CHAUTAUQUA AT NEW ORLEANS.
Almost every interest of the country is represented at New Orleans this winter. Every prominent manufactory, all leading trades, the great branches of commerce, and particularly educational institutions have exhibits of more or less importance. The eye of the country is turned southward. Whatever is worthy our civilization has been collected there for study. In educational matters many departments have been given position, that they may be studied by the eager learner; for people are eager to know the world’s work. You see it in their keen observation of the displays made throughout the long galleries, and their quick notice of the comparative merits of the exhibits. To them the work from the Indian schools, from the colored people, from the far away territories, and from foreign lands are studies in comparative civilization. Every sign of advancement is quickly seized upon; and in no department is more eagerness to know manifested by visitors than in the “Chautauqua Alcove.”
Chautauqua and the C. L. S. C. have a very good representation in the south gallery of the government building, under the general supervision of Prof. E. A. Spring, a member of the faculty at Chautauqua. This exhibit is attracting a great deal of attention. All members and friends of the C. L. S. C. who may visit the Exposition are earnestly and cordially invited to visit the Chautauqua exhibit. An idea of Prof. Spring’s work may be obtained from a few extracts from a letter received from him in the holidays:
Chautauqua Alcove, New Orleans, La., Dec. 26, ’84.
There is a large placard up in this exhibit, as follows:
U. S. BUREAU OF EDUCATION.
CHAUTAUQUA ALCOVE.
Any one of the sixty thousand of the members of the C. L. S. C. who may be here is requested to register.
I give everybody one of a little handful of Spare Minute Course circulars that I brought with me. I have given out about a hundred—and had conversations, some of them with evident conviction—in German, French, English, and the language of signs. By help of my Italian, I have tried to talk to some of the many Mexicans here, but did not get deep enough to broach the C. L. S. C.
I had yesterday and to-day considerable talk with the intelligent gentlemen representing the French Republic school system—M. Buisson and his assistant. General Eaton says that the brother of this Mons. Buisson is the genius of education in France. They expressed themselves as much interested in the scope of the noble Chautauqua plans.
The principal and seven lady teachers from Normal, Ill., just left me. They will come again, to learn more of Chautauqua. Some Texas gentlemen, one of whom, Prof. Hogg, I have long known as a fellow member of the National Educational Association, have been here again to-day, to say that they would be here to see me with about two hundred teachers from Texas at noon to-morrow.
Dr. Mitchell was here this afternoon.
On Saturday, the 27th, I was all ready for the two hundred teachers, who advanced in a body with a banner, and I gave them a regular lecture on Chautauqua and its out-reachings.
Then I said my friend, Prof. Hogg, had seen me model in Philadelphia, in 1879, at convention of the National Educational Association, where he read a paper on “The Education of the Hand, the Head, and the Heart,” and he had asked me to show this company of teachers some clay modeling, so I would occupy a few minutes in that, as it was one of the methods in the Chautauqua plan to train the hand by clay, and through that educate the head; and if the hand and the head were truly educated, as they ought to be, the heart should be developed too. So, laying out a colossal head in relief, I made a few remarks as to the value of a little easy practice of clay modeling in schools; and then, turning to the board with clay on it, I worked eighteen minutes, and made a head of “an American Teacher.”
General Eaton came to me after their vote of thanks, and as soon as they had gone—in the most congratulatory frame. “Chautauqua could afford to pay you two months’ work for that!” he said, shaking me by the hand. Two of the class of ’86 C. L. S. C., from Lockport, Dr. Mitchell, Mons. Buisson and a few others expressed themselves as much interested.
I was glad to find I had so many “Spare-minute” circulars—and I must have given out seventy-five or one hundred yesterday, beside one hundred to the Texans, generally accompanied with a conversation of more or less length.
All this in the midst of busy work and good progress in the mechanical embellishment of our alcove. It will be very attractive when completed, and I have so planned that I can work at it all along, adding new features from day to day.
It is very interesting, how near to people’s hearts and inner lives I sometimes get in these little talks. It is a plan that touches the aspirations and longings of many a true soul. I wish sometimes that words could be instantaneously photographed. It is impossible for me to write as fully as I should like.
Our only Chautauquan (November) with one copy of the C. L. S. C. circular, with its cut of the Hall, has done good service.
I very much hoped that Dr. Vincent could manage to come here. Many people have asked, the first thing, if Dr. Vincent is to be here. Every state should have a Chautauqua headquarters—this alcove will get them all ready for it.
Monday morning.—Damp, muddy, discouraging to many people. The car drivers have struck and the hour’s ride, long and tiresome at best, is now cut off. Hundreds of teachers who have been pouring into New Orleans these last days of their holiday, are prevented from seeing and learning by this four or five miles of mud before they reach the Exposition. There have been great hindrances all along to the completion of the Exposition, and many grumblers. But I have never been discouraged! Everything from the first start has been delightful. When the roof leaked, I moved some things away, told the roofer, and it was at once mended. When it came on a hard storm night before last, I laid down on the floor, rolled in my Kansas blanket, and liked it so well that I shall camp out here in the Chautauqua precincts; at any rate, till there is some comfortable conveyance away.
More anon.
Ever yours faithfully,
Edward A. Spring.