Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 213, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 September 1915 — CHAUTAUQUA HAS GROWN IN INTEREST [ARTICLE]

CHAUTAUQUA HAS GROWN IN INTEREST

Large Crowds Present Tuesday Both Afternoon and Evening—Fine Music and Lectures. • _ Thursday’s Program. Morning—Junior Chautauqua. Afternoon —Popular concert, Mozart Quartet. Lecture Extraordinary, “Who Was Jesus, Man or God?” by Dr. Lincoln McConnell. Admission, 15 and 35 cents. Children’s Hour, at the playground. Night—Grand musical prelude, by Mozart Quartet. Humorous lecture, “Dead Lions,” Dr. Lincoln McConnell. Admission 25 and 50 cents. Grand! Fine! Best Yet! were some of the exclamations one heard on the chautauqua gorunds after the fine musical program which had been rendered by the Brook’s Symphony Orchestra. The tent was practically filled. The program opened with a grand march by the orchestra. This was followed by overtures, etc. Two of the chief features of the afternoon were a comet solo by Mr. J. O’Donnell and one by Mr. Leo Buckle. But the climax of the musical numbers was reached in the “Hunting Scene,” which was an excellent portrayal of all the happenings incidental to the preparation for and the following of the fox chase. There was the whistling of birds, the crow of the cock, and barking of dogs, the gallop of horses, firing of shots, and death of the fox. This proved to be the most popular number of the afternoon. Dr. Eaton took the platform after the orchestra and in his talk: “Ghosts, Gobline and Witches,” gave a very pleasant hour’s work. Dr. Eaton said in the first part of his talk: “Man’s body is the same as the body of any other animal, and it does not always excell as in animals. But we are like our creator in that we feel, act and think and in the last respect, at least, are different from an animal.”

He made the startling statement that there are ghosts, but they exist only in the mind. We sometimes imagine we see them before us simply because we have them in our mind. The burden of his talk was that the body may be largely controlled by the mind or the mind by the body. Most of the evening program was given over to the orchestra and right merrily did they entertain, with overture, marches, selections from operas and solos. The violin solo by Mr. Crandall and the soprano solo by Mrs. Crandall were greatly appreciated. The chief orchestral features of the evening were a selection of southern folk songs, with “The Star Spangled Banner”. As the strains of this rang out while Old Glory was majestically waved from the platform, the vast audience arose as one person, and cheers rang out. During the evening Dr. Eaton spoke on the Salute.” After giving a brief history of the founding and growth of the chautauqua movement Dr. Eaton said: “The chautauqua is a moral, intellectual and spiritual uplift and not merely entertainment. It means tp give inspiration and truth, aims to contribute toward the ‘Larger Life’ ”.

To those who object to chautauqua because it costs so much, he made them aware of the fact that they can not expect to get somehing for nothing. He said “There are only three things that try to get something for nothing, bed bugs, gamblers and robbers.” He insisted that for the general good of all and yourself, you boost the chautauqua movement. The committee is now taking pledges for tickets for next year. They will cost $2. This increase of price will be more than matched by increase in talent.