CHAPTER XI
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 Athenæum 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 Athenæum 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 Athenæum, 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 Athenæum 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 Athenæum" 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 Athenæum 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.
Methodist Headquarters
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.