Chautauqua - July 1, 2008

Former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt is quoted as saying that Chautauqua is "the most American thing in America."

What exactly is Chautauqua?

Chautauqua is an adult education movement that began in United States and gained much popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It's intention was to encourage Americans to remain progressive and innovative, particularly in the areas of art, music, literature, and religion.

Chautauqua assemblies expanded and spread throughout rural America until the mid-1920s. The Chautauqua brought entertainment and culture for the whole community, with speakers, teachers, musicians, entertainers, preachers and specialists of the day.

The first Chautauqua,established in 1874, was coined "The Chautauqua Institution" and to this day is a not-for-profit, 750-acre educational center beside Chautauqua Lake in southwestern New York State. The Chautauqua Institution established itself as a national forum for open discussion of public issues, international relations, literature and science. Approximately 100 lecturers appear at Chautauqua during a season. Presidents, world famous scientists, actors, musicians, writers, artists, and so many more gather here every year to enrich their minds.

So for the next week, I'll be signing off my blog and regaining a hold of what life is all about...and of course enjoying some solid vacation time. I might be Twittering and posting Flickr photos as my journey unravels.