LYCEUMS AND CHAUTAUQUAS. Early in 1826 Josiah Holbrook, of Derby, Conn., outlined a plan for a world wide federation for the advancement of learning, calling it a lyceum, from the place where Aristotle lectured to the youth of Greece. His plan provided for organizations graduated from the community to an international lyceum, the latter to have 52 vice presidents chosen from distinguished scholars and men of affairs from all over the world. This international organization was never realized, but a national (U.S.) lyceum was organized in New York city in 1835, and flourished for eight years. It included delegates from at least eight State lyceums which, in turn, embraced scores of county and kcal lyceums.
That the lyceum answered an existing need is shown by the rapid spread of its local branches. The Millbury, Mass., branch was organized in Nov. 1826. Within two years 1 oo other branches, and by 1834 nearly 3,00o branches, in practically every State in the Union, had been established. These local lyceums were vol untary associations for self-culture, community instruction and discussion of public questions. Essays, debates, discussions and lectures, all home-talent productions, were presented at weekly meetings. After about a decade the custom of inviting outside lecturers, to whom fees were paid, became established. Lowell, Thoreau, Beecher, Holmes, Greeley and others were among those who frequently addressed the lyceums. Many of Emerson's essays were written for lyceum lectures.
The last convention of the national lyceum, in 1839, was the most largely attended and most enthusiastic held. It formed many ambitious plans, adjourned, and never met again. The cause of this sudden demise is not known. In its eight years of life, it accomplished definite and far-reaching results. It forwarded edu cation in Cuba, Venezuela and Mexico; it inspired many cultural movements, some of which still exist, and all of which made important contributions to American education. The lapse of the
national lyceum did not affect the local branches, which flourished until the Civil War. A demand for attractions other than lectures led the bureaux to supply musicians, readers and entertainers. Parallel with the lyceum movement is the chautauqua, which began at Fair Point (later called Chautauqua), N.Y., where a Methodist Episcopal camp meeting was annually conducted. Rev. (later bishop) John H. Vincent and Lewis Miller successfully un dertook to change that camp meeting into an assembly for the study of the Bible and Sunday school methods. The first such assembly was held in 1874. Gradually the purpose expanded until it embraced the whole field of education, with popular entertain ments included. Chautauqua institution, at Chautauqua, N.Y., annually conducts a ten-week assembly. This assembly was quickly copied by many communities throughout the land, each operating independently of all others, and each engaging its talent either directly or through the lyceum bureaux, which thus became a connecting link between the two movements. Their programmes were attractive combinations of lectures, music and entertainments (with drama added in later years). Distinguished men and women have contributed through these programmes towards the creation of an American culture and an informed public opinion. The wasteful extravagance resulting from the independent operation of these rapidly multiplying assemblies led to the development, in 1904, of the circuit chautauqua plan. The lyceum bureaux led in this development, organizing chau tauqua committees in a circuit of towns to which a standardized programme of lectures, music and entertainment was supplied. BIBLIOGRAPHY.-J. H. Vincent, The Chautauqua Movement (1866) ; J. L. Hurlbut, The Story of Chautauqua (1921) ; L. H. Vincent, John Heyl Vincent (1925) ; J. S. Noffsinger, Correspondence Schools, Lyceums, Chautauquas (1926) ; D. Canfield Fisher, Why Stop Learn ing? (5927). (P. M. P.)