e and said:

"The time for the meeting has come, but nobody seems to be in charge.
Let us begin the reception ourselves without waiting."

He stood up, and began shaking hands right and left, without waiting for
introduction, and when the four o'clock bell sounded, the reception was
in full sweep, everybody crowding around at once and grasping his hand.
Before the first throng had satisfied its desires, another stream poured
in and the general tumult continued until the five o'clock hour
compelled an adjournment, the Hall being required for another meeting.

At the close, Dr. Hale remarked to me, "I especially like the
informality of such gatherings here at Chautauqua. This has been one of
the most satisfactory receptions that I have ever attended!"

Chautauqua was already coming to the front as a convention-city. Its
central location between New York and Chicago, with ready transportation
north and south, its Amphitheater for great meetings, with numerous
halls and tents for smaller gatherings and committees, the constant
improvement in its lodging and commissary departments, its attractive
program of lectures and entertainments, and not the least, its romantic
out-of-door life, began to draw to the ground different organizations.
The Woman's Christian Temperance Union, led by Frances E. Willard,
returned to its birthplace for its sixth annual convention, and the
National Educational Association brought members from every State,
presided over by Dr. J. Ormond Wilson. This Association embraced
educators of widely diverging views, and some entertaining scraps
occurred in its discussions. For example, the kindergarten instruction
at Chautauqua was under the direction of Madame Kraus-Boelte, and her
husband, a learned but rather obstinate German, Professor Kraus. There
was an Americanized kindergarten, whose representative came, hired a
cottage, and hung out her sign, but much to her displeasure was not
allowed to conduct classes. It would never answer to let anybody hold
classes unauthorized by the management, for who could tell what
educational heresies might enter through the gate? But this aggressive
lady paid her fee, joined the N. E. A., and in the kindergarten section
proceeded to exploit her "improvements" upon the Froebel system. This
aroused the ire of Professor Kraus, and in vigorous language he
interrupted her address, declaring, at first in English, then half in
German as his anger rose:

"Dat iss not kin