dance, music, drama, and other forms of “cultural enrichment”.
What is the history of Chautauqua?
“Chautauqua” is an Iroquois word with multiple meanings, including “a bag tied in the middle” or “two moccasins tied together.” The word describes the shape of Chautauqua Lake, located in southwest New York, which was the setting for the Chautauqua Institution, the first educational assembly in what became a ...
Who started the Chautauqua movement?
In 1874, two Methodists, philanthropist Lewis Miller and minister John Heyl Vincent, founded the Chautauqua Lake Sunday School Assembly, an academic resort and educational experiment intended to train Sunday school teachers and church workers.
What is Chautauqua New York famous for?
With 1557 commercial farms (1997), 15,500 acres of grapes, and eight wineries, Chautauqua County has more farms and produces more grapes than any other county in New York State.
When was the Chautauqua movement?
chautauqua movement, popular U.S. movement in adult education that flourished during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The original Chautauqua Lake Sunday School Assembly in western New York, founded in 1874 by John H.
What are the 4 pillars of Chautauqua?
At Lakeside, our summer season offers daily programming in all four Chautauqua pillars: recreation, education, arts and entertainment, and religion.
Is Chautauqua an Indian name?
The Word “Chautauqua” The word, Chautauqua, comes from the Iroquois tribe. It has two different meanings, either “a bag tied together” or “two moccasins tied together.” Both definitions aptly describe the shape of Chautauqua Lake in western New York, where the name Chautauqua was first used.
What did the Chautauqua movement offer?
The Chautauqua Movement sought to bring learning, culture and, later, entertainment to the small towns and villages of America during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Is Chautauqua a man made lake?
The three glacial pauses resulted in Chautauqua Lake being created in the form of two basins, each initially having some differing properties due to the characteristics of the two glacial retreats. During the retreat, the glacier first paused at Jamestown and deposited a mound of soil.
Who goes to Chautauqua Institution?
The Chautauqua Institution has been visited by political figures, celebrities, artists, musicians, scientists, and writers. Since its founding in 1874, the Institution has been visited by four sitting United States presidents including Ulysses S.
Is Chautauqua a finger lake?
Sometimes Chautauqua Lake is referred to as the “thumb of the Finger Lakes,” due to its close proximity and perpendicular position, but it's important to note that it was formed by separate glacial activity and is not associated with the Finger Lakes.
What does Chautauqua mean in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance?
Most people wonder where the term “Chautauqua” came from. Actually, it originates, at least for us, in the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert M. Pirsig. He uses the word to describe his inquiry into the notion of quality and the best way to visualize the world.
How do you pronounce Chautauqua NY?
0:060:55How to Pronounce Chautauqua (Real Life Examples!) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipVaudeville some burlesque the chautauqua circuit all these things around the turn of the century.MoreVaudeville some burlesque the chautauqua circuit all these things around the turn of the century.
What is Jamestown NY known for?
Lovers of comedy should make it a point to visit Jamestown, home of the newly built National Comedy Center, the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum, and Desilu Studios. In this small town, there are plenty of attractions and historic sites to keep visitors busy and entertained for a weekend.
Is Chautauqua Institution religious?
Chautauqua provides a wide variety of services of worship and programs that express the Institution's Christian heritage as well as its interfaith commitment.
Is Chautauqua Lake nice?
It's a nice lake for just relaxing or all the water sports from kayaking and boating to swimming and fishing. Many towns and villages dot its shores.
What role did Chautauqua Park play in the early development of Boulder?
Established in 1898 on what was then a barren mesa south of Boulder, Colorado Chautauqua has been providing education and entertainment programs for well over a century. Originally founded by Texas educators, the Chautauqua in Boulder was part of a nationwide movement emphasizing intellectual and moral improvement.
When was the Chautauqua Institute founded?
1874Chautauqua Institution / Founded
Is Chautauqua Lake a natural lake?
Chautauqua Lake was formed during the glacial period. Before that time, it is possible that the northern end of the lake, then only a river, drained into Lake Erie as the streams north of the dividing ridge still do today.
What does Chautauqua mean in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance?
Most people wonder where the term “Chautauqua” came from. Actually, it originates, at least for us, in the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert M. Pirsig. He uses the word to describe his inquiry into the notion of quality and the best way to visualize the world.
