Chautauqua Institution
The Chautauqua Institution is a non-profit adult education center and summer resort in Chautauqua, New York. It was founded in 1874 by Lewis Miller and John Heyl Vincent as a camp for Sunday school teachers, and has operated each summer since then.
Since that time, its program has expanded to include the arts, education, and recreation, as well as religion, in a season that runs for nine weeks each summer (from mid-June to late August). People with interests in any of those four areas can enjoy the Chautauqua experience.
A typical day's programming includes a lecture on a social, political or academic issue in the morning; a concert in the evening (often by the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, but sometimes by a prominent or formerly prominent popular performer); religious services and lectures. A remarkable range of summer school courses in music, dance, drama and general topics is also offered.
The Institution's grounds, between New York State Route 394 and Chautauqua Lake, include public buildings (such as the 6,500-seat Amphitheater), administrative offices, a library, a bookstore, hotels, inns, rooming houses, and many private cottages. There are about 400 year-round residents, but in the summer the population swells to an estimated 10,000 at any one time. The grounds are largely a pedestrian community, with parking lots located on the periphery.
Summer admission is by "gate ticket" which allows the purchaser to enjoy the grounds with their village atmosphere, including many 19th-century houses and attractive gardens; to use the library, public beaches and parks; and to attend lectures and concerts. There is an additional charge for some courses, for opera and theater tickets and for use of the golf course and tennis courts.
One of the oldest day camps in the United States is the Chautauqua Boys and Girls Club. There is also a day care center for young children. At the other extreme, Chautauqua waives the gate fee for visitors aged 90 and over. (It has been facetiously described as "the place where little old ladies go -- and take their grandmothers.")
The Chautauqua tradition continues to be Christian, and most mainstream denominations are visibly represented through houses that offer both religious programs and lodging to their members. But there is also a strong Jewish presence. Effort are being made to introduce some diversity to the traditional Chautauqua clientele, which is almost entirely Caucasian, and drawn heavily from New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio. There is concern at Chautauqua that the summer experience, once enjoyed by clergy, teachers and others of modest incomes, is pricing itself out of that market, particularly through conversion of older houses into expensive condominiums.
The Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle, described as America's oldest continuously operating book club, designates half a dozen books each year for reading and discussion. The authors generally come to Chautauqua to speak and to talk with readers.
The Amphitheater boasts the Massey Memorial Organ, the largest outdoor pipe organ in the United States. Another feature of the Chautauqua grounds is Palestine Park, at 125-year-old outdoor scale model of the Holy Land. The Miller Bell Tower has an eight-note carillon. The Athenaeum Hotel is said to be the largest wooden building in the eastern United States.
Chautauqua has been visited by United States Presidents from Ulysses S. Grant to Bill Clinton, and by other prominent Americans from Booker T. Washington to Karl Menninger and, in 2003, Tom Ridge. Franklin D. Roosevelt's historic "I hate war" speech was delivered from the podium in the Chautauqua Amphitheater.
The Chautauqua Institution is a non-profit adult education center and summer resort in Chautauqua, New York. It was founded in 1874 by inventor Lewis Miller and Methodist Bishop John Heyl Vincent as a camp for Sunday school teachers. The Institution has operated each summer since then, gradually expanding its season length and program offerings.
The official Chautauqua season runs for nine weeks each summer, from late June to late August, though many of the residents arrive as early as May and stay well past Labor Day. Though most of the people on the grounds have been coming for many years and for many generations in their family, those who have never been to Chautauqua will no doubt find plenty to enjoy.
A typical weekday at Chatuauqua includes a devotional service and a lecture on a social, political or academic issue in the morning, an afternoon lecture on a religious topic, and an evening program. This evening Amphitheater event may be a symphony concert by the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, a dance program by the Chautauqua Ballet Company, or a program by a special guest artist. Performers this past season included Neil Sedaka, Three Dog Night, and Michael W. Smith. During most weeks, there is at least one opportunity to catch an opera and a play, both put on by Chautauqua's resident summer companies. There are also regularly scheduled organ recitals, student recitals, master classes, forums, and seminars. A remarkable range of special studies courses in music, dance, drama and general topics are also offered.
The Institution's grounds, located between New York State Route 394 and Chautauqua Lake, include public buildings (such as the 5000-seat Amphitheater), administrative offices, a library, a movie theater, a bookstore, hotels, inns, rooming houses, and many private cottages. There are about 400 year-round residents, but in the summer the population swells to an estimated 10,000 at any one time. The Institution is largely a pedestrian community, with bikes and scooters seen everywhere and a 15 mph speed limit for cars. There are several parking lots located on the periphery of the grounds.
Summer admission is by "gate ticket" which allows the purchaser to enjoy the grounds and its village atmosphere, including many 19th-century houses and attractive gardens. The gate pass also allows use of Smith Memorial Library, including open wireless internet, use of public beaches and parks, and attendance of lectures and concerts. There is an additional charge for some courses, for films, for opera and theater tickets, and for use of the golf course and tennis courts.
One of the oldest day camps in the United States is the Chautauqua Boys and Girls Club. There is also a day care center for young children. At the other extreme, Chautauqua waives the gate fee for visitors aged 90 and over. (It has been facetiously described as "the place where little old ladies go -- and bring their grandmothers.")
The Chautauqua tradition continues to be Christian, and most mainstream denominations are visibly represented through houses that offer both religious programs and lodging. But there is also a strong Jewish presence and a growing Muslim community, thanks to an interfaith effort to bring together the Abrahamic traditions, started several years ago by Chautauqua's Department of Religion. Other efforts are being made to introduce some diversity to the traditional Chautauqua clientele, which is almost entirely Caucasian, and drawn heavily from the surrounding area of New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. There is concern at Chautauqua that the summer experience, once enjoyed by clergy, teachers and others of modest incomes, is pricing itself out of that market, particularly through conversion of older houses into expensive condominiums.
The Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle (CLSC), founded in 1878, is America's oldest continuously operating book club. Six books are added to the reading list each year, with authors generally coming to Chautauqua to discuss their writing and to talk with readers. Members may graduate from a CLSC class on a special Recognition Day during the summer season after they have paid dues for four years and read any 12 books from the complete CLSC list.
The Amphitheater boasts the Massey Memorial Organ, the largest outdoor pipe organ in the United States. There is also the smaller Tallmann tracker organ in the Hall of Christ, donated to the Institution by the First Baptist Church of Nyack, NY in 2000. Another feature of the Chautauqua grounds is Palestine Park, a 125-year-old outdoor scale model of the Holy Land. The Miller Bell Tower has an eight-note carillon and is rung daily for a 15-minute program of widely varying repertoire at 8 a.m., noon, and 6 p.m. The Athenaeum Hotel is said to be the largest wooden building in the eastern United States.
Chautauqua has been visited by United States Presidents from Ulysses S. Grant to Bill Clinton, and by other prominent Americans from Booker T. Washington to Karl Menninger and, in 2003, Tom Ridge. Franklin D. Roosevelt's historic "I hate war" speech was delivered from the podium in the Chautauqua Amphitheater.
External link
- Chautauqua Institution, Chautauqua, NY
- Chautauqua Institution Flikr, the place for Chautauqua Shutterbugs to unite!