Florida Chautauqua Assembly
The Florida Chautauqua Assembly takes audiences on “A Journey into Vaudeville”
By Wendy O. Dixon
Imagine living in a time when you wanted to learn more about the world, but had limited means to do so. It’s difficult for many people to picture a time when information about any topic wasn’t available at our local library or online. “We’re so used to having easy access today, so it’s hard to explain,” says Dean DeBolt, retired archivist for the University of West Florida. DeBolt is an expert in West Florida history, the history of the Florida and American Chautauqua, and has presented on Chautauqua several times. “From 1870 to the 1920s, most people did not have those opportunities. The Florida Chautauqua was originally a teaching assembly for Sunday School teachers and ministers. But people did not travel by themselves, instead they brought their whole families. So eventually it became a ‘people university,’ with music teachers, choirs, cooking schools and home economics. In the late 1800s, schools had not progressed to have those kinds of programs. Chautauqua provided them with education.”
Built in 1899, The Chautauqua Hall of Brotherhood was a replica of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., containing a central dome and two wings. The auditorium would hold up to 4,000 people, as well as places for meetings and a welcoming reception hall. Among the famous writers to give speaking lectures on the Chautauqua circuit was William Jennings Bryan, a politician who ran as a Democratic Party nominee for President of the United States in the 1896, 1900 and 1908 elections. “He was the first person to speak at the Hall of Brotherhood,” DeBolt says. “You would have a chance to meet great authors and politicians. That’s what made Chautauqua so special, that you could get away for a week during the summer for that kind of thing. And people were invigorated and excited when they came home to their communities and said, ‘Why don’t we do that!’ So there are now hundreds all over the U.S.”
Image above is William Jennings Bryan (not located in DeFuniaks Springs)
The building was destroyed in 1975 by Hurricane Eloise and restored. Today, the Florida Chautauqua Association is known for its family-friendly exhibits that include heritage crafts and artists in the Hall of Brotherhood, plein air artists and several outdoor exhibits between the Amphitheatre and Hall of Brotherhood. Established in 1993 as the Florida Chautauqua Center, it aims to revive the historic Florida Chautauqua Assemblies held in Florida from 1885 to 1928. Today’s leaders orchestrate the modern assemblies as a four-day educational program for families comprised of notable keynote speakers, educational breakout sessions, performance teas, evening dinner performances and free exhibits relating to an annual theme.
This year’s theme is “A Journey into Vaudeville,” that will showcase local talent during a competition Saturday, Feb. 22 at the DeFuniak Springs Community Center. “Vaudeville originated as cultural entertainment,” DeBolt says. “As the school system became more advanced and more people were going to college in the 1920s, Chautauqua faded out and entertainment had grown to replace it — dog shows, comedians, those sorts of things.”
The Assembly is seeking performances for its Saturday dinner as part of the 2025 Florida Chautauqua Assembly, during which the audience will vote on their favorite act. The winner will receive a $500 cash prize.
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