August 24, 2012 
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The final morning lecture of the 2012 Season offered Chautauquans a preview of the upcoming presidential election from two veteran journalists.
Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy, editors at Time magazine, inspired the Week Nine morning lecture theme of “The Presidents Club,” with their book of the same name.
The Time editors’ casual discussion covered everything from Mitt Romney’s wealth to the relationship between Bill Clinton and President Barack Obama.
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August 23, 2012 0 Comments
Many Chautauquans bring their families to the Institution in the pursuit of lifelong learning and to get away from the stresses of everyday life. People can spend time at the beach, enjoy the morning lectures or stroll along the waterfront during their summer vacations.
Meghan and Jenna Raynor come to the Institution as employees at the Chautauqua Tennis Center to bond with friends and to enjoy the game they love.
Jenna said while some people might get tired of working with their sibling all summer, she cherishes her time at Chautauqua with Meghan.
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August 22, 2012 0 Comments
Most people can relate to a teenager’s difficulty dealing with homework, school dances and friends while growing up.
But only a few people understand what it’s like to deal with those things under the white-hot spotlight of being a presidential child.
Lynda Johnson Robb and Susan Ford Bales shared their stories with journalist John Avlon during Wednesday’s morning lecture in congruence with the Week Nine lecture theme, “The Presidents Club.”
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August 22, 2012 0 Comments
Taking in a day of fun and relaxation at Chautauqua is easy. People can get some sun at one of the beaches, play a set or two of tennis at the Chautauqua Tennis Center, or work up a sweat at one of the two fitness centers on the grounds.
However, ensuring all of those facilities are safe and up to Chautauquans’ standards means long days and meticulous attention to detail.
Karl Hanson, 21, is the first-year maintenance worker for the Department of Recreation. He oversees the tennis center, the beaches, both fitness centers, Sharpe Field and the lawn bowling green next to the Sports Club.
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August 21, 2012 2 Comments
Timothy J. Naftali summed up Dwight D. Eisenhower’s feelings of John F. Kennedy in one sentence: “Eisenhower didn’t like the man, but he revered the office.”
Along with being the first director of the Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, Calif., Naftali’s career as a presidential historian includes directing the Presidential Recordings Program at the University of Virginia.
Naftali’s lecture, “The Peacock and the Bald Eagle: The Remarkable Relationship Between JFK and Eisenhower,” examined public and private comments the two presidents made about each other’s views on foreign policy, military strategy and social issues.
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August 18, 2012 0 Comments
The battle for Chautauqua men’s slow-pitch softball supremacy was fought Sunday evening in balmy conditions. The rain earlier in the day jeopardized the game, but the men would not let that delay their quest for glory.
The game was a battle of generations. It pitted Chautauqua stalwarts the Slugs versus a team of 20-somethings, the Mayo-Based Salads. One can laugh at their whimsical name, but the Salads’ reputation preceded them, and the Slugs knew they were in for a tough game.
The Slugs took time before the game to discuss the importance of being vocal from the bench and encouraging their teammates. Meanwhile, there was a buzz around the bench on the third-base line as the Salads hyped themselves up for the culmination of all of their hard work this season.
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August 18, 2012 0 Comments
As the season winds down and staffers from Children’s Club and Boys’ and Girls’ Club return to college, the youth programs look for ways to continue providing programming for young Chautauquans.
The Carnegie Science Center has been coming to Chautauqua late in the season for more than a decade to provide science-related programming and events for Children’s School and Club.
The first event, “Geocaching on the Grounds,” will equip 15 teams with GPS units and pit them against one another in a treasure hunt.
There will be two identical sessions Saturday. The first session is from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and the second is from 2–4 p.m. Teams will be able to sign up on Bestor Plaza on a first-come basis.
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August 11, 2012 0 Comments
While walking to the Sports Club only days before the season started, Richard Ulasewicz saw Rita VanDerveer sitting on her porch reading with a friend. They exchanged greetings, and VanDerveer asked Ulasewicz how his day was going.
He told VanDerveer his day had been pretty rough, and that he was desperate for a certified bridge instructor. He asked VanDerveer if she, by any chance, knew someone who could help.
VanDerveer pointed to her friend who was reading on her porch and said, “There’s your new bridge instructor right there.” It was Marsha Reall.
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Chautauqua Institution is a community on the shores of Chautauqua Lake in southwestern New York state that comes alive each summer with a unique mix of fine and performing arts, lectures, interfaith worship and programs, and recreational activities. Over the course of nine weeks, more than 170,000 visitors will participate in programs, classes and community events for all ages—all within the beautiful setting of a historic lakeside village. Learn more →
