Pioneer Hall

is open to visitors on

Mondays & Wednesdays

1:15 - 2:15 PM

during the season

 

It is located on Cookman across from Alumni Hall

on the grounds of the Chautauqua Institution.

 

 

Pioneer Hall

Museum

 

Built by

The Class of 1882

the first graduating class

of the

Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle

 

Pioneer Hall is open to visitors

Mondays & Wednesdays

From 1:15 PM to 2:15 PM

during the season

 

Items on display include:

 

•1882 Diplomas with Seals

•Original Textbooks

•Fine Porcelain Teacups

•Commemorative Spoons

•Estey Chancel Organ

•Kate Kimball’s Portrait

•Period furnishings

•Historic Photographs

•Dr. Vincent’s Desk

 

 

 

PIONEER HALL MUSEUM

Guide for Tour

Created by the Class of 1997

Updated by the Class of 2009 in August 2015

 

Please do not touch articles – most are old and fragile.

 

Please sign our guest book.

The guest-book holder was donated in 1891 by Miss Eunice Smith,

a Chautauquan and a member of the Class of 1882.

 

 

 

Please look directly in front of you.

• At one time the Banner of the Class of 1882 hung in this Hall. However, it was in such bad shape that the Alumni had a reproduction made and it now resides in Alumni Hall. It stands beside the newest banner. The original, which was made of fragile silk, is now kept in the Archives.

 

• The American flag, on the left post, has always been displayed in Pioneer Hall and when the 60 Canadian members of the Class gave a Canadian flag in 1897, the Class decided, at that time, that it was to be displayed, on the right post, with Old Glory as long as the building remained standing’ The flag of Canada is one that was in use before Nova Scotia and New Brunswick joined Canada.

 

• On the wooden center posts, behind the flags, you will notice the crossed Hatchets, the Class emblem which is fitting for the “Pioneers” as the Class of 1882 called themselves. Their motto was from “Height to Height”. Their cheer:

 

Hear! Hear! Pioneer,

Height to Height! Fight for Right! Pioneer,

Who are you?

Who are you?

We are the Class of ’82,

Pioneers! Ah! (falling intonation)

 

• Members of the Class of 1882 read 16 books in four years. They were required to take an exam which included several essays. Today we are only required to read 12 books with no test required. 

 

 

 

 

Class Story

 

 

This building, Pioneer Hall, was the home of the first graduating class of CLSC, the class of 1882. Everyone was so hungry for education in those days that word of an “at home” reading program spread quickly and by 1877 the class had 8,437 enrolled. Of this number, 1,718 graduated in 1882 and 707 of that number were here on the grounds for the five-hour graduation ceremony. During Bishop Vincent’s address in that long graduation, a white dove flew across the Amphitheater from east to west. In comparison, these days when almost everyone can get an education easily, the CLSC Class of 1997 had 90 members and 59 attended the Recognition Ceremony here in Chautauqua. The Class of 2009 had 82 members and 79 attended the ceremony.

 

In 1885, the members of the Class of 1882 started the building of Pioneer Hall, occupying it in August of 1886. The builder was Amasa D. Wilder, a member of the Class, who charged little for his labor, thus it cost $700. The walls are wormy chestnut. This building was something the Class was very proud of and used it for their class meetings which were held at 7 PM weekly during the Assembly (what we now call the Season).

 

~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~

 

You can start your tour to the right side of the building interior

as you come in the front door. 

 

Photos on the wall behind the door are photos of some of the Class of 1882 members.

 

• Mrs. Fanny Bailey, Jamestown, NY
  
  
• Rev. L. L. Burton, graduate from Allegheny College in Meadville, PA, in 1852, joined the Erie Conference of the United Methodist Church in the same year, died March 26, 1900.
  
  
• James L. Edwards, Gulfport, FL, 94 years old on April 24, 1956
  
  
• Amanda B. Golding, from Pennsylvania.
  
  
• Miss Jessie Grassie, from Massachusetts, last living member of the Class. Shown here on the 50th Anniversary of Chautauqua, 1924. She was the original owner and operator of the Rochester Hotel, 9 Root Ave.
  
