Series 1 - Talent

The talent brochures and accompanying correspondence comprise the Talent Series. The following guidelines will assist in locating all of the information pertinent to an individual or a group. The use of "see" and "see also" references have been used to allow greater access. The "see" reference indicates that all the information will be found under that name, e.g., Marlo, Edward, see Marlo the Great means that all entries are under Marlo the Great. The "see also" reference indicates that information may be found under the name that is being searched, as well as under additional entries, e.g., Duval Brothers, see also Blaeser, Andrew means that information will be found under both Duval Brothers and Blaeser, Andrew.

In some instances, there are variations in the spelling of the names of groups or an individual on the brochures. When there are differences in the spellings, the authoritative form for the names is taken from the written correspondence.

Individual names of members of groups usually are not included. Exceptions are for duos and some trios in which all of the names of the group members are listed on the front of the brochure, or as part of the group's name, e.g., Smith-Springer-Holmes Company, or McCormick and Bronte. In both instances, each of the names is listed along with "see" or "see also" references. Often the name of a group would be used for a number of years, but the spelling would vary. When there are multiple spellings of the same name, e.g., Criterion Male Quartet and Criterion Male Quartette, the groups are listed separately.

Individuals or groups whose names are listed as "Mac" or "Mc" have been combined and appear in the "Mac" alphabetical listing. Vocational abbreviations, military rank, and marital status are designated when a reference is made within the correspondence or on the brochures. Examples include: Rev. (for ministers and priests of Protestant and Catholic denominations); Rabbi (for leaders of the Jewish faith); Dr. (for medical doctors only); Gen., Col., Pvt., etc. (for military rank); Mr., Miss, Mrs., Mlle. (for marital status when indicated).

The marriage of female talent often resulted in a name change; therefore, the name is listed under the respective designation. An example is Listeman, Virginia who later became Baxter, Virginia Listeman. "See" and "see also" references connect the two.

Theatrical plays and presentations are designated by quotation marks followed by the word Company, e.g., "Sweethearts" Company or "Hope Valley" Company, and are filed under the title of the production. Exceptions have been made for groups such as the Scottish Musical Company, the Manhattan Opera Company, or the Ben Greet Players, in which cases the brochures are filed under the name of the theater company or the group of players rather than the title of the production.

A compound surname is entered in the form that appears in the correspondence, e.g., Ernestine Schumann-Heink is entered under Schumann.

Series 2 - Photographs and Postcards

There are over seven hundred photographs and postcards in the Chautauqua Collection with subjects ranging from tents and parades to audiences and performers, cities, and other scenery. These images, along with talent brochures, programs, and sound recordings, have been digitzed and appear on the Iowa Digital Library site: digital.lib.uiowa.edu

In addition to those listed under "Identified People", talent names may also have personal or group photographs within their file.

Series 3 - Choral and Instrumental Sheet Music

Music performed by individuals and groups is found in sheet music format.

Series 4 - Agents and Employees

Agent and Employee records contain correspondence between the Chautauqua bureaus and people, usually other than talent, who worked for the bureaus.

Series 5 - Business Files

Business and financial records include Keith Vawter’s business records (1891 to 1931) and correspondence (1902 to 1936). The records from Harry Harrison’s Redpath-Chicago office, during the same period, contain business correspondence, contracts, telegrams, etc. Charles Horner’s correspondence from the early years of circuit Chautauqua is part of this series as are agent and employee files.

Series 6 - Geographic Locations

The Geographical location portion contains information about the towns which sponsored Chautauqua and lyceum programs. Arranged alphabetically, first by state and then by town, these folders include brochures, correspondence, and programs presented at that specific locale. Forty-seven states (excepting Alaska, Hawaii, and Wyoming) are represented; there are also folders for Canadian cities and towns.

Series 7 - Financial Records

Ledgers containing schedules of performances by talent chronicle who was appearing where.

Series 8 - Talent Schedules

Daily location logs for some of the performers.

Series 9 - Realia and Varied Material

Miscellaneous materials range from actual Chautauqua tickets to contracts, maps, books, etc.

Series 10 - Theses, Essays, and Articles

Theses and essays include papers written using the Redpath Chautauqua Collection.

Series 11 - Jounrals and Periodicals

Journals and periodicals in the collection include partial sets of a number of periodicals including: The Lyceumite (1902-1907); Talent, a Magazine of Public Speaking (1890-1907); The Lyceumite and Talent (1907-1913), a merger of Talent and Lyceumite; Lyceum Magazine (1913-1922), which continued The Lyceumite and Talent; and The Lyceum News (1911-1922). The magazine files of the International Lyceum Association are also a part of this series. Some of the sets include the International Lyceum and Chautauqua Association Yearbooks (1911-1924); Lyceum Magazine and Leadership (1928-1929) a further continuation of The Lyceumite and Talent; The Platform World (1929-1933), a continuation of Lyceum Magazine and Talent; and Program (1933-1944).

Series 12 - Contemporary Uses and Series 13 Related Collections

In 2022, these two series were removed from the finding aid and instead added as 'Related Materials' for the collection.