HOTELS, HEADQUARTERS, AND HAND-SHAKING (1880)
THE seventh session of the Assembly opened in 1880 with another addition
to the Chautauqua territory. Fifty acres along the Lake shore had been
acquired, and the Assembly-ground was now three times as large as that
of the old Fair Point Camp Meeting.
This season saw also the foundation laid for a large hotel. It is worthy
of record that the Hotel Athenaeum was built not by the Assembly Board,
but by a stock company of people friendly to the movement and willing to
risk considerable capital in its establishment. More than one promising
Assembly had already been wrecked and many more were destined to
bankruptcy by building large hotels before they were assured of guests
to fill them. It must be kept in mind that everywhere the Chautauqua
constituency was not, and is not now, the wealthy class who frequent
summer hotels and are willing to pay high prices for their
entertainment. A Chautauqua Assembly, whether in the east or the west,
is mainly composed of people possessing only moderate means, but eager
for intellectual culture. Whenever a Chautauqua has been established in
connection with the conventional summer hotel, either it has become
bankrupt from lack of patronage, or the hotel has swallowed up the
Assembly. The Hotel Athenaeum at Chautauqua was not the property of the
Assembly, and might have failed--as many, perhaps most, of the summer
hotels at watering-places have failed once or more than once in their
history--without endangering the Assembly itself. The men who built the
Athenaeum, led by Lewis Miller and his business partners, risked their
money, and might have lost it, for there were seasons when it paid no
dividends to the stockholders, and other seasons when the profits were
small. Yet this hotel drew by degrees an increasing number of visitors
who were able and willing to enjoy its advantages over those of the
earlier cottage boarding houses, and it led to better accommodations and
a more liberal table in the cottages, until now the Hotel Athenaeum is
only one of a number of really good houses of entertainment at
Chautauqua. It is given prominence in our story because it was first in
its field. By the way, the name "Hotel Athenaeum" was given by Dr.
Vincent, who liked to impart a classical tone to buildings in an
educational institution.
The building was begun in 1880 and opened in the following year, though
even then not fully completed. It occupied the site of a three-story
edifice bearing the high-sounding name "Palace Hotel," a structure of
tent-cloth over a wooden frame, divided by muslin partitions, and three
stories in height. When rooms for the ever-increasing multitudes at
Chautauqua were few, the Palace Hotel was a blessing to many visitors.
Some distinguished men slept in those tented rooms, and inasmuch as a
sheet partition is not entirely sound-proof, their snores at night could
be heard almost as far as their speeches by day. Some there were in the
early eighties who shook their heads as the walls of the new hotel rose,
and dreaded the tide of worldliness which would follow; but the Hotel
Athenaeum has become a genuine helper to the Chautauqua spirit, for its
great parlor has opened its doors to many receptions, and the witty
after-dinner speeches at banquets in its dining-hall would fill more
than one volume.
Another building which deserves mention is the Congregational House,
opened in 1880; the first church headquarters established at
Chautauqua. We have seen how the denominations were recognized from the
earliest years, and meeting places provided for their prayer meetings
and conferences. The need was felt by a number of the larger churches of
a place where their members could find a welcome on arrival, could form
an acquaintance with fellow-members, could meet each other in social
gatherings and prayer meetings, and could promote the fraternal spirit.
The example of the Congregationalists was soon followed. The
Presbyterian headquarters, aided by a liberal donation of Mr. Elliott F.
Shepard of New York, was the earliest brick building on the ground,
solid and substantial, befitting the church which it represented. After
a few years its size was doubled to make a Mission House, where
missionaries of that church, home and foreign, could enjoy a vacation at
Chautauqua. The Methodist House is one of the largest, for its chapel is
the home of the Community Church at Chautauqua through the entire year,
the church home of the resident population of every denomination. The
Disciples of Christ, or Christian Church, purchased a large
boarding-house, built before it a pillared porch, giving it a noble
frontage and furnishing rooms for guests in the upper stories. The
United Presbyterians built a chapel, serving also as a social room. The
Protestant Episcopalians also erected a chapel consecrated to worship,
but later established also a Church Home. The Unitarians purchased and
improved a property fronting on St. Paul's Grove. The Baptists built a
large headquarters on Clark Avenue, the street extending from the
Amphitheater to the Hall of Philosophy, and the Lutherans obtained a
large building near it. In all these Denominational Houses there is an
absence of clannish feeling. No church uses its headquarters as a
propaganda of its peculiar views; and in the receptions fellow
Christians of every branch are always welcome. When some eminent man
comes to Chautauqua, his church holds a reception in his honor, and
everybody who would like to take his hand flocks to the meeting at his
church headquarters. Speaking of receptions, I must tell of one wherein
I was supposed to take a leading part, but found myself left in the
rear. Dr. Vincent announced that at four o'clock, in the Hall of
Philosophy, a reception would be given to Dr. Edward Everett Hale. He
said to me:
Now, Dr. Hurlbut, I place this reception in your
hands to manage. Dr. Hale comes from Boston and is
accustomed to the formalities of the best society.
