On July 17th
began the classes in The Chautauqua Normal School of Languages, held in
a rough board-walled, white-washed building, which had formerly been
used as a lodging-house, but was no longer needed since cottages had
opened their doors to guests. This may be regarded as the formal opening
of the Chautauqua Summer Schools, although already classes had been
held, some of them three years, others four years, in Greek, Hebrew, and
kindergarten instruction. We will name the faculty of this year. Greek
was taught by a native of Greece, Dr. T. T. Timayenis, of New York;
Latin by Miss Emma M. Hall, of the Detroit High School, afterward a
missionary-teacher in Rome, Italy; Prof. J. H. Worman, of Brooklyn, N.
Y., taught German, never speaking one word of English in his classes,
although a fluent speaker and author in English. Prof. A. Lalande was
the teacher of the French language; Dr. Stephen M. Vail continued his
classes in Hebrew, and Dr. James Strong in Greek; Prof. Bernhard Maimon
of Chicago, taught Oriental languages; and Prof. A. S. Cook, then of
Johns Hopkins, but soon afterward of Yale, conducted a class in the
study of Anglo-Saxon language and literature. These studies were pursued
from a fortnight before the formal opening of the Assembly until its
close, making courses of six weeks, carried on in an intensive manner.
Each professor pushed his department as though it were the only one in
the school, and his students could scarcely find time to rest themselves
by rowing on the lake or walking in the woods with their classmates.

Allied to the School of Languages was the Teachers' Retreat, opening at
the same time but closing just before the Assembly proper. This was
outside the realm of Sunday School instruction, being intended for
secular teachers and presenting the principles and best methods of
education. One of its leaders was Prof. J. W. Dickinson, Secretary of
the Massachusetts State Board of Education, an enthusiast as well as a
master. He had at his command a fund of witticisms and stories, always
in the direct line of his teaching, which added not a little to the
interest of his lectures. I was with him at the table for a fortnight,
and his juicy talk made even a tough steak enjoyable. Associated with
Dr. Dickinson were Prof. William F. Phelps of Minnesota, Dr. Joseph
Alden of the State Normal School, Albany, N. Y., and Dr. John Hancock,
President of the National Teachers' Association. In the following yea