CHAUTAUQUA

The old rusty Nail

AN E-JOURNAL FOR OLD PEOPLE

Russell Burton, an Old Person

I have never written in this e-journal about Chautauqua, an institution which each year provides everyone, who wants to pay each day, a nine-week program of lectures, plays, operas, symphonies, educational programs, and discussion group activities.  I call it an intellectual Disney Land knowing that such a reference might be considered a bit snobbish.

Each morning during the week the major lecture lasting an hour and 15 min begins at 10:45 includes Q & A as it is called, you know questions and answers. This lecture occurs in the Amphitheater known as the Amp.  Interestingly, this structure dates back to the early 1900 and is in the throws of being torn down or just rebuilt.  Much controversy here as anyone can imagine but that is another story.  Of course with that long history, many well-known speakers have presented at the Amp.  The most notable was President Roosevelt.

A few of these lectures have celebrity speakers, many of whom we have seen on TV.  The topics vary many are about timely issues covering a host of topics.  Each week has a theme in which the speakers are expert.  In the afternoon at 2 in the Hall of Philosophy is another lecture which can have some religious connotation as it is sponsored by the Department of Religion.  This lecture can be followed at 3:30 by another lecture some of which are also presented by well-known speakers.  These can include authors of books selected by the Chautauqua book club the topic I write about later.

Besides these major lectures the day is sprinkled with other lectures and learning activities.  At night are different entertainments including opera, symphony, plays, individual or team acts including musical groups.  Bill Cosby has been a regular but I think his visits have ended.  

I have been attending this annual event for well over a decade beginning in 2002.  I discovered it when I visited my son who was Assistant Professor at the New York State University located in Fredonia, NY.  Even though it was only a half hour away and he knew of Chautauqua, he had never visited.  So, during one of my summer visits when the program was ongoing we visited it and found it to be most entertaining.  Thus I have attended every year since.  I even bought a condominium unit on Lake Erie in the little town of Westfield just a short 20-minute drive to Chautauqua which of course I use each summer.

Now why am I writing about Chautauqua in this article directed towards old people?   Well because it is visited mostly by old people who get some respect there.  In fact if you attend when you are 90 years old you get to begin to attend for free.  Of course at this age not many people are capable of attending because a considerable amount of walking is involved.

Still getting in free is a considerable savings for to attend for one week the cost is several hundred dollars per person not to mention that living on the grounds in less than lavish small quarters costs about $1300 per week.  So, attending this program is not for poor people. None-the-less I enjoy it not only for the programs most of which are well presented but because I am among so many old people.  It is interesting but when we become old we suddenly find ourselves living in a minority group.  Now this can be disconcerting especially to us white people who in American have always been in the majority.  And, I am aware of my new position in life when I go to the grocery store and see how few old people are buying food.

Of course having attended Chautauqua for many summers I have met and acquired many good friends some of which have become very close but that is another story.

In the summer of 2014 I became a celebrity of sorts as I was appointed the rare and distinguished position of a Keeper of the Gates.  Now this requires some explanation to be sure especially if you have never attended Chautauqua during the summer activities.  I previously mentioned all of the formal activities which can be attended each year at Chautauqua but I failed to mention that anyone can become a member of the Chautauqua Literary and Science Club (CLSC) by the way the oldest book club in America, by reading just ten of their listed books of which ten new ones are identified and published each year.

But what is the CLSC and why should anyone want to join this rather low profile book club when it requires four years of dues and reading ten books? And, some of these books may not be high on your list of interesting books to read.  So my interest in this book club waxed and waned for over ten years of attending these summer programs before I decided to take the plunge. And to be sure, it was certainly not about reading books for I am not an avid book reader.  Oh yes I do read a few books each year but they tend to be on history and science and not many of those kinds of books appear on their book list.

None-the-less a few years ago I decided to join and begin to pay my yearly dues and read those ten books.  Well to my surprise I had already read some of those books so I only had to read about five which was about one each year.  Well, that was no big challenge so I began my quest to become a member. 

With my four years completed in 2013, I graduated with some 300 plus book readers from all over the United States and became a dues paying member of CLSC Class of 2013.  Out membership was the highest number since the Class of 2000. Another interesting distinction was that our class honoree was Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.  I campaigned very hard for her. For many years she has enjoyed Chautauqua frequently seeing her on the grounds on many occasions so in some respect she is a Chautauquan.  And, she was kind enough to address our graduating class.

I became our class Newsletter writer and Secretary an honor on top of an honor. The following year we had the privilege, well really the requirement to help put on the graduation ceremony for the CLSC Class of 2014. 

This graduation ceremony is rather elaborate for what one would call a local event.  I would class it at the level of any College graduation of which I have attended more than I wish to count.  One of the high lights of this graduation which takes place in the late morning hour is for the new honorees to pass through four named gates as they make their way walking to attend the major morning lecture in the Amp in their honor.

Well as I wrote about a few paragraphs ago, I was asked to be one of only two gate keepers for the first gate, known as the 'History Gate'. This gate being the first our class gate keepers will guard as we graduated just last year is one of four gates through which the new gradates pass each year.  And, I remain a guard for each of those gates for the next three years!  Of course I had to wear an elaborate shiny ornament around my neck which cost me only $40.  My uniform for this festivity was a white shirt and white pants.  I did have a white shirt but my pants were a bit off color but next year I will be prepared with the most pure white pants ever worn at this crowning event.

  

So, why am I writing this long dissertation on my new position?  Well, it is the commitment that I made to get this honor.  At 82 years of age I am committed to stay alive for another three years!  My last year of guarding the gate I will be 85 – Wow!!!!!

Interestingly, I did not think of this commitment until I had accepted this invitation.  I guess that speaks a thousand words about my thought process on accepting old age.  Good for me.  On the other hand, perhaps I should have reasoned that three more years at my age is nothing to scoff at although the actuary table guarantees me another six years of life.  With a guarantee like that I need not to worry about my age affecting my commitment to complete my obligation.  I have always prided myself on taking any challenge seriously.  You know if I said I would do something I would do it.  So with this commitment I am sure I will live at least three more years – well maybe.