of
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| History of Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume I, 1911, pages 438-439
THE MUSCATINE CHAUTAUQUA. In the fall of 1905 a movement was started for the organization of a chautauqua at Muscatine, and the services of Frank J. Sessions, founder of the Waterloo Chautauqua Assembly, were secured to address the first meeting held for the purpose, which took place on the evening of October 6. The speaker, with the assistance of others who addressed the assemblage, created the necessary enthusiam and a committee of fifteen was appointed to wait upon the mayor to perfect the organization. Later, articles of incorporation, by-laws and other preliminaries were the result of the committee's labors. A short time thereafter a chautauqua was assured, by the securing of a guarantee fund, over-subscribed, of $3,000. It was then that a meeting of the stockholders were held and the following directors chosen: W. F. Chevalier, Z. W. Hutchinson, John F. Devitt, S. G. Stein, G. M. Titus, E. S. Batterson, Henry F. Giesler, J. G. Van Lent and Frank D. Throop. The chosen officials of the directorate were: W. F. Chevalier, president; Z. W. Hutchinson, secretary; Henry F. Giesler, treasurer. The first Chautauqua was held at the Citizens Railway Park, upon invitation of the officials of that corporation the following July. The program was an excellent one and the Chautauqua of Muscatine county became at once an assured success and a permanent institution.
The citizens of Muscatine are imbued with the spirit of Christianity and its resultant good works, which is evidenced by the number of handsome public buildings in the city, made possible by the generosity and highmindedness of men and women, and children also, who have given with a free hand the funds for their erection. The mere matter of the giving of money, although a necessary prerequisite, is but an incident, however, when compared to the exertions of weeks and months, by these kindly disposed people, in organizing the various societies, often under difficulties and trying circumstances, and then struggling to even maintain an existence. Some of these endeavors have failed in the first attempt and apparently died for want of sustenance. But time for renewed energies has often encouraged the irrepressible one to revivify the project of his or her ambition and with conditions changed and new methods adopted success has attended the effort.
Back to Historical Index Page