  
• Mr. and Mrs. B. C. Herrick, from Ohio, in one frame with a CLSC ribbon. Their diploma is made out to Mr. and Mrs. B. C. Herrick
  
  
• Helen M. Stanton, from New York, died May 29, 1894, at 28 years old, which meant she was a graduate in the Class of 1882 at 16 years of age – quite an accomplishment!

 

 

 

The table in front of the window holds a Chautauqua Industrial Art Desk made in the early 1900’s. These desks were very popular in their time for they had so much information in the form of charts on them. If you have time, you may come back and use the flashlight to look at the back. I must remind you not to touch it.

 

On the wall to the left of the desk are Diplomas from the graduating class of 1882. One of three overall mottos was Never Be Discouraged. The seals on the diplomas were given after graduation for extra reading in certain subjects; for instance, the blue shield seals were for English, History and Literature, and gold star seals were for Astronomy. The gold crown shields at the top of the diplomas were given for reading the entire Bible.

 

The chest of drawers along the wall between the two side windows is adorned with a scarf which was woven by an 1882 Class Member, Miss Mary Woodruff; note the hatchets on the ends.

 

• The music box on the bottom shelf was one used by Miss Jessie Grassie as a young girl. Miss Grassie was the longest living member of the Class, who at 94 in 1956, was here for CLSC Recognition Day.
  
  
• The little photo on shelf to the left is of Dr. Jessie Lyman Hurlbut, from New Jersey, and the first president of the Class of 1882. He is the author of the book next to him, The Story of the Bible, which are children’s stories of the Bible.
  
  
• The photo, under the shelf, to the left is of Rev. Theodore L. Flood, a member of the class and the first editor of “The Chautauqua Assembly Daily Herald.” He also published The Chautauquan Magazine, where students could get their required reading at a lower cost than buying the necessary books to read.
  
  
• Above the chest is a portrait of Kate Fisher Kimball, another picture of her is to the right. When Bishop John Heyl Vincent started the CLSC in 1878, the project was growing so quickly that he needed an assistant and Kate Fisher Kimball from Plainfield, NJ applied. Bishop Vincent said of her, “This tall young lady, only 18 years old, just out of high school, and with a pair of brown eyes peculiarly bright, and a manner retiring though self possessed stated her wish to apply for the job. Bishop Vincent told her he was afraid she was too young to undertake the work and Kate Kimball said she would like to try it, but if Bishop Vincent found she was not equal to it, she would not be offended to have it given to another person, and asked to let her try. And what a job she did, handling all details, answering phones, organizing Bishop Vincent’s efforts and inspiring all around her. On the table below her picture is an example of the statistics which Kate F. Kimball compiled. It shows the ages, marital status, children, occupation, denominations, and states or territories they were from, and this is compiled for both men and women.
  
  
• She became a member of the Class of 1882 and also was soon appointed as Executive Secretary and held that position until her death in 1917.
  
  
• On the shelf to the right is a newspaper clipping about Mrs. Edward MacDowell, a Class member, on receiving congratulations from the U.S. president on her 98th birthday. There is also another picture of Kate Kimball.
  
  
• The photo on the wall, to the lower left of the chest, is of W.A. Duncan, a Class Member and the first Superintendent of Grounds at Chautauqua Institute. It was framed by the Chautauqua School of Wood Carvers in 1891.
  
  
• The display, beside the window, shows the Stewards of Pioneer Hall. As the Class of 1882 aged, the Class of 1938 took over, then the Class of 1956, then the Class of 1963, and in 1998 the Class of 1997 took over. In 2011, the Class of 2009 began giving docent tours and their class gift was earmarked for Pioneer Hall. Several members of the class have volunteered to be the Stewards of Pioneer Hall helping the new classes learn about the Hall and be able to participate in telling everyone about the first graduating class of the CLSC
  
  
• A secretary (a prize from the Larkin Soap Company) was given to Pioneer Hall in the early 1900’s. It is typical of the that time period. Hand-painted tea cups, one has 1882 on it, another little hatchet symbols. The commemorative spoons and napkins which Miss Jessie Grassie used are inside. When this building was being used by the Class of 1882, they had meetings and studied here at least one day a week during the season. At that time, they enjoyed having tea. The water for the tea was heated in the fireplace, and the ladies of the class furnished the hand-painted tea cups while the men donated 25 cents each for the tea.

