riendship
as well as literary insight. On a former visit to Chautauqua Francis
Wilson not only joined the C. L. S. C., but formed a reading circle in
his dramatic company, directing their studies and holding their literary
meetings in railroad stations, in hotel parlors, and in the green rooms
of theaters, wherever they chanced to be when the meeting day arrived.

On August 7, 1900, the corner stone of the Hall of Christ, "Aula
Christi," was laid. The address on that occasion was given by Bishop
James M. Thoburn of India. Bishop Vincent was now living overseas in
Zurich, Switzerland, and could not be present. The stone was laid by
Principal George E. Vincent and a telegram from his father was read.
This Hall was one of the creations of Bishop Vincent's poetic mind. He
aimed to make it a building not large, but beautiful, a sort of shrine,
a chapel for meditation and prayer, a place of quiet, spiritual
fellowship, not of class teaching, but of thoughtful addresses on themes
directly relating to our Lord. Bishop Vincent did not possess the genius
for raising large sums of money for his conceptions; he shrank from
pressing them upon rich men. Another projector would have ventured
boldly, demanded contributions and obtained them, to build the Hall at
once; but Dr. Vincent was delicate in speaking of it, though all knew
his ardent desires for this ideal. The building grew slowly as gifts
were received. Begun in 1899, it was not dedicated until 1912. Although
no thought of his own honor in this building was in the Founder's mind,
yet to many it stands as his monument at Chautauqua. Most appropriately
it is used as the center for the Department of Religious Work, and daily
lectures are given within its walls on Biblical themes.

As Dr. George Vincent was now an associate professor in the University
of Chicago, it became necessary for him to have some assistance in the
management of the Chautauqua program and platform. Mr. Scott Brown was
this year appointed General Director and Vice-Principal of Instruction.

CHAPTER XIX

OPENING THE NEW CENTURY

(1901-1904)

THE season of 1901 was the longest of any thus far, sixty days, from
July 1st to August 29th. In the schools Manual Training was introduced
under the direction of Mr. Henry J. Baker, also a school of Library
Training under the general guidance of Mr. Melvil Dewey, at that time
New York State Librarian, and soon after made one of the Chautauqua
trustees. The