San Marcos Chautauqua Brings Back History

The Texas State Honors College is bringing back a long lost historical event to the University.

During the late 1800s, the San Marcos Chautauqua was an educational event that spanned across a summer. It happened on Chautauqua Hill, where Old Main sits. People would come to hear lectures and participate in a variety of lessons over the course of a few weeks.

The Honors College is creating their own Chautauqua event for a night at the end of March, and hopes to bring back some of the traditions of the historical Chautauqua gatherings. Honors Graduate Assistant Elissa Myers says the goal is for the dinner to be an exchange of information between friends of Honors, alumni and professors.

“We want ours to be more of a discussion where the professors are talking about their expertise but the other people at the table are also contributing. It’s supposed to be a really engaging experience.”
– Elissa Myers

The keynote address at the event will be by Doctor Sean Guillory and is entitled Humor, Honors and Neuroscience. Myers says the Honors College wants to reach out and reconnect with alumni.

“It’s going to be a great experience for alumni to reconnect with their old professors and Honors friends that they maybe haven’t seen for a long time.”
– Elissa Myers

Money raised from the event will benefit the Honors College and scholarships for students. The Chautauqua event is on March 22nd from 6-10 p.m. in the JCK Reed Parr Room. For more information, visit the Texas State Honors website.

Tara Pohlmeyer, KTSW News