 

 

We now come to the stage which has the original carpet in place since 1886. This building was used as a classroom and the chairs in the room were purchased in 1890 at a cost of $10 per dozen. The class of 1997 had some of them newly caned at a cost of $65 per chair, quite a difference from the original cost.

 

The Pulpit was given to the class in 1904 and the plaque states: “Original Chautauqua pulpit used in the auditorium in Miller Park at the time of the founding of Chautauqua Institute by Lewis Miller and John Heyl Vincent in August 1874.”

 

• The bookcase contains some of the study books from 1878 when 4 CLSC started, to around the year 1940.
  
  
• The embroidered mantle scarf was donated by a member named Mrs. M. R. Mercer, a class member from Sheffield, AL, in 1890.
  
  
• Above, on the wall, the paper decorations were made using the Class colors, red outlined with silver, and placed there by Class Members for their 25th Anniversary in 1907. 101 members attended this important event.

 

To the left of the bookshelves are several pictures of the Hall of Philosophy.

 

• The present Hall was erected in 1906 on the site of an earlier wooden hall placed there in 1879. The present building was erected by generous gifts of members of the CLSC Classes and friends of Chautauqua. There is a photo of the mosaic in the floor of the Hall of Philosophy honoring the Class of 1882. The Class donated $100 for this. The Class also donated the steps leading toward the lake. There is a plaque on each side of the base of the steps acknowledging this donation.

 

The fireplace:

 

Above and to the left, Bishop John Heyl Vincent, co-founder of Chautauqua Institution or Assembly and the founder of CLSC. He was born in Alabama and became a preacher at 19, never attended college but realized that there were thousands like him; therefore, felt he needed to see that as many people as possible could get an education and being a true idea man, he started the CLSC in 1878.

 

• Above and to the right, Lewis Miller, co-founder of Chautauqua Institution or Assembly. He was a business man who developed more than 100 patents in his lifetime. He was a fixer also, which came in handy in the early days of Chautauqua. He was a radical for his day, was a strong proponent of women in academia and in the Chautauqua programs as presenters, a stance not at first comfortable to the conservative Bishop John Heyl Vincent. Miller was the financial underwriter of Chautauqua in the early years.
  
  
• Below these photos, the long-lettered piece, “Let Us Keep Our Heavenly Father in the Midst” once was in the home of Class Member Mrs. Lizzie Wilcox who lived in PA. It was one of the 3 CLSC mottos.
  
  
• The fan on the mantle was used in the early days, as were many like it; no air conditioning in those days, of course.
  
  
• The picture on the mantle of the Amphitheater in 1889 with the theme – “Knowledge Unused for the Good of Others is More Vain than Unused Gold.” You can see the steps to the stage as well as the banners from previous years in front of it.
  
  
• The candlesticks have a date on them – 1930. The original light for the evening celebrations was by the glow of candles and oil lamps.
  
  
• The photo on the right is of Mrs. B.T. Vincent, wife of Rev. Bethuel Thomas Vincent who was also a member of the Class, and the younger brother of Dr. John Heyl Vincent. Mrs. Vincent served as president of the Class of 1882 for 36 years, from 1884 until 1920. There is a charming little story about the class raising funds as a tribute to her in 1907, the 25th Anniversary of their Class. Donations were made by the members, and at the celebration, Kate Kimball, as a surprise to Mrs. Vincent, presented to her a pile of gold coins to commemorate each annual anniversary of the Class. The coins totaled $150. Mrs. Vincent was very touched and after gaining control, she thanked them most sincerely and stated that she would immediately put the coins in the safe at the bank for they made her feel like a multi-millionaire.
  
  
• Below Mrs. Vincent is a picture of what the Hall looked like during the season in the early years. Flags were flying, lamps were lit and conversation flowed in this place for a long time.
  
  
• The picture to the left above shows Class Members by this fireplace, Miss Jessie Grassie, Mrs. Hestor, and Rev. Emily C. Woodruff (a Congregational Pastor and the first vice president of the Class.)
  
• The picture below shows Miss Jessie Grassie and Mr. James L. Edwards, members of the Class of 1882, leading the CLSC Parade in 1959.

