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The NEW BERN
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VOLUME 6
NEW BERN, N. C., FRIDAY, JULY 12, 1963
NUMBER 15
Those of us who have lived
In New Bern for a span of
40 years or more still remem
ber Swarthmore Chautauqua.
Each summer, In front of the
Moses Griffin building on our
Academy Green, It pitched tent
for a week and brought us good
music, Mgh class drama, and
Informative lectures.
In an era when radio and
television hadn’t come Into be
ing for the family living room,
and outside entertainers rarely
Invaded the region of the Neuse
and Trent, the Chautauqua was
a temporary oasis of culture
and amusement for hundreds
of New Bernlans.
Judged by today’s standards,
the performers may have been
Inferior, but we certainly didn’t
think so at the time. Most of
the music was classical, and
It was presented with Impres
sive dignity. Plays Included
such things as Shakespeare’s
Taming of the Shrew, and the
lectures were by orators of
national reputation.
Chautauqua week was a big
event In the lives of New Bern’s
small fry. There were morn
ing recreation sessions for
youngsters who possessed sea
son tickets, and an opportunity
to appear In a play. You got a
button to wear, and learned a
song. The opening lines were
“I am proud of my town. Is
my town proud of me?” All
of us wanted It to be, of course.
The visiting entertainers
were real troupers. The tent
leaked around the poles, when
there was a violent thunder
storm, and the drippings often
got all over the string ensemble
or the Swiss bell ringers. This
didn’t dampen their enthusiasm,
apparently, and we discovered
delightfully that moist notes
could be as sweet as dry ones.
Once, when high winds were
blowing, part of the scenery-
supported by Iron plpes-fell on
the heroine of a very serious
play. A length of pipe cracked
her squarely on the head. The
blow would probably have killed
a bull, but, bless her heart,
she just sagged a little and
kept right on with her lines,
Swarthmore Chautauqua, If
memory serves us correctly,
originated at Swarthmore Col
lege In Pennsylvania. The
school was founded In 1864 by
Friends, and opened In 1869.
Devoted to arts, sciences, and
engineering. It Is now nonsec
tarian. Numerous other “chau-
tauquas” played the small
towns of America too.
However, neither Swarth
more Chautauqua nor any of the
other touring groups was con
nected with the Chautaugua In
stitution on the wooded slopes
of Lake Chautauqua, In western
NSW York State. The In
stitution’s sweeping success at
Its own location simply gave
others the Idea to take art to
the tank towns.
Men and women from all parts
of the United States still gather
at Lake Chautauqua each
summer for entertainment and
study. In a single season the
Institution has attracted more
than 150,000 persons. In the
ten-week session, courses are
given In music, library train
ing, education, theater, arts,
and crafts.
Symphony orchestras and
opera and drama groups pro
vide entertainment In the huge
open-air theater, and noted
speakers lecture on varied sub-
(Contlnued on Page 7)
CAMP SEA GULL-EAST OF NEW BERN....
A Paradise For Boys From Everywhere
WYATT TAYLOR
Director
MRS. LILLIAN P. TAYLOR
Assistant Director
DON CHEEK
Assistant Director in
charge of Sea Program
R. NORMAN WILLIAMS
Business Manager