Be sure to have this reception held in the proper
manner. Let the Doctor stand in front of the
platform, have ushers ready to introduce the
people, and let there be no indiscriminate
handshaking.
I promised to see that everything should be done decently and in order,
and a few minutes before the hour appointed, walked over to the Hall. I
was amazed to see a crowd of people, all pressing toward the center,
where the tall form of Dr. Hale loomed above the throng, shaking hands
apparently in every direction. I rushed upon the scene and vainly
endeavored to bring about some semblance of order. The reception was a
tumultuous, almost a rough-and-tumble, affair, everybody reaching out
for the guest in his own way. It came about in this manner, as I
learned.
Everybody at Chautauqua knows that the bell invariably rings five
minutes before the hour, giving notice that the exercises may begin
promptly on the stroke of the clock. But Dr. Hale did not know this, and
when the five-minute bell rang, he rose and said:
"The time for the meeting has come, but nobody seems to be in charge.
Let us begin the reception ourselves without waiting."
He stood up, and began shaking hands right and left, without waiting for
introduction, and when the four o'clock bell sounded, the reception was
in full sweep, everybody crowding around at once and grasping his hand.
Before the first throng had satisfied its desires, another stream poured
in and the general tumult continued until the five o'clock hour
compelled an adjournment, the Hall being required for another meeting.
At the close, Dr. Hale remarked to me, "I especially like the
informality of such gatherings here at Chautauqua. This has been one of
the most satisfactory receptions that I have ever attended!"
Chautauqua was already coming to the front as a convention-city. Its
central location between New York and Chicago, with ready transportation
north and south, its Amphitheater for great meetings, with numerous
halls and tents for smaller gatherings and committees, the constant
improvement in its lodging and commissary departments, its attractive
program of lectures and entertainments, and not the least, its romantic
out-of-door life, began to draw to the ground different organizations.
The Woman's Christian Temperance Union, led by Frances E. Willard,
returned to its birthplace for its sixth annual convention, and the
National Educational Association brought members from every State,
presided over by Dr. J. Ormond Wilson. This Association embraced
educators of widely diverging views, and some entertaining scraps
occurred in its discussions. For example, the kindergarten instruction
at Chautauqua was under the direction of Madame Kraus-Boelte, and her
husband, a learned but rather obstinate German, Professor Kraus. There
was an Americanized kindergarten, whose representative came, hired a
cottage, and hung out her sign, but much to her displeasure was not
allowed to conduct classes. It would never answer to let anybody hold
classes unauthorized by the management, for who could tell what
educational heresies might enter through the gate? But this aggressive
lady paid her fee, joined the N. E. A., and in the kindergarten section
proceeded to exploit her "improvements" upon the Froebel system. This
aroused the ire of Professor Kraus, and in vigorous language he
interrupted her address, declaring, at first in English, then half in
German as his anger rose:
"Dat iss not kindergarten! Dere is but one kindergarten! You can call
dat whatever you please, but not kindergarten! You can call it
joss-house, if you choose, but you must not say dat mix-up is a
kindergarten!"
The audience enjoyed the discussion all the more because of this
scramble between opposing schools.
[Illustration: Methodist Headquarters]
[Illustration: Disciples (Christian Church) Headquarters]
There was another, and more dignified, controversy on the Chautauqua
platform in 1880. On its program was the honored name of Washington
Gladden, of Columbus, Ohio, to speak upon the Standard Oil Company and
its misdeeds. A friend of Dr. Vincent, who was an officer of the
Standard Oil, said that it would only be fair to hear the other side,
and proposed Mr. George Gunton of New York as a speaker. So it came to
pass that two able men spoke on opposite sides of the mooted question.
Each gave an address and afterward had an opportunity of answering the
other's arguments. So far as I know, this was the first debate on public
questions at Chautauqua, and it was succeeded by many others. An effort
is made to have the burning questions of the time discussed by
representative speakers. Some exceedingly radical utterances on capital
and labor have been made on the Chautauqua platform, but it must not be
inferred, because the audience listened to them respectfully, or even
applauded a particularly sharp sentence, that Chautauqua was in accord
with the speaker's sentiments.
On the list of speakers at this season may be read the following, a few
among many names: Prof. J. H. Gilmore of Rochester University gave a
series of brilliant lectures upon English literature. Ram Chandra
Bose of India gave several lectures, philosophic and popular. Dr.
Sheldon Jackson of Alaska thrilled a great audience with an appeal for
that outlying but unknown land of ours. Schuyler Colfax, Vice-President
of Grant's first administration, gave a great lecture on "Abraham
Lincoln." Professor Borden P. Bowne of Boston University made the deep
things of philosophy plain even to unphilosophic listeners. Other
orators in the new Amphitheater were Dr. Robert R. Meredith of Boston,
Dr. J. O. Means of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign
Missions, and Dr. W. W. Keen of Philadelphia. The Fisk Jubilee Singers
made their first visit this year; and with the Northwestern Band and the
Assembly Chorus, already counted by the hundreds, under Professors
Sherwin and Case, made music one of the most popular features of the
program.
