Chautauqua Spirit

Episcopal Cottage at Chautauqua



The definition of the day for Chautauqua is "Norman Rockwell with wi-fi."

The second part of that definition is fairly obvious -- without Internet this blog could not be written.  Yet "wi-fi" also conveys metaphorically certain modernities.  For instance, there are people here who cannot live without Starbucks, and so there is a kiosk meeting their need.

Outside a few touches of the 21^st Century, the general atmosphere of Chautauqua harkens back to the early 1900’s, stretching just to the Norman Rockwell era.  As Rev. John Walton said Monday, “You can close your eyes and imagine Teddy Roosevelt being president, and Mark Twain writing in a garret.”

Transportation is by foot, unless you have a bicycle.  Victorian-era cottages with front porches line the brick walkway, each cottage distinctive with gingerbread trim and front yards filled with flowers, ferns, and hostas.
Where we stay there is no television or radio.  The Chautauqua Daily contains news only of what’s happening here – the tumult of the outside world doesn’t penetrate unless you’re foolish enough to seek it (The bookstore carries the New York Times, and Internet connections can take you anywhere). 

Speaking of the Chautauqua Daily, the newspaper is sold by paper boys hawking their wares with cries such as this:  “75 cents is all you pay; get your paper here today!”  The paper person who sold me one today (it was a young girl) won me with this cry: “The Chautauqua Daily is full of knowledge; buy one now and send me to college!”

Many writers have found it difficult to describe Chautauqua.  David McCullough tried, and mostly described what it is not.  “There’s no place like it,” he said once.  “No resort.  No spa.  Not anywhere else in the country, or anywhere in the world…”  Oh.  He tried again.  “…it is at once a summer encampment and a small town, a college campus, an arts colony, a music festival, a religious retreat and the village square – and there’s no place – no place – with anything like its history.”  That’s a historian speaking.  I wonder if he’d agree with me that it’s “Norman Rockwell with wi-fi…”