How do you pronounce Chautauqua NY?
0:060:55How to Pronounce Chautauqua (Real Life Examples!) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipVaudeville some burlesque the chautauqua circuit all these things around the turn of the century.MoreVaudeville some burlesque the chautauqua circuit all these things around the turn of the century.
Is Chautauqua a finger lake?
Sometimes Chautauqua Lake is referred to as the “thumb of the Finger Lakes,” due to its close proximity and perpendicular position, but it's important to note that it was formed by separate glacial activity and is not associated with the Finger Lakes.
Is Chautauqua Lake a natural lake?
Chautauqua Lake was formed during the glacial period. Before that time, it is possible that the northern end of the lake, then only a river, drained into Lake Erie as the streams north of the dividing ridge still do today.
What was the Chautauqua movement based on?
Chautauquas were based on the idea that learning continued throughout life. The Chautauqua Movement's mix of education and entertainment was the predecessor of today's NPR, TED talks, and influenced modern journalism, television, and politics.
What is Chautauqua culture?
What is a Chautauqua. “Chautauqua” was a cultural and social movement that started in upstate New York in the 1870s and flourished until the mid 1920s. During this time, hundreds of touring chautauquas presented lectures, dance, music, drama, and other forms of “cultural enrichment”. In rural America, big tents served as temporary theaters ...
Where did the Notc stop in 1925?
List of Washington Circuit Chautauqua Stops 1925: Castle Rock, Washington. Centralia, Washington. Sedro-Woolley, Washington.
Where is the Chautauqua Institution?
The Chautauqua Institution still thrives in Chautauqua, New York.
What was the largest event that has ever existed in the US or Canada?
The Chautauqua Movement was the largest event that has ever existed in the US or Canada. Taking its cue from the proceeding Lyceum movement the first Chautauqua was held on idyllic Lake Chautauqua (hence the name) in 1874. Its mix of arts and entertainment became an instant hit.
What was the Chautauqua movement?
Although the Chautauqua movement was founded by Methodists, nondenominationalism was a Chautauqua principle from the beginning, and prominent Catholics like Catherine Doherty took part. In 1892, Lutheran Church theologian Theodore Emanuel Schmauk was one of the organizers of the Pennsylvania Chautauqua.
Who was the first Chautauqua?
The first Chautauqua, the New York Chautauqua Assembly, was organized in 1874 by Methodist minister John Heyl Vincent and businessman Lewis Miller at a campsite on the shores of Chautauqua Lake in the state of New York. Two years earlier, Vincent, editor of the Sunday School Journal, had begun to train Sunday school teachers in an outdoor summer school format. The gatherings grew in popularity. The organization founded by Vincent and Miller later became known as the Chautauqua Institution. It was called the Mother Chautauqua, because many independent, or "daughter" Chautauquas were developed under the same fashion.
What was Chautauqua's political reform?
Chautauquas can be viewed in the context of the populist ferment of the late 19th century. Manifestos such as the " Populist Party Platform" voiced a disdain for political corruption and championed the plight of the common people in the face of the rich and powerful. Other favorite political reform topics in Chautauqua lectures included temperance (even prohibition ), women's suffrage, and child labor laws.
What was the religious movement in Chautauqua?
Early religious expression in Chautauqua was usually of a general nature, comparable to the later Moral Re-Armament movement . Later on, in the first half of the 20th century, Fundamentalism was the content of an increasing number of Chautauqua sermons and lectures. However, the great number of Chautauquas, as well as the absence of any central authority over them, meant that religious patterns varied greatly among the different Chautauquas. Some were so religiously oriented that they were essentially church camps, while more secular Chautauquas resembled summer school and competed with vaudeville in theaters and circus tent shows with their animal acts and trapeze acrobats.
Where were Chautauquas built?
Such a Chautauqua was generally built in an attractive semi-rural location a short distance outside an established town with good rail service. At the height of the Chautauqua movement in the 1920s, several hundred of these existed, but their numbers have since dwindled.
What was the goal of the Vaudeville managers at the turn of the 20th century?
At the turn of the 20th century, vaudeville managers began a push for more "refinement", as well as a loosening of Victorian-era morals from the Chautauqua side. Over time, as vaudeville became more respectable, Chautauqua became more permissive in what they considered to be acceptable acts. The boundaries between the two began to blur.