 

 

 

The organ is an Estey Organ, Chancel Model, built in Brattleboro, VT, in 1886. That is the year this building was completed and first used. The Class loved to sing and did so often. The organ is no longer used; time has taken its toll.

 

• Above the organ, top photo is Rev. Alva M. Martin, the first President of the Class of 1882. He was also the General Secretary of CLSC.
  
  
• Photo of Jesse L. Hurlbut, one of several presidents of the Class of 1882 and one of the most popular and beloved teachers in Chautauqua. He supervised the Normal Courses beginning in 1875, taught the Adult Bible Class each Sunday afternoon, lectured in Palestine Park and on the platform, and assisted with CLSC. He wrote an excellent history of Chautauqua, “The Story of Chautauqua,” which the Chautauqua Archives has in their collection. Dr. Hurlbut celebrated fifty years at Chautauqua in 1924. He died in 1930 and the Hurlbut Memorial Church here in Chautauqua was built in 1931 and named in his memory.
  
  
• To the right of the organ several members of the class of ‘82 relaxing, in front, Col. R. Taylor, age 89 years, Mrs. Col. R. Taylor, age 79 years; in back, Mrs. S. Holoway, age 79 years, and Mrs. E. C. Dale, age 79 years.
  
  
• Ribbons, above and to the left on this wall, with the dates of 1875 and 1880, and those on the opposite wall for the dates of 1874, 1881 and 1882 were from the Sunday School Normal Classes graduated in those years. It was the reason Chautauqua was founded to teach Sunday School teachers how to teach.
  
  
• The table beside the organ is covered by a tablecloth which the members of the Class of 1896 signed. On it also, is a pitcher owned by Bishop John Heyl Vincent in his early days at Chautauqua.
  
  
• The little table under the window, right contains the original booklet with all of the names of the Class of 1882.

 

 

The “Vincent Corner”

 

• Three photos in a row to the left of the window:
  • Top – titled, “Class of 1882 in the Grove,” by Mrs. Lucy Kirkland.
  • Below it – Class of 1882 on the front porch of this building, note that there is not yet a trim around the top of the porch.
  • Top – 10th Anniversary of the CLSC Class of ’88 in 1898
• The next three photos toward the corner:
  • Top left – original CLSC Alumni Hall built in 1892
  • Below it – Class of 1882 in front of their building on their 25th Anniversary in 1907.
  • Bottom – the “Golden Gate” shown with an early CLSC Class.
• Two photos to the left:
  • Top – Dr. George E. Vincent, son of Dr. John Heyl Vincent who was the 5th President of the Chautauqua Institution and served from 1907 to 1915.
  • Below it – A family picture showing Bishop Vincent, Mrs. B.T. Vincent, Rev. Jessie L. Hurlbut, Mr. and Mrs. John G. Allen. All were members of the Class of 1882 and the picture shows their banner.
  • An old podium used by the class before they received the one from the Hall of Philosophy which you saw on the stage as we passed by.
  • On it – the photo album has pictures in it, but most are unidentified at this point.
• The pictures on the wall between the corner and the front window:
• • Top middle – John Heyl Vincent
  • Right top – Mrs. B.T. Vincent, President of the Class of 1882 for 36 years, from 1884 to 1920.
  • Beneath Mrs. Vincent – Her husband, Rev. Bethuel T. Vincent, a member of the Class and a brother of Bishop Vincent. He was a remarkable teacher of children and young people. He was so good at presenting the Bible, that lessons became the major feature of the Children’s Bible Reading Class and the entertainment of the children’s meetings. His classes were so popular, and the grown-ups came in such numbers that the rule had to be made for them to sit in the rear, reserving the front seats for the children
  • Top left by window – John Heyl Vincent
  • Beneath John Heyl Vincent – Dr. George Vincent, son of John Heyl Vincen
• Sitting on the chair under the window is a wooden box. It contains a small silk Japanese Flag. One of the members of the class was from Japan. He couldn’t make it back for one of the reunions and he sent them a lovely note along with the flag.
• On the other side of the window, between it and the door – more graduation certificates from Class Members other than 1882.

 

 

Are there any questions?

We hope you have enjoyed this little tour of the past, and we thank you for visiting the Pioneer Hall Museum. 

(Original write-up was completed in 2001)

(Updated by the CLSC Class of 2009 in 2015)