The year 1886 ushered in some improvements. In place of the old wharf stood a new pier building, three stories high, with stores on the upper balcony, for the steamboat still brought most of the Chautauqua crowds and at their arrival a throng was always present to greet them. Above the building rose a tower, from which sounded forth over the lake and through the Grove the melody of the Chautauqua chimes. On the hill was the new Jewett House, given by Mrs. A. H. Jewett as a home for self-supporting young women, teachers and others, while at Chautauqua.
The program of that year shows that a faculty of sixteen conducted the work in the Chautauqua Teachers' Retreat, and fifteen others gave courses in the School of Languages. Lessons in Harmony, Organ and Piano, Drawing and Painting were also added. The Chautauqua School of Physical Education was established under the direction of Dr. W. G. Anderson. All these were signs that the system of summer schools at Chautauqua was increasing its range of study, as well as growing in the number of its students.
One of the lecturers at this season was Professor Caleb T. Winchester of Wesleyan University. It was a privilege to listen to his scholarly yet delightful account of a ramble in the English lake country, with estimates of the literary lights who made that region famous. Dr. Wm. H. Milburn, the blind chaplain of the United States Senate, Dr. Russell H. Conwell, with his lecture of "Acres of Diamonds," Dr. Edward E. Hale and Mrs. Mary A. Livermore also gave lectures. Dr. Hale read his story, In His Name; and at the close of his reading came a general rush for his autograph. I happened to be in charge of the platform, and tried to excuse the speaker from adding to his burdens, but he declared his willingness to meet the demands of the people and wrote in every album offered. In the crowd was a little girl, shabbily dressed, who had no album, but brought a scrap of brown paper which she had picked up. Dr. Hale looked at the torn fragment, then took the copy of his story from which he had been reading, wrote on its fly-leaf his name, and handed it to the little girl.
Athletic Club
Boys' Club Headed for Camp
Two lecturers from the South attracted attention. One was the Rev. J. W. Lee, an able, broad-minded man; the other was the unique evangelist, Rev. Sam P. Jones, whose utterances were sometimes eloquent, sometimes jocose, sometimes shocking, but always interesting. Dr. Willis J. Beecher of the Auburn Theological Seminary, Dr. John Hall of New York, and President William F. Warren of Boston University were also among the speakers.