A study to present a history of the Swarthmore Chautauqua as an adult education enterprise was conducted by investigating documents from many sources previously gathered for a review of the life of the Swarthmore Chautauqua. Several tape-recorded personal interviews were used to add to the documentation, and visits were made to towns where the Chautauqua played for the purpose of reading the reviews and talking to persons who attended the Chautauqua between 1912 and 1930. The study found that changes in the social climate of the United States that were brought about by World War I were soon reflected in the fortunes of circuit Chautauqua. It rose to its peak in attendance and profits in the early 1920's and began to decline as a marked influence on American life by 1925. The availability of other forms of education and entertainment brought about a decline in attendance and ticket sales, and by 1926, the Swarthmore Chautauqua was in decline. One conclusion from this study was that the life cycle of the Swarthmore Chautauqua demonstrates the episodic nature of institutions of adult education. (CH)