“The Custom at Chautauqua…

is Silence After Chimes.”

Mom has that hanging in her home, and all my siblings today seemed to think that was something I needed.

The chimes ring in the traditional quarterly hour pattern from the signature bell tower. In addition, at certain hours, there were special songs played on the bell tower organ. When I worked there, my head driver (of five) Frank’s sister was the bell-ringer.

Silence would have probably fit the religious/Methodist tradition that started the Institution. The sign shows something that is long past, now that Chautauqua is a rural retreat for the rich. I suppose that by restoring the grounds and program my father had something to do with that, love it or hate it.

Chautauquans have always been good at embracing change then hating it for increasing the value of their investment. There’s no way I’d open up a restaurant or store there. Stopping by on a winter’s day, yes I do that nearly every year since 1985.

But I’ll never be a Chautauquan, because I was only staff. On the culinary front, I worked my first year at Glen Park Cafeteria, which had a cafe line but “boys” to take the old people’s trays to their tables and get tips. We didn’t get tips. I lived in a lovely home on the waterfront and ate every meal there but was charged for room and board regardless and was paid $1.25/hr. Criminal. And that was my college money!

But the next year I elected to work 14/hours a day 7 days a week for less than that just to move up in the world. Things changed.