This year was also notable for the first appearance of the _Chautauquan
Magazine_, containing a part of the required readings of the C. L. S. C.
It was launched and made successful by the financial, business, and
editorial ability of Dr. Flood, who ventured his capital boldly and won
deserved success. The ever-welcome "Pansy," Mrs. G. R. Alden, this
season read a new story, published soon afterward. With Mrs. Alden in
those early years was a serious small boy, ever at his mother's side,
rarely entering into the sports of childhood. If we could have looked
forward a quarter-century, we might have seen in him the coming
Professor Raymond M. Alden of the Leland Stanford faculty, one of the
most eminent scholars and critics in the Department of English
Literature, and an authority quoted in all lands where the English
language is spoken or read.
A visitor came to Chautauqua at the session of 1880, whose presence
brought the place and the Assembly into notice throughout the nation.
General James A. Garfield was at that time the candidate of his party
for President of the United States. He came to Chautauqua on Saturday,
August 7th, for a week-end rest in a strenuous campaign, expressing a
wish not to be called upon for any public address or reception. He
worshiped with the great congregation on Sunday morning, his entrance
with a group of his friends being received in respectful silence. In the
afternoon he mentioned to Dr. Vincent that he had heard of Palestine
Park and would like to visit it. As the lectures in the Park were
generally given by me, I was detailed to walk through the model and
point out its localities. As we went out of Dr. Vincent's tent a small
company was standing around, waiting for a sight of the candidate. They
followed us, and as we walked on toward the Park, people came flocking
forth from every house and tent. By the time we reached the Land of
Palestine, it was well-nigh covered with the crowds, extending from Dan
to Beersheba. No former Palestine lecture of mine had ever drawn
together such a multitude! It became impossible to find the cities
covered by the multitudes. But I was somewhat surprised to perceive that
the General knew where at least the important localities belonged even
though they were not visible. He pointed out half a dozen of the cities
named in the Bible, and gave their names without hesitation or
suggestion. We desired to make a sort of pilgrimage through the land,
but found an army obstructing our journey.
On the next morning, as General Garfield was about to leave, Dr. Vincent
asked him, not to make a political speech, but to give in a few words
his impressions of Chautauqua. He consented, and standing upon a stump,
in the presence of a hastily assembled gathering, gave a ten-minute
address, of which the following is a part.
You are struggling with one of the two great
problems of civilization. The first one is a very
old struggle: It is, how shall we get any
leisure? That is the problem of every hammer
stroke, of every blow that labor has struck since
the foundation of the world. The fight for bread
is the first great primal fight, and it is so
absorbing a struggle that until one conquers it
somewhat he can have no leisure whatever. So that
we may divide the whole struggle of the human race
into two chapters; first, the fight to get
leisure; and then the second fight of
civilization--what shall we do with our leisure
when we get it? And I take it that Chautauqua has
assailed the second problem. Now, leisure is a
dreadfully bad thing unless it is well used. A man
with a fortune ready made and with leisure on his
hands, is likely to get sick of the world, sick of
himself, tired of life, and become a useless,
wasted man. What shall you do with your leisure? I
understand Chautauqua is trying to answer that
question and to open out fields of thought, to
open out energies, a largeness of mind, a culture
in the better senses, with the varnish scratched
off. We are getting over the process of painting
our native woods and varnishing them. We are
getting down to the real grain, and finding
whatever is best in it and truest in it. And if
Chautauqua is helping garnish our people with the
native stuff that is in them, rather than with the
paint and varnish and gew-gaws of culture, they
are doing well.
As we looked upon that stately figure, the form of one born to command,
and listened to that mellow, ringing voice, no one dreamed that within a
year that frame would be laid low, that voice hushed, and that life
fraught with such promise ended by an assassin's bullet!
The Assembly of 1880 came to its close on August 19th, after a session
of thirty-eight days. Although the C. L. S. C. had come to the
foreground and held the center of the stage, the normal work and Bible
study had not been neglected. The teacher-training classes were now
under the charge of Dr. Richard S. Holmes and Rev. J. L. Hurlbut. The
Children's Class was maintained with a daily attendance approaching
three hundred, the lessons taught by Rev. B. T. Vincent and pictures
drawn by Frank Beard; also Mr. Vincent conducted an Intermediate Class
in Bible Study. In all these classes for older and younger students,
more than two hundred and fifty passed the examination and were enrolled
as graduates.
On the last evening of the Assembly, after the closing exercises, there
was seen a weird, ghostly procession, in white raiment, emerging from
the Ark and parading solemnly through the grounds, pausing before the
Miller Cottage and the Vincent Tent for a mournful, melancholy musical
strain. This was the "ghost walk" of the guests in the Ark. Some eminent
Doctors of Divinity and Ph.D.'s were in that sheeted procession, led by
Professors Sherwin and Case, engineered, as such functions were apt to
be, by Frank and Helen Beard. The ghost walk grew into an annual march,
until it was succeeded by a more elaborate performance, of which the
story will be told later.