What were the mainstays of Chautauqua?
Lectures were the mainstay of the Chautauqua. Prior to 1917, lectures dominated the circuit Chautauqua programs. The reform speech and the inspirational talk were the two main types of lecture until 1913. Later topics included current events, travel and stories, often with a comedic twist.
Why did Chautauquas decline?
One reason was the sharp increase in fundamentalism and evangelical Christianity in the 1920s ; the bland, non-denominationalism exhibited at most chautauquas couldn’t accommodate these impulses. Many small independent chautauquas, however, became essentially camp meetings or church camps. Another seemingly contradictory influence was the rise of the liberated, educated woman. Chautauquas functioned for many lower- and middle-class women much as elite women’s colleges did for upper-class women. They were training grounds from which women could launch “real” careers. When professional and educational opportunities increased, women’s interest in chautauquas dwindled. Finally, the Depression itself made chautauquas economically impossible for organizers and audiences.
What was the Chautauqua camp?
The camp became known as the Chautauqua Institution and reflected a nation-wide interest in the professionalization of teaching. Vincent and Miller were very clear that their intent was educational, rather than revivalist, and the Chautauqua Institution was never affiliated with any one religious denomination although the sort of mild Protestantism that informed much of American culture also underpinned the Chautauqua Movement. Today, nearly every faith group in the U.S. has a chapel or building on the grounds of the New York Chautauqua.
What did Teddy Roosevelt say about the Chautauqua Institution?
After visiting the Chautauqua Institution, Teddy Roosevelt noted it was “a source of positive strength and refreshment of mind and body to come to meet a typical American gathering like this – a gathering that is typically American in that it is typical of America at its best.”
Do Chautauquas live a renaissance?
Today, chautauquas are experiencing a small renaissance. People are discovering that lifelong learning is one of the keys to living a happy, fulfilling life. Throughout North America, existing chautauquas are thriving and ones from the past are being resurrected. Learn more about all the living chautauqua communities and assemblies currently in operation at www.chautauquatrail.com.
Where was the Chautauqua lecture?
He was with the Chautauqua in Dyersburg, Tennessee, the week before promoting programs which drew record crowds and said “it was the finest lecture ever given there.”
What was the feature of 1922 Chautauqua Week?
The feature of the 1922 Danville Chautauqua Week was on July 4 with the production of a comedy “Turn to the Right,” given by a cast of New York actors. The comedy is an “exhilarating yet poignant romance full of laughter, thrills and the tenderest mellow heart interest.”.
What year was the Redpath Chautauqua?
The 1927 Redpath Chautauqua was sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and Woman’s Club and was held in a tent on the Centre College campus with programs from 3:30 to 8 p.m.
When was Robin Hood included in Chautauqua?
The popular opera “Robin Hood” was included in the July 1925 Chautauqua.
Who made lightning at the Chicago Male Quartette?
The seven-day event include performances by the Chicago Male Quartette; Story of Science, demonstrated by R.B. Ambrose, who made homemade lightning and other experiments.
When did the Chautauqua circuit start?
In the early 1900s , before radio and swimming pools, the arrival of the Chautauqua circuit in small-town America was as much a part of the summer experience as snow cones and roller coasters are today.
What did Bryan say about Chautauqua?
In the same “The Prince of Peace” speech, Bryan stressed the importance of public service–a sentiment which reflected the core principles of the Chautauqua movement. Just as the leaders of the movement came together in service to improve the lives of their community members through fellowship and education, Bryan encouraged Chautauqua audiences to do the same.
What was the purpose of the Chautauqua Circuit?
The purpose of the lyceum movement was self-improvement through lectures and discussions on literar y, scientific, and moral topics. After the Civil War, commercial lyceum bureaus were founded; among them was the Redpath Lyceum Bureau of James C. Redpath in 1868. In 1901, Keith Vawter purchased a one-third interest in the Redpath Lyceum Bureau and became the Redpath booking agent in Chicago, later moving his headquarters and operations to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In the summer of 1904, Vawter launched the first Chautauqua circuit with the assistance of Charles Horner.
How many Chautauqua performers are there?
