The Billboard 1923-09-29: Vol 35 Iss 5 (1923-09-29)

SEPTEMBER 29, 1923 The Billboard , EUM © CHAUTAUQUA NN FESTIVAL DR. PEARSON’S CROWNING WORK A Notable Collection of Letters of Chautauqua Endorsement Dr. Paul Pearson has done many things for the platform, and we are inclined to think that the greatest thing he has ever done in that line was the securiag of a series of letters from notable people endorsing the great chautauqua and lyceum movement. These letters should set at rest for all time to come the question of the value of the chautauqua to the community and to the nation. DR. PAUL PEARSON There are thirty of these letters from men Whose have write names are household words and who taken time from their busy Lives to letters of endorsement to the work that the American platform is doing. We wish that we might publish all of them, but that is prohibitive. We shall, however, from time to time, publish some of them in order that chautanqua and lyceum committees may be in the good work they are doing. But in order that our readers may have just a little insight into what these letters mean to a great work, we venture to reproduce extracts frfom a few of the letters below. encouraged President W. 0. Thompson, of Ohio State University: ‘“‘The adjustment of the chautauqua idea to the changing conditions of modern life and its wonderful stimulus to millions of our citizer ment s thru the Iycerm and chantauqua move has proved one of the most beneficent movements of which I have knowledge."’ Newton D. Baker, former Secretary of War: “Thruout these busy and changing years the chantauqua has been a forum in which the affairs of the world have been discussed face to face by men of all shades of opinion, until now such discussion {is an accepted part of the machinery by which public opinion is formed and expressed. . . . It ts therefore of the highest importance that there should be a place aud a practice which bring thoughtful people into communication with one another face to face, so that knoweledge may be appraised in the light of personality and opinions formed jn multiplied contact with our fellows." Senator Simeon D. Fess, of Ohio: “‘The chanu tauqua has become an important factor in the promulgation of public opinion.” Hienry Morgenthau, former Ambassador to Turkey, ete.: “I have always thought the chautauqna, which Is really a traveling university, wos Iike the waterworks of a great city, which brings {its constant supply of fresh water to every household. It has brought to the farms and the residents of the interior districts of America that supply of knowledge which would otherwise never have reached them."* Governor Pinchot, of Pennsylvania: ‘‘Chantanqua lecturers have done great good by preaching the doctrine of higher civie and social ideals. TI believe they will keep on. 1 % WS Conducted by AL FLUDE am sure they will if they follow your leadership.’’ Governor Sweet, of Colorado: ‘“‘Undoubtedly the chautanqua {s todgy one of the strongest mediums in the country for disseminating ideas. What the people need most of all is education, ard the chantauqua movement was extabliched for th’s purpose and has always maintained its high standards.’ Will Irwin, famous war correspondent: “I am not sure but that is towards at present it (the chanthe purest and most vital force the evolution of a sane and tauqua) looking Christian world.” Charles E. Hughes, Secretary of State: ‘The chautauqua movement has been one of the most influential of our democratic endeavors, and I wish for it continued success."’ Bishop William F. McDowell: “What 2 nobte, useful movement it has been! And how fine it is that it was so well built that it could suc. eessfully carry on after the inspiring personality of {ts great founder was withdrawp.” Hon. E. M. House: “To those who conceived the idea (of the chautauqua) and to those who, from year to year, bave brought it thru good and evil days to its present conspicuous place in our national life, I offer my respectful homage.”’ The above are only a very few short extracts from this wonderful array of letters which Dr. Pearson secured—a library of cheer which may encourage committees and has well he is not forgotten. There are not many carvers of stone among the lycewm and chautauqua people. Most of them carve their names in water or sand and wonder why they are forgotten and why their seasons are unfilled next year when they were so successful in the past. They are water carvers—they are not working for permanence. Mr. Flude, of The Biliboard, bas made a study of twenty years in publicity for platform people. This experience is yours for the asking. He is not here merely to work you for advertising for The Billboard. That is a very small matter, but it is his desire to help you if possible to carve your name in the platform world in something more durable than water or sand, More money is lost in advertising than has ever been made, simply because the advertiser eannot possibly know advertising conditions unless he is advised honestly in the matter. We invite you to talk this over with Mr. Flude either face to face or by letter. You will at least gain some valuable information. CLAY SMITH IN CLAY It is not any news to the people of the platform that J. Franklin Caveny is a real artist in clay modeling. He has just recently finished a bas-relief of Clay Smith. This is to be utilized in some window displays in music houses, etc. The picture below shows the artist, Caveny, modeling the portrait of Clay Smith in clay. Caveny making bas-relief of Clay Smith. bureaus to go ahead with renewed endeavors to make of the entire platform movement ‘The Great American Idea."’ HOW TO TELL COMMITTEEMEN WHO'S WHO ON THE PLATFORM The Billboard is interested in the publicity of the platform people not nearly as much because of the remuneration which might come to the magazine as it is in order to demonstrate the causes of success and failure in the most unique of all professions, the art of the platform. We believe that the circuit bureaus have studied the system, the art of publicity, as it deals with the selling of the chautauqua idea. Some of them have done it very effectively, others In a more or less slip-shod manner, but the cireuit b is not selling a lecturer or a concert company—it is selling the chautanuqua as a whole, and publicity of the tndividual for season may be publicity for a competing another year. If a lecturer, entertainer to create a name for himself tn the platform world he must do the earving for himsAf. It ix said that three entertainers went out determined to carve their names in such a way that they would never be forgotten. The first reau this bureau or musician desires took a peddle and carved his name deeply ip the waters of the ocean and declared as he did so that he was stirring it to the depths. When the paddle came out not a mark remained and the name was forgotten. Another wrote his name upen the sands and the winds and waves washed it away before he was ont of sight. The third carved bis name in stone and it Is still there ae a landmark before the people and Clay Smith will Seceive within the next few months probably more publicity than any other composer in America. Sam Fox Publishing Company, of Cleveland, is putting out his new song, ‘“‘Maid of the West"’, and it will receive the most unique publicity that has ever been given to a new song. A FORMAL APPLICATION A whole volume might be written about applications received by burean® from those who wish to enter the lyceum or chautauqua field. Here is a late one: “Dear Mr. Coit—I have been asked by different ones to address you in regard to a lece ture or entertainment course to be employed by you. “My mother was’ a fine speaker and her father was an orator of great note, much respected as a judge of New York. His funeral procession was very long, which was greatly com mgnted. “TMs is about all I can say as to reference. My desire would be to give sacred recitals of my own compositions, such as poems and songs. I can speak on the dry law or the labor question. “Hoping to hear from you soon.” Forest Park, Ga., held a Clayton County Chautauqua, in which most of the program numbers were given by prominent citizens of Atianta. HH. G. Hastings gave an address on “Reorganizing Georgia's Agriculture’’ and M. M. Davies lectured upon ‘Co-Operation, the Balance Wheel of Society’’. There were eight speakers and entertainers and the affair was declared to be @ buge success, , SPEAKERS — ENTERTAINERS } MUSICAL ARTISTS | RADCLIFFE SALESMANSHIP Waldo Fawcett, in a recent article entitled 4 “Selling the Chautauqua”, speaks of the prob lem of follows: “Enter upon this scene our sales genius with a vision. W. L. Radcliffe, of Washington, D. O, He organized the Radcliffe Chautauqua System on an ideal that took the chautauqua out of the realm of vaudeville and the circus. Program headliners were disdained, the purely entertainment features were subordinated. Instead of the whole propositions being predicated on the carnival idea, the mission of the new type of chautauqua was proclaimed as educational, the objective being individual, community and national betterment. Still more radical was the new conception of the enter prise in its financial aspects. It was taken for granted that in most communities a chautauqua would be a profitable enterprise or at least self-sustaining From the outset there was the tenet of faith that a town has no more right to expect a profit on a chautaugua = than it has to expect a profit om a park, a highway, a school, a church or a library. “From this brief glimpse of the unconventionality of the sales proposition involved it may be seen that there was need for a special type of salesman. The booking agents that have been recruited for this novel occupation are neither commodity salesmen nor are they drummers’, advance agents, billposters and ticket sellers. In a sense they are missionaries and propagandists but their sales status is probably best defined by their own favorite designation of ‘organizers’. For the Radcliffe emissary has not merely to convert a prospect. He has to create his market as he goes along. Specifically he has to enlist the co-operation of at least ten men in each community visited who guarantee the contracts and who become, in effect, his subagents to sell the proposition to the local public. “Some fifty salesmen are now on the road selling under the Radcliffe brand the idea of unselfish community co-operation, and more are coming all the time. It has been no small job to recruit this force. To muster a force the Radcliffe management has advertised from time to time for former teachers, social work: ers, organizers and salesmen, but at that it has been a big selective problem. The commodity salesman in particular has to unplearn almost everything he has previously learned. For here he must sell civic spirit and the satisfaction of doing something for the benefit of one’s home community, whereas in the old environment his appeal has been always to the self-interest of his prospect.” THE NON-GUARANTEE CHAUTAUQUA An Iowa newspaper says: “Tt is certain in our mind that a chautauqua that is willing to come in on its merits will furnish a better grade of entertainment than any other kind, and if one company starts out like this and makes a success it should revolutionize the chautauqua business of the country."’ The fallacy of that idea should be apparent. But because the “burean’’ assumes the financial responsibility so many are anxious to believe what f8 ‘‘too good to be true’’. Not only is it not true that a chautauqua which “comes in on its own merit’’ will have a superior program, but the actual reverse is almost sure to be the case. The public cannot possibly know the merit or lack of merit of a program until the program is heard. The bureau is well aware of this. The bureau that makes a rule of putting on programs with absolutely no assurance that season tickets will be sold sufficient to cover actual expense will either safeguard itself with the hiring of the cheapest possible talent or will be unable to finish the season. There are two ways to secure good chautanquas—and only two. One is to run an independent chautauqgua, employ your own talent (and a few years’ experience in buying will enable a committee to select efficiently), and the other is to deal with a bureau whose reputation is its best stock in trade and pay a just price for what you get. The poorest economy in the world is to spend the most expensive commodity in the world—your time —in securing and boosting a community institution which will be a disappointment when secured. . ‘ “selling” Radcliffe Chautauquas as The West Bend (Wis.) Pilot says that the } Mutual-Ewell Chautauqua, which has just * closed there, was the best in the history of West Bend. >.