How will you be celebrating the incoming 2023?

            Before Hulu, Netflix, podcasts, and the Internet; heck even long before television, or even "talkie" movies, folks always found a way to line up their ntertainment for the start of the New Year.

The first Chautauqua in this area was held at the 500-seat Aurora Theater in Penns- burg.

            Coming to our area in 1921 was the Chautauqua.

            The Chautauqua movement was founded in 1874 in the New York town that bears the same name.  The idea was to have a place where families could gather for several days of education, inspiration, enjoyment, and enlightenment.  By the early 1900s, there were 21 traveling Chautauqua companies reaching 35 million people a year.

            The Swarthmore Chautauqua Association was one of the touring companies that came into the Pennsburg and Green Lane communities to hold these gatherings.

            In 1921, several local residents pooled their money to bring the Chautauqua to town.  They wanted to present the multi-day programs in the new Aurora Theater on Monday, January 31st, Tuesday, February 1st, and Wednesday, February 2nd. The daily events were scheduled to begin at 1:30 in the afternoon and run straight through the evening.  Interest in the event exploded, and tickets to the three-day event were sold out in one week.

            The two-year-old Aurora Theater had a seating capacity of 500 and featured the music of an impressive Wurlitzer organ.  The modern playhouse featured a large stage

In 1923, identical Chautauqua programs were held in the Green Lane Chapel and as well as the Aurora Theater in Pennsburg.

and plenty of comfortable seats.  More than 600 people lined up to purchase 480 available tickets.  An article in the Town and Country newspaper reported that persons who do not have tickets will find the only way of getting to any of the attractions is to make arrangements with a friend for the use of their ticket should the latter happen to be unable to attend all the programs.

            The capacity audience that attended the Chautauqua each day was treated to lectures by Swarthmore Association Superintendent Dr. Downy, noted lecturer Mme. A. C. Zehner, and Capt. Leon Dabo.  Dabo was a landscape painter, muralist, writer, and lecturer of some notoriety.  After studying in France, he participated in the New York "Independents" exhibit in 1910, and in 1913, he was one of the principal organizers of the Armory Show that introduced modernist art to the United States.  In 1917, Dabo was commissioned a Captain in the United States Army and sent to France where he served as an unofficial war artist, translator, and aide-de-camp to Major General Mark L. Hersey of the AEF's 4th Division.

            During his visit to Pennsburg, Dabo spoke of the "Danger on the Horizon."  It was reported that "his first-hand knowledge of things transpiring in Russia, Germany, France, Poland, and England" gave strength to his viewpoint.  During the first half of the 20th century, Dabo achieved world acclaim as an artist.  His landscape renditions emphasized blocks of color and form. He was also well-loved for his floral paintings, which are easily distinguished by their elegance, simplicity and clarity.  The French called him "the best American painter."

            But the Chautauqua wasn't for adults only.  The stories, folklore, songs, and stunts of Junior Chautauqua Director Miss David and Dr. Downy entertained children.  The Briggs Male Quartet and the Mayflower Singers presented concerts.  The Oxford Company brought down the house with a remarkable rendition of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Mikado" on the last night of the event. 

            So pleased were the local investors with the overwhelming success of the event, that they regrouped immediately after the last performance to sign an agreement with the Swarthmore Association for a return visit in 1922.

            The second year of the Pennsburg Chautauqua was highlighted by a lecture titled "Social Redemption" delivered by the Hon. Charles H. Poole, a member of the New Zealand Parliament.  Another feature of the program was a concert by the Dunbar Hand Bell Ringers.  The Town and Country reported that "The Dunbar name on music is the same as Tiffany on jewelry.  Dunbar first developed Swiss bell ringing as an art, instead of a mere novelty."  Lectures were also delivered by J. C. Evans on "The Average Man."

            In 1923, identical Chautauqua programs were held in Green Lane and Pennsburg.  The Green Lane-Sumneytown-Perkiomenville event was held in the Green Lane Chapel.  The Chautauqua lineup included a lecture by Frank B. Pearson titled "World Building", noted speaker Walfred Linstrom presenting a lecture on the "Magic Circle", concerts by the Victorian Maids, Festival Artists, and the Junior Chautauquans.  A comedy-drama titled "Cappy Ricks" was presented on closing day.

            The popular play was based on the stories of the same name, authored by Peter Kyne that first ran in the Saturday Evening Post in 1915!  A subsequent series of novels were bestsellers over the next quarter-century.  The Cappy Rick character also made it to the silver screen for several feature films. The youngsters were treated to a "fun-maker" by the junior Chautauguans titled, "A Study in Black and White."

           The Chautauquas reached the peak of their popularity in the 1920s and waned when technology and greater mobility enhanced one's freedom to choose their entertainment from a wider venue.

            Of the democratic value of the tours, President Theodore Roosevelt said, "The Chautauqua is the most American thing in America."