Lyceum and

Chautauqua
Movements
Kaitlin
Weidner
Kaitlin Weidner

Learning Assumptions
Learners Prior Experiences
Questions for discussion

Need to Know
First adult education system in the United States

Socio-Cultural Context
High illiteracy
Poorly trained teachers in common

schools
Extremely low wages for teachers
One-third of children not in school
Desire to standardize new industrial
knowledge
Discuss new innovations in technology

What are
some
problems
that need to
be
addressed?
How could
they be
addressed?

Lyceum Movement

Founder: Josiah Holbrook

Year: 1826-1860s
Membership: Open to all, inexpensive dues
Purpose:
Improve common school system
Adult education agency

The Beginning
1826 Massachusetts
American Journal of Education article
Few weeks later County Lyceum

1831 Entire United States

National Lyceum Improvement

Chautauqua Movement

Founders: John Vincent and Lewis Miller

Year: 1874
Rooted in the Lyceum Movement
Purpose:
Educational
Not Revivalist

The Second Beginning

Summer school for Sunday School teachers

Original Name: Chautauqua Sunday School Assembly

Grew to include all types of adult education, concerts,
social activities
7,000 participants in the first year
What did
Correspondence Course A College OutlookSunday
The Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle

School look
like in the
1800s?

Learner Characteristics/Needs
Rapidly advancing technology of Industrial Revolution
Little or no formal schooling, no opportunity for secondary
education
Schooling for low, middle class women

Why is the
Reform school system
use of a
Better teacher wages and training
library so
1.4 million children without the opportunity to attend a school
important?
Library usage

Lyceums and Chautauquas

Abolitionists
Feminists
Shakespeare

reenactments
Animal acts
Mark Twain
William Jennings Brian
Band performances

How much time should a boy put

into studying Latin and Greek?

To what extent should lectures be

used in common schools?

What is the best way to improve

common schools?

What improvements are necessary

to our state laws?

Should religion be a part of

educational instruction?

Impact
Connection to broader culture for those in rural areas
Founded colleges
Why is the

Lowell Institute, Brooklyn Institute

focus on
Public schools
public schools
Raised public interest toward problem
so important
Higher wages for teachers
More schools so more children could attend
in an adult
Teacher Professionalism new teaching methods education
State Board of Education

program?

Impact
Started numerous public libraries

New found love of reading

Each towns lyceum became an adult school

Wrote local histories

Made maps of towns
Began science of meteorology (weather)
First adult education system in the United States

Lyceums, Chautauquas, and CAE

213
Goals and purposes for learning

Individual secondary education

Institutional libraries, greater interest in education
Societal reform common school system
Individual and Situational Uniqueness
Subject matter what topic will have value to individual
Situational rural vs urban; contact with outside
Individual past experiences and education

Lyceums, Chautauquas, and CAE

213
Self-Concept

Do you see any

Group members determined topics
other adult
Readiness to Learn
learner
Topics could be practically applied
principles/assump
Prior Experiences
tions used in this
Lectures and group discussion led by different members of the
program?
class

The End
Ironically, both movements were ended by war.
Lyceum Movement Civil War riots and violence
Chautauqua Movement WWI and the prevalence of
automobiles and radios

Do you know of any lyceum or

Chautauqua organizations that are
around today?

Bibliography
"Chautauqua Movement History."The Colorado
Chautauqua Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.
"Chautauqua Movement."Unites States History. N.p., n.d.
Web. 22 Feb. 2016.
Hayes, C. "The American Lyceum: Its History and
Contribution to Education. Bulletin, 1932, No. 12."ERIC.
N.p., Nov. 1839. Web.
"The History of the Lyceum Movement."The New Orleans
Lyceum. N.p., 07 July 2010. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.