in the morning on a Bible
topic. Breakfast must be rushed through at seven to brace up the
students for their class. Another was held at 3:30, on some subject
pertaining to the pupil or the teacher; with extra sessions in order to
complete the specified course. A class in Hebrew was held daily by Dr.
S. M. Vail, and attended by forty students. Dr. Vail had been for many
years professor of Hebrew in the earliest Methodist theological school,
the Biblical Institute at Concord, New Hampshire, which afterward became
the School of Theology in Boston University. Dr. Vail was an enthusiast
in his love of Hebrew language and literature. One who occupied a tent
with him--all the workers of that season were lodged in a row of little
tents on Terrace Avenue, two in each tent--averred that his trunk
contained only a Hebrew Bible (he didn't need a lexicon) and a clean
shirt.

Besides the class in Hebrew, Madame Kriege of New York conducted a
class in kindergarten teaching, and Dr. Tourjee of Boston, W. F.
Sherwin, and C. C. Case held classes in singing. All these were
supposedly for Sunday School teachers, but they proved to be the thin
end of the wedge opening the way for the coming summer school.

Even more strongly than at the earlier session, the Normal Class, with a
systematic course of instruction in the Bible and Sunday School work,
was made the center of the program. It is significant of the importance
assigned to this department that for several years, no other meeting,
great or small, was permitted at the normal hours. The camp must either
attend the classes or stay in its tents.

At this session, Mrs. Frank Beard, noting the insistent announcement of
the Normal Classes, and the persistent urging that everybody attend
them, was moved to verse. As true poetry is precious, her effusion is
here given:

To Chautauqua went
On pleasure bent
A youth and maiden fair.
Working in the convention
Was not their intention,
But to drive away dull care.
Along came John V----
And what did he see
But this lover and his lass.
Says he, "You must
Get up and dust
And go to the Normal Class."

The great event in the Assembly of '75 was the visit of General U. S.
Grant, then President of the United States on his second term. It was
brought about partly because of the long-time friendship of the Genera