The Daily Times, New Philadelphia, Ohio, January 8, 1914

The Chautauqua salute was a name for the popular handkerchief wave which originated at the Chautauqua Institution. The story goes that at the institution a Canadian man named Samuel Greene, a deaf-mute teacher, gave a vivid pantomime, probably of Nearer My God to Thee - one of his most popular, which brought great applause. Dr. Vincent shouted over the crowd that their speaker could not hear them cheering and clapping, and that instead they should wave their handkerchiefs as a visible form of their appreciation. The hundreds of fluttering handkerchiefs made a beautiful scene from the stage and it became a popular salute at the camp. 

The Chautauqua salute spread outside the camp and began to be used as a quieter way to showing support for speakers - instead of noisy clapping, which made it hard to hear what was being said, the crowds would wave their hankies at the platform.  Another use was soon discovered and they were seen flapping goodbye at departing ships and trains around the world.