The Talent series is the largest portion of the collection and documents approximately 8,400 Chautauqua performers. It is arranged alphabetically by the name of the performer and includes some 7,900 publicity brochures, along with promotional advertising, flyers, and correspondence relating to the individual performer or group. The publicity brochures in this series have been digitized and are available online at http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award98/iauhtml/ and http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/tc/index.php
How many photographs are there in Chautauqua?
There are over seven hundred photographs and postcards in the Chautauqua Collection with subjects ranging from tents and parades to audiences and performers, cities, and other scenery. These have been digitized and are available online at http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/tc/index.php
What is the Redpath Chautauqua Collection?
The Redpath Chautauqua Collection is the most extensive collection of circuit chautauqua and lyceum materials known to exist. The history of this collection is closely connected with the career of Harrison John Thornton, professor of history at the University of Iowa from 1929 to 1952. His scholarly interests in the lyceum and Chautauqua movements resulted in the Libraries’ original holdings. The Vawter estate left Keith Vawter’s personal papers to Professor Thornton, who willed the papers to the University Libraries upon his own death. The office files of the Redpath-Chicago Bureau were gifted to the University of Iowa Libraries in 1945, with the Libraries taking actual possession of the papers in 1951. Since that time the Libraries have continued to add to the collection, with several increments received in the 1970s. For more information about this collection see: McCown, Robert, "Records of the Redpath Collection," Books at Iowa, no. 19 ( November, 1973) and for further information on Chautauqua, Charlotte M. Canning's essay, "What was Chautauqua."
Overview
Typical Chautauqua circuit
A route taken by a troupe of Chautauqua entertainers, the May Valentine Opera Company, which presented Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado during its 1925 "Summer Season," began March 26 in Abbeville, Louisiana, and ended September 6 in Sidney, Montana.
History
In 1873, the first Chautauqua, Lakeside Chautauqua on Ohio's Lake Erie, was formed by the Methodists. The next year, 1874, the New York Chautauqua Assembly, was organized by Methodist minister John Heyl Vincent and businessman Lewis Miller at a campsite on the shores of Chautauqua Lake in the state of New York. Two years earlier, Vincent, editor of the Sunday School Jour…
The Chautauquan
The Chautauquan was a magazine founded in 1880 by Theodore L. Flood First printed in Jamestown, New York, the magazine soon found a home in Meadville, Pennsylvania, where Flood bought a printing shop. It printed articles about Christian history, Sunday school lessons, and lectures from Chautauqua. By the end of the decade the magazine was printing articles by well-known authors of the day (John Pentland Mahaffy, John Burroughs, Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen), an…
Lectures
Lectures were the mainstay of the Chautauqua. Prior to 1917, lectures dominated the circuit Chautauqua programs. The reform speech and the inspirational talk were the two main types of lecture until 1913. Later topics included current events, travel and stories, often with a comedic twist.
The most prolific speaker (often booked in the same venues with three-time presidential candid…
Lectures were the mainstay of the Chautauqua. Prior to 1917, lectures dominated the circuit Chautauqua programs. The reform speech and the inspirational talk were the two main types of lecture until 1913. Later topics included current events, travel and stories, often with a comedic twist.
The most prolific speaker (often booked in the same venues with three-time presidential candid…
Religious expression
Christian instruction, preaching, and worship were a strong part of the Chautauqua experience. Although the Chautauqua movement was founded by Methodists, nondenominationalism was a Chautauqua principle from the beginning, and prominent Catholics like Catherine Doherty took part. In 1892, Lutheran Church theologian Theodore Emanuel Schmauk was one of the organizers of the Pennsylvania Chautauqua.
Competition with vaudeville
In the 1890s, both Chautauqua and vaudeville were gaining popularity and establishing themselves as important forms of entertainment. While Chautauqua had its roots in Sunday-school and valued morality and education highly, vaudeville grew out of minstrel shows, variety acts, and crude humor, and so the two movements found themselves at odds. Chautauqua was considered wholesome, family entertainment and appealed to middle classes and people who considered th…
Music
Music was important to Chautauqua, with band music in particular demand. John Philip Sousa protégé Bohumir Kryl's Bohemian Band was frequently seen on the circuit. One of the numbers featured by Kryl was the "Anvil Chorus" from Il Trovatore with four husky timpanists in leather aprons hammering on anvils shooting sparks (enhanced through special effects) across the darkened stage. Spirituals were also popular. White audiences appreciated seeing African-Ameri…