European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 02, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse How to preserve Chautauqua by Peter Mccoy associated press picture turn of the Century America in a bottle a Lakeside Colony of Gingerbread houses Wicker chairs lemonade. Brahms optimism and protestant sermons an institution Teddy Roosevelt railed typical of America at its picture the refugees of he 1980s, hungry for Solace yearning perhaps Lor the values that once shaped the culture of Rural America but hungry Lor them in their own Way. So now condominiums sprout among the cottages. And lawyers Are Busy As a Lew property owners openly ques Tion the Chautauqua institution s closed form of govern Ance Lor the first time. Chautauqua began in 1874 As a training Camp Lor sunday school teachers near the Shore of Lake Erie. But it soon evolved into a summertime Haven Lor self improvement in education the arts religion and recreation. Early in the Century. Chautauqua s example of self improvement in ethics and culture inspired tent shows of lecturers and performers who crisscrossed the country drawing audiences of 10 million a year. Stars of the Cir Cuits included William Jennings Bryan the Silver tongued great commoner who fought sin and evolution. Chautauqua s Book club had Reading circles in Chucka saw Indian territory behind the bars of sing sing prison and in Argentina Korea Russia and Ceylon As Well As in thousands of Small towns across America. George Gershwin composed his concerto in of there in the summer of 1925, and Franklin Roosevelt chose Chautauqua to the place to deliver his famous i hate War speech in 1936. Thomas Edison installed some of America s first electric Street lights there around 1880 As a favor to his father in Law Chautauqua co founder Lewis Miller. Leo Tolstoy spoke at Chautauqua As did Henry Ford and Amelia Earhart. Now after do it of mostly hidden decay and gradually declining attendance that Lakeside Colony of Gingerbread cottages is suddenly popular again and facing the complexities of a new world. Cars still pass at their peril along Chautauqua s narrow lanes and the Sale of alcohol is still banned. Such things May never change. But some things have. New condominiums Are replacing Rooming houses. Younger and wealthier visitors Are discovering Chautauqua s Subtle charms. Retired schoolteachers and ministers the traditional clientele Are finding it harder to find affordable places to stay. The yuppies Are showing says the Rev. Wil Liam Jackson director of Chautauqua s department of religion. Today s Chautauqua is docs crusading and More up scale. With median income rising past $40,000. Most Hautau Quant Are no longer willing to sacrifice comport Lor the Sake of spiritual or cultural uplift. They want both. The new generation was looking for amenities equal to a Holiday inn or the equivalent and not a bathroom Down the Hall shared by six other says Robert Osburn. Chairman of the Chautauqua trustees buildings and grounds committee. For Osburn and others the question both aesthetic and Legal is How to provide Holiday inn amenities without allowing cookie Cutter corporate architecture to intrude. We were physically isolated from what i would Call the plastic citation of society says Phil Zimmer director of communications. Now that we re regaining our health a lot of entrepreneurs Are becoming More and More aware of the economic benefits that can be derived from invest ments that sort of thing halted efforts this Cummer to write the first land use and architectural code in Chautauqua s 111-year history and provoked discreet but Earnest Dis agreements Over the institution s Legal Powers. At the same time people like Donald milks worry about the slowly changing mix of visitors. Milks a Volunteer tour guide who teaches civil engineering at a methodist College in Ohio says people who stayed in the boarding houses went to virtually All the programs. The people who live in the condominiums Are More Likely to play sine the for to condominium were in 1981. There have been a dozen projects of about 130 units most tasteful some not. Prices have ranged irom $40.000 to $185,000. Nearly All Are second Homes. There Are still some bargains a Baptist minister and a totter of a Al it Wanked by new in the Chau Laqua ill Tatien n. Y. Saturday november 2, 1985 his wife for example can stay at the Baptist denominational House for $65 a West plus $10 Tor use of a Kitchen in the basement. Gate passes Are extra. The Chautauqua institution controls entry to the grounds and establishes rules such As the ban on Sale of alcohol. But most of the property inside the tall Iron Fence i in Iho Hsin Ris of private runes some of whom Are jealous of their rights. A 1902 state charter not a Model of democracy sets aside just Lour of the 24 trustee seats Lor election by property owners. The trustees themselves fill other vacancies. Their meetings Are private. The Sticky question this summer was How to preserve Chautauqua s an architectural crazy quilt in which a cottage on a postage stamp lot can sit Comfort ably next to a 6,000-seat Amphitheater a grand hotel or a replica of a grecian Temple. Chautauqua just grew up that Way. But the Board of trustees in May imposed an interim set of guidelines that controls land use and architectural design Down to the style of windows and doors. Some resident have Mufti toned the enforceability of rules imposed without Public discussion by a Board that is not publicly elected and does not own the property in question. Pressure on the Board is coming from people like Joreta speck a retired schoolteacher turned Developer who proposed to tear Down the historic St. Elmo hole1 and build a larger. Gay nineties style hotel containing 14 shops a restaurant and a health club. Some trustees said the new St. Elmo would dominate Bestor Plaza and hoped to Slop or at least shrink ii. But mrs. Speck left Broad hints that she would if necessary go to court to Challenge the trustees right to control her plans. An appeals Board approved the $5.5 million project with minor modifications on aug. 19. A four year $8.5 million fund drive to Rescue some of Chautauqua s decaying landmarks began in 1979. That along with a stricter state lire code stimulated a fix up Campaign by the 700 private property own ers on the 358 acres inside Chautauqua s tall Iron Fence. Paint and promotion have made a difference. Chautauqua is drawing More people irom places like new York City in addition to traditional strongholds like nearby Pittsburgh and Erie. Pa., Cleveland and Buffalo. Although Chautauqua retain a protestant Demea nor More jews and catholics Are comin. Jewish Sab Bath services now draw about 200 people a week and Catholic masses about 250. Chautauqua remains Gray haired an audience Survey last summer found a median age of 50 at theatrical events and 61 at religious events. But dozens of children Mill around Bestor Plaza on a summer evening. With housing in Short Supply Chautauqua s trustees Are considering a dramatic step to double the housing base from 700 to 1,400. The plan is to add nine holes to the Golf course and surround the links with a housing development. The ques Tion is whether Chautauqua s Charm would extend past the Iron Fence that has so far separated it irom the out Side world. Restaurant owners on the grounds also tampered with tradition last year asking permission to sell alcohol. The Board of trustees said no but the Issue is expected to arise again. Meanwhile visitors May continue to sip Chautauqua Lea from whatever bottle they bring in the privacy of their rooms. Chautauqua no longer attract Many big names in Public affairs. But there is enough happening to keep anyone s interest peaked. This summer s Amphitheater highlight was a Confer ence on relations that featured diplomats and scholars of both nations. The summer s names ranged from Joan Mondale and Bella Abzug to musicians Marvin Hamlisch Roy of Bison and classical pianist Bella Davido Vich. An upscale audience is also drawn by the Chautauqua symphony operas always in English drama and dance As Well As classes in subjects ranging from piano and oboe to ceramics photography acting computers and French. The question is. How do we retain what is really Good about Chautauqua. But bring it into the 20th said St. Elmo Developer speck. The stars and stripes Page 17
