The Chautauqua Movement Evolved Over The Years

If you lived in or near a major city, such as Chicago, New York or Boston, you could easily attend a symphony performance, a lyceum lecture or an appearance by a celebrity such as an explorer or a literary figure.
But if you lived in rural northern Indiana, you were out of luck.
Solution? Create performance centers throughout the Midwest — even temporary ones — and put all the speakers, musicians and cultural influencers on a circuit. Take the talent to the people.
That was the concept for the Chautauqua Movement, named for a utopian culture and learning center founded on Chautauqua Lake, one of the Finger Lakes in western New York state.
Founded by a Methodist Episcopal minister named John Heyl Vincent and an inventor from Akron, Ohio, Lewis Miller, it began in 1874. Created to satisfy a widespread yearning for cultural life, it would give moral and intellectual guidance to Americans for years to come.
According to source books, the Chautauqua movement evolved over the years into an intellectual community with summerlong programs devoted to lectures, seminars and workshops on economic and social issues, theology, literature, science and the arts.
Some communities had permanent performance venues, but many programs were conducted in large tents erected in hundreds of small towns, largely in the Midwest. By some accounts there were about 350 permanent Chautauqua centers.
Accounts agree that Winona Lake emerged as the second-largest, after the original community in New York. One reason was its location on one of the main east-west railroads—automobiles were just beginning to appear in the early 20th century. The other reason was the national notoriety and attractiveness of the Spring Fountain Park performance and hospitality venues that the Beyer brothers — and eventually Solomon Dickey — had built on the eastern and southern shores of Winona Lake.
In her book “Morally We Roll Along,” Chautauqua circuit musician Gay MacLaren, said, “A Chautauqua program was made up of about two-thirds music and dramatics and one-third lectures. It was served by the greatest aggregation of public performances the world has ever known.”
Mark Knecht, president of Chautauqua-Wawasee, recently described it this way: “Imagine you’re a farmer in rural Iowa or Kansas in 1910. You’ve never been to college. But one day, a tent goes up in your town square. And suddenly, you’re listening to lectures on world affairs, hearing a string quartet, watching a debate on women’s suffrage, maybe even hearing Booker T. Washington or Helen Keller speak.”
And the crowds came to Winona for the programs. Often 15,000 in one day. Some summers as many as 250,000 came through the entry gates situated near the railroad station just off today’s King’s Highway.
Winona Chautauqua programs were presented from 1896 until 1943. Many leading personalities headlined the programming at Winona:
Glenn H. Curtiss (1878–1930), noted aviator, was a regular visitor and platform guest.
Admiral Richard E. Byrd, Jr. (1888–1957), the famed polar explorer, was the featured speaker on July 4, 1931. Local news media reported that, while in the area, Byrd took time to visit a girl in Warsaw who was one of his biggest fans.
The New York Philharmonic Orchestra, under the direction of Walter Damrosch, appeared at Winona several times.
William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925), a noted orator and statesman, was actively involved in Winona, including serving as its board president. Bryan spoke at Winona on numerous occasions and regularly vacationed in Dr. Dickey’s Killarney Castle on the tip of McDonald Island. Bryan was best known for being a three-time Democratic Party presidential candidate, for delivering his “Cross of Gold” address, for resigning as Woodrow Wilson’s Secretary of State to protest America’s entrance into World War I, and for prosecuting the “Scopes Monkey Trial” in Dayton, Tennessee, in July 1925.
James Heaton (1879-1981) became affectionately known as “Mr. Chautauqua.” A native of England who came to Indiana with his family when he was 10, Heaton was music director for several evangelists, including Biederwolf. He moved to Winona in 1908 and during summer seasons he operated the gatehouse to the park. He managed the platform programs from 1913 to 1938 and served on stage as Master of Ceremonies. He was a very capable singer and song leader.
Helen Keller (1880-1968). Although physically handicapped (deaf, blind, and mute), this author and lecturer inspired millions with her life of achievement. She spoke at Winona in 1915.
Mrs. George Pickett (1848-1931), widow of the Confederate general who led Pickett’s Charge during the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863, participated in honoring Union veterans of the Civil War in a program at Winona in August of 1910. She was introduced by a Civil War veteran, Dr. Scott, who lived in Winona.
Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906), one of America’s best-known black poets. He read from his poetry at Winona in 1896 and 1897.
Booker T. Washington (1856-1915) black educator and social reformer. Washington spoke at Winona in 1897 on the topic, “The Negroe and Industrialization.”
Will Rogers (1879-1935), America’s best-loved humorist, newspaper columnist and social observer, spoke at Winona in 1928 after relaxing for the day with Homer Rodeheaver at Rainbow Point, Rodeheaver’s home. Shortly thereafter he wrote a newspaper column titled “You Can Hear a Holy Trombone at Winona.”
Sgt. Alvin York (1887-1964), America’s most decorated and popular hero of World War I. A dedicated Christian, York spoke at Winona in 1943 on the topic, “Keeping the Bible in Education.”
Louise Homer (1871-1947) was an American operatic contralto who had an active international career in concert halls and opera houses from 1895 until her retirement in 1932. She sang with the Metropolitan Opera from 1900 to 1919 and again from 1927 to 1929. Composer Samuel Barber was her nephew.
Amelita Galli-Curci (1882-1963) was an Italian operatic soprano. She was one of the best-known coloratura singers of the early 20th century and her gramophone records sold in large numbers.
Mischa Elman (1891-1967), Russian violinist, famed for his passionate style and beautiful tone.
John Philip Sousa (1854-1932) was known as the “March King” because of his many outstanding musical compositions, including “The Stars and Stripes Forever.”
Rev. Russell Conwell (1843-1925), popular lecturer best known for “Acres of Diamonds,” a speech he delivered more than 6,000 times over 55 years. Kosciusko County historian George A. Nye, in one of his volumes of county history, quotes an individual: “Russell H. Conwell gives his lecture ‘Acres of Diamonds’ at Winona on July 27, 1898 ... Used to wear a cape for an overcoat. Was a large man.”
Thomas R. Marshall (1854-1925), a native of nearby North Manchester, was the 27th governor of Indiana and later became vice president of the U.S. under Woodrow Wilson. He spoke at Winona frequently.
Col. Herbert Petrie’s White Hussars were popular guests at Winona, playing eight out of 10 years. They were a unique organization of colorfully uniformed brass musicians advertised as “an operatic and symphonic ensemble.” Mr. and Mrs. Petrie made Winona their home for a number of years. Petrie also founded and hosted the Petrie Band Camp. During World War I, Major Petrie attended performances at the Penthouse Theatre in Fort Lawton, Wash., the country’s first theatre-in-the-round. When he returned to Warsaw, he remained so interested in the idea that he was determined to recreate the experience in his hometown. In 1956, he founded the Wagon Wheel theater-in-the-round and Wagon Wheel restaurant. Mildred Petrie taught speech and drama in Warsaw High School until the 1960s.
James Whitcomb Riley (1849-1916), “The “Hoosier Poet” lectured and recited his poetry at Winona on numerous occasions. He taught writing classes at the Winona Hotel.
Efrem Zimbalist, Sr. (1889-1985). The Russian-born violinist performed at Winona several summers during the 1930s.
Ernestine Shumann-Heink (1861-1936), the most important contralto of her day, sang at the Metropolitan Opera from 1899-1932. She was a celebrated Austrian, later American, operatic contralto, noted for the power, beauty, tonal richness, flexibility and wide range of her voice.
Jane Addams (1860-1935) Social worker, reformer and humanitarian. Addams was one of numerous female lecturers at Winona. She spoke at Winona in 1897.
Chautauqua historian Jeffrey Simpson has observed, “There is a cliché in the world of not-for-profit-organizations that says that after three generations, institutions tend to exist for their own perpetuation, rather than for the purposes for which they were founded.” By the end of the 1960s, he says, “Chautauqua had slipped dangerously close to this state of affairs.”
At Winona, there was another factor. Over time, the burgeoning Bible Conference movement grew to eclipse the Chautauqua novelty acts, and Chautauqua programming at Winona, which peaked in about 1920, faded away and ended in 1943.
Today there are approximately 18 active Chautauqua programs, stretching from Maine to Texas. One of them, Chautauqua-Wawasee, is headquartered in Oakwood Resort in nearby Syracuse. Its program listing may be found at www.chautauquawawasee.org/. A “Chautauqua Trail” listing the other 17 programs may be found at ChautauquaTrail.com.